About a week ago, I woke up to screams of “DROP YOUR PANTS”!
Though my first response, living in Chicago and next to a well-traveled alley, was DIAL 911, but when I peeked outside my window all I saw was a bunch of people running up the stairs to the rooftop of the Morgan parking garage, and a food truck parked across the street.
Having confirmed there wasn’t any illicit activity to report, I turned my attention to the obviously more exciting neighborhood event: the fact that a food truck had ventured into our quiet Rogers Park neighborhood.
Not only was it a food truck, it was Beavers Donuts- homemade mini-donuts and coffee, two of my favorite foods essentially driven to my front steps.
I checked their Twitter account (@BeaverDonuts) and to my relief they were there for the congregation of the No Pants Subway Ride (“Drop your pants” was their cheer, not the scream of a sexual predator, as the paranoid city-dweller inside of me had assumed). I did not venture out to the truck on that Sunday morning (as I was now in fear of being caught up in a swell of pants-less CTA riders while I innocently ordered coffee and donuts) but I secretly hoped I would be able to enjoy a deep-fried treat in the future.
This morning, I did not wake up to the screams of Improv Everywhere enthusiasts, but I was thrilled to see a happy blue-and-beaver adorned truck sitting outside my building. Rogers Park is a wonderful neighborhood with great coffee shops, but it is largely ignored by the food truck trend (as it isn’t Lincoln Park/Lakeview/Hip-Chicago-Neighborhood-X). But now that a truck has landed in our little ‘hood, I am happy it is Beavers Donuts.
Here is what I liked:
- Portable- Food trucks I have visited in the past don’t seem to understand that piling a giant sandwich in a flimsy open container is not convenient or cool. Beavers Donuts threw four mini donuts in a tiny bag- I could grab my donuts and head off to class.
- Good coffee- If you are going to sell coffee in the land of Metropolis and Stella, it better be good. As a college student whose intake of liquids is easily 50 percent coffee, I am happy to say their blend was phenomenal.
- Winter food truck- The majority of Chicago disappears into floor-length North Face parkas and darts from building to building during the blustery winter months. But waiting outside for these donuts was totally worth it- and made me feel a little closer to summer.
- Cheap treat- At $4 for a coffee and three donuts (plus a free sample Cinnamon Sugar donut), their price is not far from my usual Dunkin’ coffee and bagel, and far more delicious.
- Mini-Donuts- Need I say more? These donuts are no joke: deep fried with a crispy, buttery outside and impeccably light and sweet donut inside, they have traditional flavors as well as gourmet flavors (ex: s’mores) to appease any taste.
Have you ever tried Beavers Donuts? Would you go to a food truck in the winter? If you could have any mini-donut flavor what would it be? Let us know! Comment and we'll comment back, or hit us up @Chicago_U.
Filed under: Food and Dining, Loyola Happenings
Tags: Beavers Donuts, coffee, Food Trucks, Loyola University Chicago, Mini Donuts, rogers park
