PDX: Pip's Original Doughnuts & Chai

Pip's will give you a dozen free doughnuts on your birthday.

Until recently there was a Beaverton location. I intended to visit it on my birthday and try those doughnuts.

There was something else that I wanted to do in NE Portland, so I wasn't going that far only for free doughnuts. There are worse things than traveling for free food.

I had been wanting to try Pip's before that.

When the Portland-based show Grimm premiered in 2011, the debut episode featured a box of Voodoo Doughnuts, but if you followed cast members, when they talked about doughnuts it was always Blue Star, until the Dirty Wu.

Episode 17 of season 1, "Love Sick" had Sergeant Wu, as portrayed by Reggie Lee, falling victim to a spell intended for someone else, getting help, and then coming down with a weird form of pica. This resulted in him eating couch cushion and carpeting, as well as some other things.

The episode aired April 13th, 2012. The newly opened Pip's put some cinnamon-sugar, honey, and Nutella on a doughnut and called it the "Dirty Wu", and that got the Grimm cast's attention. That doughnut is now called the Reggie Lee.

I shared mine, but you will notice is that these are small doughnuts. Maybe not small enough for one person to eat the whole dozen, but small enough to try a few flavors.

That being said, my favorite is the standard. Fried dough with cinnamon and sugar is a great combination. The scent reminds you as soon as you walk in.

Everyone was very friendly. That shows a good energy because the place was hopping and I was not the only birthday in line. They have an enter/exit flow to keep things moving smoothly.

I did not try the chai, but if you are into that they have flights where you can try multiple flavors.

They really were delightful.

COVID: Again, the place was hopping and you will spend some time in line, though there can be options for pre-ordering. It is easy enough to stay masked inside and then eat outside, or transport the doughnuts home.

Accessibility: The spaces seem wide enough for navigation, but remember that there can be many people. Also -- as their site indicates -- there may be allergens. 

 

https://www.pipsoriginalonline.com/