Donut fans take note: Micah Camden and and Katie Poppe's Blue Star Hawthorne has officially opened its doors. As previously reported, the micro-empire builders transformed the prime SE Hawthorne Boulevard space long home to Chinese restaurant Fujin into a second, roomier outpost of their answer to Voodoo's monopoly on magic holes. 

Here are 3 reasons the new location is worth a visit: 

1. The Return of the Fried Chicken Donut: Blue Star’s answer to the Portland obsession with fried chicken and waffles will be a regular offering at the Hawthorne location. It's sweet, savory, and spicy—thanks to a packet of Frank’s Hot Sauce if you feel like kicking up the heat—and it captivated Portlanders’ taste buds when it debuted at the shop's westside flagship in late 2012, but sadly couldn’t be kept on the menu due to limited kitchen space. Thanks to a much larger east-side kitchen, Blue Star Hawthorne plans to churn out this beast on the regular.

2. Rotating Vegan Offerings: The Hawthorne opening also marks the debut of vegan offerings to the Blue Star family. These cake-style donuts are a bit denser than their non-veg counterparts, but are still moist and totally decadent—in both new and familiar flavors, from raspberry pistachio and espresso coconut to blueberry bourbon basil and cinnamon vanilla sugar. 

3. That Hawthorne Vibe: In order to fit the new Blue Star to its location along the bustling, foot-traffic-heavy southeast boulevard, a key adjustment has been made: extended hours of operation, meaning you can satisfy that Blue Star craving at any time of day. Also, whereas the original location makes only a limited number of donuts in the morning and closes for the day once they run out, sometimes frustratingly early, Blue Star Hawthorne will support the active Hawthorne atmosphere by offering their donuts well into the afternoon and evening. Now that's magic.

Blue Star Hawthorne
3549 SE Hawthorne Blvd
Thumbnail image © James Armagost