As stated in a previous post, Blue Dot is a new addition to the restaurant row, having been opened only last year. The building it occupies, however, is one typical of the area, dating back to at least 1908, when it first shows up on the Sanborn maps as a storefront. The building has been converted at least twice since then: in 1940 it was divided into a store and two living apartments (a difficult arrangement to imagine if you have seen the size of the building). It now stands proudly radiating blue into the neighborhood, calling people to come and clog their arteries on delicious donuts which are made entirely on site, including any icings.

I have been inside twice: one weekend at dawn in March, and yesterday at around 10:30 in the morning, both times accompanied by my roommate, Katie. At dawn, we had the place to ourselves. There were only two teenagers behind the counter and everything was fresh and clean and quiet.

Not so at 10:30. When we arrived, there were people sitting at two outdoor tables and two indoor tables and the line went out the door. Two middle-aged men came around the counter to have a chat with a customer while the four teenage workers hustled to get everyone served in a timely fashion.

The table at which Katie and I sat was under a window which, in true New Orleans style, had wrought iron decorations doing double duty as a security devise. The shape of the building is long and narrow like a typical New Orleans shotgun house and the outdoor tables are the metal kind you see in front of any of the areas restauraunts, but the decorations are of a style all its own. All of the walls are painted blue, inside and out. A blue light glows in the window at night. There are pictures of donuts on the walls. The curtains are white with a blue spotted pattern. Even the indoor light fixtures are blue and round.

This cozy shop is a great addition for those in the neighborhood who need a quick, delicious breakfast on the go. If you’re really in a hurry, though, you may want to get there a bit early: the lines will be shorter and you’ll be more certain to get your hands on a bacon-covered long john!