The Joy of Stumbling Upon the Croissant Donut (Hong Kong’s Cronut)

Because Hong Kong is a small place, it didn’t surprise me at all when I ran into a friend of mine at The Mandarin Cake Shop, a local institution on the Mezzanine level of the Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong. A bit rugged with jet lag, my daughter and I were on a mission for a to-go sandwich soon to be accompanied by a power nap. My friend insisted that I not set foot out of the Cake Shop without ordering a croissant donut, similar to the famed cronut.

Don’t even ask the nutritional content, just go run on the treadmill (or not) for a bit longer than usual. It’s worth it. Even the Wall Street Journal is covering the croissant donut’s arrival to Hong Kong–which I heard from excellent sources had been underway for some time before it hit the glorious Cake Shop shelves. The craze only really started in New York City last May or so.

Frankly, since I’d never eaten a cronut, I didn’t really know what they looked like or what to expect other than a calorie and butter-dense experience. The Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong’s croissant donut is essentially a donut-shaped croissant that is deep-fried and dusted with sugar. It gracefully separates into 3 layers.

There’s also a chocolate version that has a slim layer of chocolate wedged in between the delicate flakes prior to deep-frying. OMG. After just one bite, my daughter and I became croissant donut addicts.

Though I probably wouldn’t pay $40 to buy one on the Craigslist black market or wait in an multi-hour line, if you can get your hands on a cronut or croissant donut, do it. They are melt-in-your-mouth divine.

Hong Kong is lucky, because they can step in to The Mandarin Cake Shop in the morning (they make several hundred in a day) and take one or more to-go in addition to other delights without too much trouble (temporarily). This croissant donut will set you back $26 HKD or just over $3 USD.

For the rest of our stay at Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong, my daughter was asking for croissant donuts. Keep in mind that between afternoon teas, buffets, in-room amenities, and my willingness to let her indulge on vacation, it wasn’t like we were lacking dessert options. The croissant donuts are just that good.

(I always photograph the stunning cakes in The Mandarin Cake Shop so stay tuned for the most recent creations.)

Of course, I had to Instagram the croissant donut.