OK, let’s get this out of the way: Yes, in the Czech Republic, meat-filled pastries made with doughnut-like dough are klobásníky. And in Texas, both those and sweet versions are called kolache (spelled koláče in the Czech Republic). So when I say that Texas Donuts, with its locations in Centreville, Lorton, and Manassas, has kolache, I actually mean klobásníky.
But let there be no confusion about it: If you’re in search of the sausage-filled treats you’ve tried in Texas, this is likely your only stop in NoVA. One of my dearest friends has a kolache business in Cypress, Texas, so I’ve had more than my fair share, stuffed with everything from barbecue brisket to pepperoni-pizza-style filling. The version at Texas Donuts is more basic, but no less appealing. In fact, it reminds me a bit of the sausage kolache at Shipley’s Do-Nuts, the Houston standard.
Is it as good? Well, no, of course not. Just as bagels and New-York-style pizza require a certain terroir, so, apparently, do kolache. The dough at Texas Donuts lacks a certain fluffiness and could use an extra pinch of salt. But they still satisfy, thanks in no small part to the cheddar and hearty, snappy sausage within. I tried the cheddar-jalapeño version, and it is as spicy as I’d hoped, with a lip-smacking wallop of heat at first bite.
That’s reason enough to visit Texas Donuts, but off the top of my head, I can’t think of anywhere in the Lone Star State where diners can pair their kolache with a “cronut” (a doughnut made with croissant dough) and a bright-blue doughnut made to resemble my spirit animal, Cookie Monster. It’s not quite Texas, but until my next visit south, I’ll be grabbing up kolache and doughnuts at Texas Donuts whenever I can.
13830 Lee Hwy. #4, Centreville; 8130 Ashton Ave. #106, Manassas; 8224 Gunston Corner Ln., Lorton
Feature image by Alice Levitt
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