The beloved dessert shop D Bar now does doughnuts, but there is only one place to get them, Carmella’s at Pearl Market & Wine in Central Park. What started as a pop-up has turned into a fixture every Wednesday through Sunday. Dubbed Doughnut Bar, the limited-run goods sell out each time. After sampling a few of the treats we can attest the goods live up to the hype.
“One of my favorite things is simplicity at its core,” said Pearl Market owner Dustin Chiappetta as we tasted a variety of doughnuts. “The way Keegan is making the sugar donuts, the components that are going into it that you wouldn’t think of, they are in there in order to add layers and texture to something that is typically kind of boring, but has become elevated.”
D-Bar chef and co-owner Keegan Gerhard created the doughnut program for two reasons. One, he wanted to work with Chiappetta, who he has known for years. Two, after decades of creating beautiful cakes and cookies, he also just wanted to make a doughnut.
But not just any doughnut, for Gerhard, the former host of the Food Network series Food Network Challenge, it needed to be handmade, hand-raised, hand-cut, and naturally leavened. The process takes a lot of time and uses quality ingredients including King Arthur Flour, Nielsen Massey Vanilla, and Valrhona chocolate. Luckily, selling to a marketplace was the perfect solution to help rein in costs.
“Hopefully it gives Dustin another connection point for the guests [at Pearl Market], and I see it every time I deliver,” said Gerhard, who runs D Bar and Doughnut Bar with his business partner Lisa Bailey. “Kids come in with their parents and their minds explode because they see three kinds of donuts and everybody’s happy.”
The flavors of doughnuts change frequently. One day you may have an Apple Cider Doughnut and the next a pink Raspberry Fritter. Favorites also include the Fall Sugar & Spice, a classic vanilla glazed, and a special chocolate doughnut with chocolate crumble and sea salt. As for future goals, Gerhard wants to recreate the Tarte Tatin, a classic French dessert featuring caramelized apples and pastry.
For Chiappetta, the entry of Doughnut Bar adds on to his year-old shop, which serves pizza, sandwiches, and breakfast items and is connected to a wine store and Italian marketplace. Already he has lasagnas to take home and bake, desserts showcased in the deli, and plenty of vino for any party. But, with the addition of doughnuts he is able to provide the neighborhood with something else it lacks. The fact that D Bar makes some of the best doughnuts in town, well that’s just the icing on the cake.
