Im sharing a little secret with you, my favourite donuts in Tokyo. To set the scene it’s dark and cold out, I’ve been on my feet all day, and the sweet smell of freshly made donuts fill the air. This moment reminds me of those old Warner Brothers’ cartoons where the main character is suddenly hypnotised by a scent trail in the air. The only difference is that my world is in 3D. I close my eyes and follow my nose to the goodness like a fool (that doesn’t matter then and there). I’ve been captured by the bear trap, to say the least. There the donuts lie in all their crispy golden glory, and samples of freshly made puppies are left on the counter to seal the deal. No need for convincing this sucker, I go straight for a classic plain. The lovely old lady smiles at me from behind the counter as she drops a hot donut into a plain paper pouch. That polite grin on her face says, ‘she’ll be back in a few minutes’.

This donut has the crispy/tasty/sweet/soft ratios down. It is pancake like in taste, yields a satisfying crunch when you take your first bite, yet doesn’t leave you feeling sickly heavy at the end. It’s everything I’ve ever wanted in a donut, and the humble shop has been sitting in Shimokitazawa all along. You won’t be able to pass it without giving one a try. Mama Donut has game. Oh yeah, and did I mention you can get one with soft-cream swirled on top? (DAMN!)