New Haven: City of Parking Garages.
I was just in New Haven to attend the Society for the Preservation of Natural History Collections Conference (what a great bunch of museum professionals!). Besides being overwhelmed with its very creative parking garages (recurring class project of the architecture school?) I found really great doughnuts there.
When you are staying in an American chain hotel, usually the first thing to do is avoid the in-house restaurant or “continental breakfast” (evident that whoever sets up that pasty bland offering of Wonderbread, Cheerios, and weak coffee has never been to the continent). I used Yelp to find something else nearby. After being panhandled three times in a 1.5 block walk, I came upon the Orangeside Luncheonette, and their incredible square doughnuts. They make a pretty dern good ham, egg, and cheese sandwich as well. One of the counter ladies was in her robe and slippers.
Chocolate cake doughnut from the Orangeside Luncheonette, New Haven, CT. RL Fifield photo, 2012.
Owner Tony Polshek Jr cites the original New Haven city planning design of nine grids as the influence behind the square doughnut in this Yale Daily News article. Urban planning-influenced doughtnuts? Right up my alley – beyond the parking garage.