I’m a beach girl. I love the surf, sand and salty air. Oh, I also love sandy buns. Recently, I discovered some Sandy Buns a few blocks from the oceanfront. I saw mini ones and some big ones. They were dressed and drizzled with cream cheese, caramel, lemon curd and other delectable toppings.
Sandy Buns is the newest attraction in the Laskin Road corridor. The beach-themed restaurant serves gourmet and vegan cinnamon buns, sticky buns and breakfast/lunch Swirlwiches. The cute shop is decked out with surfboard tables, a sand-colored floor, sunny yellow tile and an ocean-themed mural that’s a work in progress.
Kirsten Houghton, co-owner, said opening Sandy Buns was a natural fit for her after working with dough her whole life. Houghton grew up working in her mom’s food trailer called Ke-Ke’s Kountry Kitchen. Every summer, Kirsten would attend state fairs on the east coast selling fried dough, fried Oreos, fried Twinkies and other snacks. She would help secure permits, shop, prep the food and cashier. For the past 13 years, Kirsten has continued to pursue a career in the food industry.
When she saw an empty storefront on Laskin Road, Kirsten jumped on the opportunity with her brother, Scott Houghton. They had always wanted to run a restaurant together. The pair decided on a cinnamon bun concept and worked with their mom to perfect the dough.
“We worked on veganizing and combining the right ingredients, so it was tasty, and not too dense,” said Kirsten. “My mom being a pastry chef was so helpful. We compared lots and lots of recipes.”
The restaurant offers vegan and non vegan options. All of the items are free of dyes, artificial colors and high fructose corn syrup. Everything is made fresh in the store.
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Customers can build their own bun that comes in a full size or a mini size. You can select five creative toppings that include raspberry curd, peanut butter sauce, chocolate hazelnut mousse, pistachios, strawberries and many more.
For those craving a savory meal, Sandy Buns offers a Swirlwich. It’s their unique take on a boring sandwich. It uses the same cinnamon bun dough and infuses it with tasty flavors such as pesto, bacon, Italian herb or sun dried tomato.
I opted to try a vegan chickpea tuna salad on an Italian Herb Swirlwich bun. I loved the vegan take on tuna salad. It tasted like my mom’s tuna salad in a chickpea form. It was full of flavor, and the Italian herbs swirled into the soft bun catapulted the sandwich to another level. I would have been happy just eating the bun as a meal. For dessert, I tried the classic cinnamon bun and sticky bun. Both were scrumptious. I’ve never had a homemade sticky bun, so that was a treat with the rich and gooey blend of butter and molasses.
Sandy Buns will be celebrating National Cinnamon Bun Day through Oct. 5. If you want more buns for your buck, this is a great promotion. They will offer BOGO cinnamon buns and sticky buns and, on Oct. 4, customers will receive a free Cinnamini with a purchase of a Swirlwich. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to Panda’s Fight Against Cancer, a local cancer charity.
Summer may be over, but you can still enjoy some Sandy Buns.
Sandy Buns is at 348 Laskin Road in Virginia Beach.
Lee Belote, [email protected]