Bakery on O’Connell is an Adelaide tradition, a cultural gem. You would be hard pressed to meet someone in Adelaide who hadn’t stumbled through this bakery’s doors at one time or another. It supplies the late-night revellers, the hungry mums with strollers, the tradies in hard hats, and the shift workers in uniform. I have never had a bad experience, the staff always smiling, friendly and helpful. The lines quick-moving, the food always delicious.
O’Connell’s is not a place of desperate measures. Cooked and fried daily, their wide range of pies, cakes and special donut display is constantly refreshed by the hundreds of punters they get through their doors. The quietest time I’ve been to O’Connell was at 7am, and I still had to wait in a small, yet quickly, moving queue. A good bakery, near the city centre and in a young professional hub gives them a flowing business throughout the day. At night, those stumbling home from a late night, turn away from their kebabs and chips, to salted caramel cronuts, fragrant lamb pies and fresh banana bread.
When I first attended O’Connell’s it sat a couple of blocks south from where it currently resides. The new establishment is more modern, larger and just as busy. The size of their donuts are impressive and they have an impressive range of fried sweet dough; from donut bombs stuffed with Nutella, to simple glazed donuts that have you licking every last speck of sugar off your fingertips. One of their classical, iced donuts has enough carbohydrates to energise a man for a week and enough sprinkles to cover Tasmania.
No matter what time, no matter what scenario, Bakery on O’Connell will serve you up just what you need. Enjoy!
Aesthetics —8.5
As previously mentioned the donuts from O’Connells are large, generous for the price. The donut is well proportioned and from all angles, it is perfectly round. Sprinkles are numerous in quantity covering a light slathering of pink icing. The dough was a light golden colour, pale in comparison to the colourful topping.
Topping —8
The icing was pink in colour, but it didn't taste of fake berries. It was a very sweet icing, which I know sounds like I'm stating the obvious, but sweeter than you would expect – this may be due to the thickness and density of the icing, which packed the sugar particles in. I would have preferred a fluffier icing, but it still sat well on the dough. The sprinkles were large, fresh and crunchy.
Dough —8.5
The dough tasted immensely fresh – it tasted as though it had only come out of the fryer the hour before. The dough was yeasty, sweet and with a heavenly butteriness in the flavour, rather than the sharpness oil can sometimes bring. Perhaps a touch more salt could have balanced out the dough to combat the heavy sweetness from the icing - but it was delightful as it was.
Texture —9
The donut was so delightfully fresh. It had an excellent and chewy density, which I love, and you could still bite into the dough and it would slightly spring back. It wasn't too greasy or sticky. The icing was dense, it would have been nice if it was fluffier, and there was no crunch to the outer shell of the dough – but the fresh sprinkles on top provided a lovely additional crunchy layer.
Overall
8.5
Truly Glorious
I love this donut. Not only is it value for money, but it is also delicious. The size makes it perfect for sharing but if you’re feeling particularly peckish there is no judgement in keeping one to yourself. Their donuts are denser, richer and larger - but these are all checks in my box – and I've enjoyed their whole range. It's hard to resist - I go back nearly weekly!
