Iced lattes, macchiatos, and freezes have been seen around Carlmont, but not from the usual places, they’re from Dunkin’ Donuts. This doughnut and coffee destination put a location at 240 El Camino Real in San Carlos, making it a new stop for locals looking for an alternate taste.
It can be conveniently reached by Belmont, San Carlos, and Redwood Shores citizens, making it especially accessible for Carlmont students.
But, Dunkin’ has received mixed reviews from Carlmont students, many claiming that the coffee tastes too much like coffee. So, I decided to try it for myself.
I’ve had the vanilla chai and an iced latte. The vanilla chai tastes just like Starbucks’ sugary, flavorless chai, making it not even worth finishing. To the trashcan it went.
The coffee drink, on the other hand, exceeded my expectations. The latte was strong, yet rich and creamy with well-balanced flavors.
The strong criticism from students was most likely coming from the Starbucks community who, for the most part, is used to “coffee” drinks filled with syrups, caramel, and chocolate, so the taste of actual coffee is masked and therefore shocking. Dunkin’ does offer flavor additives, but the regular coffee lattes are so good, there is no need for them.
Okay, so you’re probably wondering what the doughnuts at Dunkin’ Donuts are like. I would give them an overall B. They are definitely not special, but are pretty decent.
The classic glazed is more my taste compared to other doughnut places because of its lightness. These doughnuts didn’t make me feel 10 pounds heavier after eating them. I also tried a jelly doughnut and a chocolate filled one. They were both good, but probably not good enough to justify the calories.
A big plus that many people don’t know about is Dunkin’s food menu, which consists of the expected breakfast sandwiches and wraps, and a “DD Smart” menu, which has healthy options for on-the-go bites, such as oatmeal, bagels, and wraps. They taste pretty good, too.
On top of all that, Dunkin’ is very inexpensive. Last time I went there, I got two doughnuts and a coffee for five dollars. No joke.
Dunkin’ Donuts is a better alternative to Starbucks for on-the-go food and coffee, but the doughnuts themselves are sort of lacking. The lattes, though, make up for it.
