North Carolina is home to Duke University. That never really entered my awareness until I went to Monuts, which is in Durham, North Carolina. I was staying at the cheapest Motel possible, so from that perspective, Durham is entirely populated by work crews and truckers. Walk into Monuts, and now it’s all Duke students.
Monuts is an oasis of something, in a sea of something else. I will have to call that first something “hipsterness,” because that’s what I imagine the denizens of the something else would call it. A harmless bath of progressive thinking, concern over authenticity, and fashion shibboleths. It’s familiar and comfortable to me, and I am all the more aware of it after being on the road and out of my element for a couple of weeks.
One of the things that comes along with “hipsterness” is putting “hipster” in quotes. Another is caring about coffee quality. The relevant section of Monuts’ menu has the subheader, “Counter Culture Coffee,” so you know they aren’t going to be serving Sanka. Or even Starbucks. Marianne and I got delicious coffee at Monuts. Though I didn’t check, I think there’s a good chance it was traded-for fairly and grown in the shade of a canopy of trees.
The yeast raised doughnuts here were a bit chewy, but not unpleasantly so. The cake doughnuts were great. More and more I am realizing how unremarkable Top Pot’s cake doughnuts are. In the doughnut hierarchy as defined by Whoo’s and District, Monuts tops out at Fancy – and their best doughnuts are the Fancy ones.
German Chocolate Cake: Best doughnut here. Just like a toroidal piece of German chocolate cake.
Maple Bacon Bourbon: A nice variant of what’s become de rigueur for wacky doughnut places, maple with bacon. Well done.
Blueberry pancake: Like a maple glazed. No detectable blueberry flavor. Ho hum.
Glazed ring: Chewy, as noted. Not unpleasant, as noted.
Monuts also serves a full menu of things that “hipsters” would like, involving kale, lox, and cilantro (not in the same item) and beer. If you’re in town and need a hip-me-up, stop in. If you attend Duke, you probably already have.
