| rev:text
| - I came to this ice creamery to seek temporary refuge from the blazing summer, and the experience did not disappoint. Their products are made and transported from the Scottsdale location, and the flavors are rotated periodically between the two stores. The orange-colored interior is small, completed with a row of small tables that faced the large ice cream counter and a large menu in the backdrop. Foot traffic can be persistent, but the atmosphere was mostly quiet, orderly, and casual. A single scoop costs $3, double scoops are $4.50, and triple scoops $5.50.
My Triple Scoops ($5.50) of Real Mint Chips, Salted Butter Caramel, and Brown Butter Pecan were refreshing and satisfying. The Real Mint Chips had a natural mint aroma that persisted. Additionally, the bold salt and caramel flavors nicely intertwined to render dimensions of savory and sweetness. In the final flavor, the crumbly texture in Brown Butter Pecan provided additional textures to the pecan with a sweet brown butter finish.
The Double Trouble ($6.25) came with my choice of Portland Huckleberry Swirl and Cherry Cheesecake with two layers of salted caramel sauce, homemade whip cream, and torched handmade marshmallow. The Huckleberry Swirl was delicious. The centrality of the huckleberry flavor was just sweet enough to overcome a hint of tartness in the backdrop. I also liked the profile in the cherry that took center-stage to the cheesecake flavor. The salted caramel sauce was a bit heavy handed on the salt, and I wished the consistency could be as thick as the one from Fenton's. The torched sections of the handmade marshmallow was an asset to the overall profile of the ice cream, but at times the burnt flavor can overpower and obscure even the strongest flavors. The fluffy whip cream was a nice intermediary, but the semi-melted marshmallow was only influential when broken apart to accompany the ice cream. On that note, I'm on the fence about the price, value, and effect.
To their credit, the ice cream did not melt quickly like the ones at Scoops. However, I had mix feelings about the crumbly textures, and decided to inquire about it with the server. She explained that it was a result of making them in small batches, and that the consistencies could also vary in their products. I don't discount the server's explanation, but I have never experienced these issues at Bi-Rite, Salt & Straw, Humphry Slocombe, and others that also make them in smaller batches. In this case, the crumbly texture worked, but I still prefer those that are thick and creamy.
Among those flavors sampled, I liked the Matcha for the bold, striking, and deepening green tea profile. The Pistachio carried a nice natural earthy nutty flavor with plenty of pistachios. I thought the Almond Buttercrunch was good, but not sensational. The Honey Lavender needed a better balance to finesse the powerful lavender. Unfortunately, my least favorite was the Rocky Road, a childhood favorite, due to the subdued profile, crumbly texture, and a lack of marshmallows to bring that spongy elastic quality to the ice cream.
Service was friendly, knowledgeable, and very responsive in each of my visits, with ample opportunities to sample the flavors before purchase. Interested customers should expect a slight wait to get through the line, crumbly textures, and unique flavors. Overall, the flavors were good, but not as finesse and nuanced as Bi-Rite or robust and innovative as Salt & Straw. A nice sanctuary to cool down and dodge the blazing heat. I hope to try the Scottsdale location before coming back. 3.5 stars for the overall experience.
|
![[RDF Data]](/fct/images/sw-rdf-blue.png)
![[cxml]](/fct/images/cxml_doc.png)
![[csv]](/fct/images/csv_doc.png)
![[text]](/fct/images/ntriples_doc.png)
![[turtle]](/fct/images/n3turtle_doc.png)
![[ld+json]](/fct/images/jsonld_doc.png)
![[rdf+json]](/fct/images/json_doc.png)
![[rdf+xml]](/fct/images/xml_doc.png)
![[atom+xml]](/fct/images/atom_doc.png)
![[html]](/fct/images/html_doc.png)