Let’s be clear: District isn’t just a foodie’s donut paradise. There’s a lot more to District than just great donuts. Granted, the donut creations are innovative; frequently decadent, and, depending on the day, crazily inspired fun. The slider specials follow suit in innovation, but one can always skip the Fried Oyster with Micro-chi Kara and Caper Aioli Slider, or the Fried Chicken All Natural Thigh, Sweet & Spicy Slaw, Scratch Candied Jalapeños, & Crispy Chicken Skin Slider, and just order the perfect little gourmet Black Angus Cheeseburger – either choice leaves room for a donut!
Cookie Dough Chocolate Glaze Donut (Kristine Froeba)
The food is made from scratch, the fillings hand-mixed, the ingredients natural and locally sourced. There are no artificial flavors. The owners Chris Aulder, Aaron Vogel, and Stephen Cali mention integrity when it comes to cooking. They also practice it.
Roasted Pork Belly Slider with Pickled Onion, Radish Sprouts and Garlic-Anise Creole Mustard (Froeba)
There is also a District Food Truck named “District: StreatCar”. It looks like a trolley—not a New Orleans streetcar, more a San Francisco trolley. You may have seen it around town. All “District: StreatCar” profits go to a non-profit that supports local children in foster care. Whether feeling altruistic or craving a donut and slider, you can follow the truck’s next stop on Instagram: @streatcar. “District: StreatCar” catering is available for office gatherings and parties with the bonus of knowing that along with crazy delish donuts and sliders, you’re helping local children. It’s apparent upon first meeting, that the District team are not people who participate in charity via lip service. Vogel’s young wife was caring for an adorable foster infant the day I visited District.
All in all, District is a happy place, the owners are happy, the staff’s happy. The staff is also fast, friendly, and efficient, and rightfully proud of their product. The morning Twitter and Instagram Donut photos are social media darlings.
Best Little House Salad of Mixed Greens, Donut Croutons, Blackened Chicken, Goat Cheese, Campari Tomatoes, Slivered Almonds and Vinaigrette (Froeba)
But back to the donuts… The case changes daily. This morning, National Donut Day, you can expect Funfetti in the line-up. The rest is a surprise. Recent choices have been Peanut Butter Walnut Honey, Hibiscus, Nutella, Lemon Glaze with Blueberry Drizzle, Tiramisu, Chunky Monkey, Coconut Crème, Bananas Foster, and always, always, glazed, and chocolate available for the purist. Did I mention that they sometimes have Chocolate Glazed Cookie Dough Filled Donuts? The Cookie Dough Filling appears to be erupting from a Chocolate Donut volcano.
Breakfast: Besides the daily special, breakfast consists of Kolaches; Breakfast Tacos with Pork Belly, Egg, and Avocado; Chicken & Tomato Gravy Biscuits, or my favorite the Miso Praline Bacon Biscuit. The health-conscious can order Raw Juice, along with Seasonal Yoghurt Parfait. The coffee bar is impressive.
The Spring menu has added Salads. I tried the Best Little House Salad of Mixed Greens, Campari Tomatoes, Donut Croutons, Slivered Almonds, and Goat Cheese, topped with Blacked Chicken. I then balanced my healthy choice by trying the quickly famous Dough-La-Mode. Seriously, District is serving a Warm Griddled Donut Filled with a hearty helping of Creole Creamery Cotton Candy-Flavored Ice Cream, dusted with Pink Sugar Crystals and topped with a slab of locally made “Poof Cotton Candy” garnished with actual Pop-rocks. It’s the kind of dessert children fantasize about and adults pretend they won’t eat. I ate it and I’d do it again.
Dough-La-Mode, Warm Griddled Donut Filled with Creole Creamery Cotton Candy Flavored Ice Cream and topped with “Poof “Cotton Candy, garnished with Pop-Rocks (Froeba)
A Veggie Lemongrass Tofu, Cucumber and Campari Tomato Slider with Sweet Soy Sauce is offered on the same menu as a Griddled Donut Croque Monsier Smoked Ham, Havarti, and Dijon Slider, and a Brown Butter Pistachio Sundae. It’s not a stretch to say there is something here for everyone’s tastes. There’s also Maine Root Beer, amazingly good Cold Brew Coffee, Fresh Lemonade, and Waffle Cheese Fries.
Maine Root Beer (Froeba)
District is also gearing up to provide the Cake donuts that regulars have longed for. Vogel waxed eloquent about the process of getting the yeast just right before they make their appearance on the menu.
“District: Hand Pies and Coffee Bar” is an offshoot of the Garden District location, across from the Magazine Whole Foods. “District: Hand Pies and Coffee Bar” offers gourmet Hand-Rolled Stuffed Pastry Pies more often found in Europe. Expect both sweet and savory offerings; a soft boiled egg is as likely to slowly seep out of a freshly cut breakfast pie as is a warm compote of berries. Today’s offering included a Bourbon Pecan Chocolate Pie and Beef Wellington. It’s a small, tiny, neighborhood breakfast place, but a definite stop on the Magazine foodie tour.
A second “District: Donuts. Sliders. Brew” is in the works and will be opening in Lakeview on Harrison later this Summer.
DISTRICT: DONUTS. SLIDERS. BREW.
2209 Magazine Street
New Orleans, LA 70130
Hours: Daily 7 a.m. – 9 p.m.
(504) 570-6945
donutsandsliders.com
DISTRICT: HAND PIES AND COFFEE BAR
5637 Magazine Street
New Orleans, LA 70115
Hours: Daily 7 a.m. – 4 p.m.
(504) 313-1316
Kristine Froeba is a fourth generation Uptown girl whose varied background includes food and travel writing, celebrity ghost writing, public relations, social media management, fundraising, preservationist, reluctant tabloid hack, and litigation specialist. She describes herself as part foodie, part writer, part historian, historic renovation zealot, and full time dabbler.
