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As Hugs & Donuts prepare for its debut next week in the Heights, a reliable tipster sends word Raymond Pena, proprietor of Pena's Donut Heaven & Grill, is expanding his doughnut shop and cafe outside Pearland. Pena is purportedly looking for his next location in Houston and Sugar Land.
You may recall, Pena first grabbed everyone's attention in town with his knockoff version of New York pastry chef Dominique Ansel's cronut, the dossant in 2013. A year later, he followed up with a brisket-filled kolache, a collaborative effort with Killen's Barbecue named the Killache.
Although the hype behind cronuts has died down considerably since 2013, if the rumors are true, will people outside of Pearland flock to Pena's for maple-bacon doughnut and filling burgers with options like Hugs & Donuts, Glazed, The Grove Do-Nutz & Deli and doughnut shop on wheels Doughmaker Doughnuts? Maybe. Pena was unavailable for comment, but here's hoping that more Ansel-inspired treats are in the works.