Have you ever had ice cream so delicious that when you finished eating you went back inside the store and bought a pint to take home with you? That is exactly what happened when I visited Salt & Straw for the first time. Previously the most popular ice cream shop in Portland, Salt & Straw recently opened a location in Los Angeles, and I couldn’t be happier that they did…
“It’s your first time here? I’m going to take you on an ice cream journey you’ll never forget!” So began my first (but absolutely not last) visit to Salt & Straw, or, as I now refer to it, “Ice Cream Heaven.” The store is filled with the nicest workers– maybe because they’re on a sugar high– and they let me try almost every ice cream flavor before making my decision. They had all sorts of crazy flavors – some were classic (offered every day) and some were seasonal (changed monthly). Most of their ice creams were gluten free, except for a few flavors that had brownies, cookies, or cookie dough mixed in. All of their flavors are kept separate from each other and use different scoopers for each flavor to prevent cross contamination. I tried unique flavors I never would have expected to find in an ice cream , including Avocado & Strawberry Sherbert (surprisingly delicious!) and Black Olive Brittle & Goat Cheese (a very unique but tasty flavor). This month’s seasonal flavors were Honey Lavender (my personal favorite), Wildflower Honey with Ricotta Walnut Lace Cookies, Rhubarb Crumble with Toasted Anise, Cherimoya Milk Sorbet, and Grand Poppy Sorbet with Spring Flowers. I ultimately decided to order the “Ice Cream Flight” and chose Honey Lavender, Avocado Strawberry, Stumptown Coffee, and Sea Salt Caramel. With the choice of four flavors for only $10, the Ice Cream Flight was the perfect choice for sharing or for someone who’s indecisive.
Salt & Straw is such a popular ice cream shop that patrons are surprised when they DON’T have to wait in a long line to get their sugar fix. But let me tell you – this ice cream is definitely worth the wait! Without a doubt, this is my new favorite ice cream shop, and I can’t wait to come back to try their seasonal flavors next month!