Zagat editor Patty Lee stopped by a West Side Highway carwash to taste some delicious donuts. She filed this report for NY1.
Finding affordable real estate in New York City is no easy task, so when Scott Levine wanted to open a bakery, he did what most New Yorkers do — he got creative.
“When it came time for me to figure a place on my own, I was confronted by the cost of New York city leases and rents,” he says. “My father-in-law is one of the owners of this car wash. He mentioned that there was space here that could be a possibility and the more I thought about it, it seemed to be a really good idea.”
Inside the tiny space, a machine flips and fries the donuts, which are served plain, glazed or rolled in sugar. It is strictly a cake donut operation here and each flavor calls for a custom batter.
“You can get more flavor into a cake donut. You can really get involved with the batter and the dry ingredients and the wet ingredients and spice it. Definitely a soft, moist texture is really important for me," says Levine.
To go with the pastries, Underwest is also brewing up coffee, but we are not talking the stale pots you typically find at a car wash. Each cup is made fresh with beans sourced from the Brooklyn Roasting Company.
“We’re here with a full-on espresso menu. We have drip coffee that’s being brewed fresh,” says Levine. “That’s another element that really I think enhances the customer experience, whether it be a donut customer or car wash customer. It’s another place to get a fantastic cup of coffee."
Hell’s Kitchen has become a legitimate food destination thanks to hot spots like Gotham West Market and Totto Ramen, and this small donut shop is just another reason for New Yorkers to head west.
“We come into the city from Long Island. I saw artisan donuts and that speaks to me. I love the Americana aspect of going out on a Saturday and getting the car washed and having donuts,” said one customer.
After opening up a box of fresh donuts, we tried the brown-butter one. You definitely taste the brown-butter flavor. The glaze isn’t too sweet. The almonds give it good crunch and the inside is super moist.
Now you have a good reason to come get your car washed.
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