The Village Voice stopped by Grand Street to talk with Mark Israel of Doughnut Plant about his expansion plans. Earlier this week, the food blogs and sugar-holics everywhere went wild over the news that he plans to open a second Manhattan location in the lobby of the Chelsea Hotel.
Israel said the new store will not be like the Grand Street location: “The new place will have tables and chairs, places to sit down, which we don’t have [on Grand Street]. It will be more of a retail location. It’s three times bigger than the original. Chelsea Hotel will be much more about atmosphere and environment. It will definitely not be a cookie cutter copy of the place on Grand Street. It’s a totally different look. I was thinking of the kind of place I’d like to hang out in and eat doughnuts.”
Asked about his favorite places to eat in the city, Israel mentioned the lady selling “steamed rice stuffed bamboo leaves” at Grand and Chrystie.
Oh, and his favorite creation: the incomparable creme brulee doughnut. We could not agree more.
