Donairnutz' title dish is a perfect blend of sweet and savoury combining the ever-popular mini donut with traditional donair fixins. (Alex Rawnsley/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

SWEET AND SAVOURY

Signature Dish: Donairnutz’ Donairnut

Jun 11, 2021 | 11:56 AM

NANAIMO — If you’ve ever stared at a restaurant menu and thought “I want lunch AND dessert at the same time,” then this food truck fusion might hit the mark.

The title dish from Nanaimo-based food truck Donairnutz features exactly what the name implies.

“It’s the mini donuts with donair meat, which is a beef and lamb mix, with donair spices, tomatoes, onions and the traditional sweet garlic sauce, but I can’t really tell you what’s in it,” Angela Cassino, owner/operator, said.

The sauce is the glue which holds the dish together. It gives the donut base a little bit of extra sweetness, while adding some savoury and spicy notes.

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The combo came together after a night of brainstorming between Cassino, who has worked in the food industry for 23 years, and fellow owner/operator Cambie Clear.

“We were talking back and forth one night about the mini donuts and the donairs and how we could collaborate the two and we thought why not the donair meat, the onions, tomatoes and sweet sauce,” Cassino said. “It’s savoury and sweet and the donairnut was born.”

With a wealth of experience, Cassino made the move into a food truck three years ago. She traded her dreams of owning a cafe for the flexibility and freedom offered by a food truck, a change which came with some extra challenges.

“Everything with the food truck has to be contained to the food truck, product, prep and stock. You’re generally working your full shift then running around shopping, prepping afterwards to be ready for the next day.”

Clear joined Cassino recently, bringing her long-time love of mini donuts.

The partnership has allowed the business to expand. In addition to providing a good selection of donairs, the food truck also pumps out dozens upon dozens of ‘extreme’ mini donuts.

“I’ve always wanted to do mini donuts for the past 14 years with the extreme toppings. It’s ok to be different, make some stuff up, have fun with it so that’s what we’ve decided to do. So here we are, Donairnutz.”

Topped with all sorts of candies, chocolates and sauces, the extreme donuts put a twist on a carnival staple.

“The poutine (donuts) is a mixture of a the bavarian cream and caramel sauce and once it’s all assembled it looks like a poutine, people do get a little confused when they read the menu,” Clear said.

The pandemic has halted many of the events Donairnutz had hoped to attend over the last 12 months, however they’re eyeing a return to the event circuit once restrictions lift.

Donairnutz can be found parked at the south end of Departure Bay Beach, near Wingrove St. Their hours of operation are Friday to Sunday from 11:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.

You can learn more about Donairnutz and their menu by following them on Facebook.

Signature Dish is brought to you by Island Savings – A Division of First West Credit Union, learn more at https://www.islandsavings.ca/.

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