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| - To someone from out of town, it is obvious upon stepping inside the Sugar Bowl that it is an institution. I like mom and pop places, but especially eateries with history. It is very cute...all pink and retro, and it even has an arcade area off to the side for the kiddies to enjoy. The thick layers of dust coating the knick knacks around the cashier and the yellowing clippings of Family Circus cartoons indicate that many generations have enjoyed Sundaes or Banana Splits here. The tired dingy walls must have witnessed much history over the years, and they desperately need a fresh coat of paint! But still, it is a happy place, and I like that vibe. After a nice meaty burrito in a different part of town, I was in the mood for dessert, and that's why I sauntered on in and grabbed a seat at the counter.
According to the menu, a Top Hat Sundae consists of a "Fluffy Sugar Bowl creampuff filled with creamy vanilla ice cream, then showered with hot fudge" for $4.95. This sounded perfect for the occasion! I was really looking forward to a big scoop of ice cream sandwiched within a sliced flaky creampuff with its rich creamy custard-like contents oozing all over the ice cream and mixing with the hot fudge. But behold, there was no custard-like yumminess at all within the CREAM-puff. The ice cream was actually stuffed into a cream-LESS puff then smothered with hot fudge. What a disappointment! I was craving something extremely decadent! Instead, it was an awkward combination that did not mix well. The hot fudge did not soften or moisten the dry puff, nor did the melting ice cream. The puff was so dry that I had to saw it apart with my spoon into pieces that would fit into my mouth. To make sure the dry puff did not get stuck in my esophagus, I washed it down with a glass of water after carefully chewing the ice cream and fudge into it. Perhaps I was assuming too much when I thought that a CREAM-puff would actually contain CREAM in it before they put the ice cream in? I did like the contrast in temperatures and textures, however, between the ice cream and the hot fudge, but all hot fudge sundaes have this characteristic.
For such a venerable old-fashioned institution, I would have hoped for the ice cream to be manufactured by hand within the store, but alas, it did not have that home-made creamy dairy taste. The ice cream was stiff and cake-like, not soft-creamy. It reminded me of the higher-end stuff you can buy from the supermarket. I don't object to factory-made ice cream in general, but with the way this establishment looked, I expected more. In Sugar Bowl's defense, however, it did not claim anywhere in the menu that the ice cream served here was hand-made in the store, but I only realized this after re-studying the menu following my first unsatisfying bite. I did not order any other item, so I cannot speak to the sandwiches or the salads, but overall, it was a mediocre experience. It leads me to believe that many locals come here more out of a sense of loyalty or more to experience the nostalgia of younger years as opposed to the excellence of the food and desserts. I am glad I experienced it, but next time I'm in town, I probably won't go out of my way to return and re-live it!
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