Glazed Donut Bistro | Tasting Table Los Angeles

Follow the crowds to Glazed Donut Bistro

New York has the Cronut. Los Angeles has...the fried chicken beignet?

Ok, that comparison might be an exaggeration, but the out-the-door lines at Glazed Donut Bistro don't lie. Pastry chef Gena Lora, a former baking instructor, has tapped into the sugar-loving zeitgeist with her offbeat takes on fried dough–even if her store is located smack in the middle of fitness-obsessed West Hollywood.

The shop offers more than two dozen varieties of bizarro doughnuts. After sampling way too many, we picked out a few of our favorites.

Fried chicken beignet (Photo: Glazed Donut Bistro)

Maple-Bacon Long John ($4)
These days, every doughnut shop seems to have a bacon-topped version. This is one we actually like: the copious sprinkling of applewood-smoked bacon balances the sweetness of the maple frosting.

Jimmy Carter & Jelly ($4)
Lora takes a fluffy Bismark doughnut, fills it with house-made strawberry jam, then glazes the top with chunky peanut butter and crushed toffee peanuts. It's easily the messiest item on the menu, but also the most nostalgic.

Fried Chicken Beignets ($10)
This over-the-top take on chicken and waffles is pretty clever, as the accompanying vinegar-laced maple syrup provided for dipping. Tender strips of fried chicken are insulated with a barely-sweet dough that's fried until it develops a crispy shell.