The Ghostwriter recently paid a visit to a small doughnut shop in Lowell. Located on 487 Westford Street, it is only about a fifteen minute drive from Westford’s Main Street. Named Donut Shack, this shop is more of a bakery that sells savory pastries and drinks, but it is known for its many different types of doughnuts. They are said to have only one thing in common, the amazing taste.

The shack is set up in a residential neighborhood and is neatly wedged between two larger shops on either side. Due to its size and low-key setting, it can easily be missed when driving by.

Walking in, I found that it was nothing too fancy but neat and also not too crowded, despite it’s size. The furniture is minimalistic, with just a table and a few chairs opposite the counter which is front of the doughnut display. The faded glow of the lights mixed with the bright morning sun and gave the illuminated the shop in a orangish glow that, when added to the sweet smell of fresh bread, filled the room with a homely atmosphere.

During the short wait in line I looked at the rows of doughnuts to see which would interest me the most, but since we arrived at the shack at about 9:00, the display seemed quite depleted. After further inquiry with the manager, it is quite usual for most of the doughnuts to disappear by 7:00 am, only two hours after opening! I ordered a half a dozen doughnuts. Two chocolate glazed, two old fashioned coconut and two marshmallow. All of which, to my pleasant surprise, amounted only to about 6 dollars.

First, I tried the coconut flavored doughnut. It looked like an ordinary sprinkle covered doughnut. The only difference being that instead of sprinkles, it was glazed coconut shavings. The doughnut looked a little stale and so I wasn’t expecting much as I took my first bite. Boy, was I wrong! It was fantastic.

The doughnut was fresh, not too soft and not too hard either.  The coconut complimented the sweetness of the plain doughnut quite well. The size and weight might throw you off because it isn’t very filling. However, it was a bit dry, so both of them were just a little bit hard to eat without wetting your throat beforehand.

Then, came the chocolate glazed doughnut. Though slightly bigger than the others, this doughnut did not meet the expectations set by the first. It was a lot better than your average Dunkin Donuts doughnut but nothing too too special. The chocolate wasn’t bittersweet as to leave an aftertaste and the glaze wasn’t sweet enough for my liking but it did provide a crisp bite. Although, it is important to keep in mind that I am not a fan of chocolate flavored foods at all.

Saving the best for last, I tried the marshmallow donut. It was composed of a doughnut cut horizontally through the middle and stuffed with marshmallow. This doughnut, unlike the others was quite large and took up most of the plate. Taking one bite sent marshmallow filling gushing out in all sides hanging out of the doughnut threatening to fall. The filling was unexpectedly balanced in sweetness and was absolutely delicious. The firm outer donut blended well with the soft filling.

The fresh, crisp doughnuts along with the homey and friendly atmosphere balanced well together. My overall experience at the Donut Shack exceeded all my expectations and definitely provided a better alternative to the typical Dunkin Donuts. I would give Donut Shack a 8.5 out of 10.