If you had to eat only one dessert only for the rest of your life, what would you choose?
Donuts? Cupcakes? Cookies? Brownies?
The correct answer is ICE CREAM. Ok, you’re entitled to your own opinion…but in my far superior opinion, ice cream is the king of the dessert jungle.
Here in New York City – there are a multitude of ice cream options. There are places that specialize in small-batches of unique flavors, Thai-Style ice cream rolls, soft-serve ice cream a la Big Gay Ice Cream Shop, vegan ice cream like Van Leeuwen's, goat milk ice cream from Victory Garden– you name it, New York City has got it. It’s a wonderful thing.
This summer wouldn’t have been complete without a trip to one of the much-talked about ice cream shops of the summer – Ice & Vice.
Not only do they have unique ice cream flavors, but their cones get in on the action too!
Paul Kim and Ken Lo opened Ice and Vice’s brick and mortar location on the Lower East Side after winning a Vendy Award for the Best Dessert in 2015. The space isn’t just an ice cream parlor though – they can also pasteurize the product on-site, making up to 15 gallons at a time.
And the counter has the ability to set a different temperature for each flavor!
When we went, there was a line but it was moving fairly quickly. It’s a small space with just a few tables – which I wouldn’t recommend for the claustrophobic.
Lately Ice & Vice has been partnering with other dessert destinations in the city for some crazy creations like an Underwest Donut ice cream sandwich and ice cream between two Bruffin rainbow cake cookies. Or how about the ice cream sandwich made between two of Kossar’s black & white cookies?
Part of me was tempted to go for the ‘gram with my order, but I decided that if this ice cream was really as good as they said it was, a single scoop in a cone should do the trick.
I actually like that despite not being the most photogenic thing in the world - it's just white ice cream - this ice cream shop has received so much love. Isn't it crazy to think that restaurants now have to think about how their product will look on Instagram - the crazier and most absurd the better, despite the taste or necessity? (I'm lookin' at you Black Tap and Loopy Doopy).
The flavors were all extremely unique, which made picking just one pretty overwhelming. Luckily, they allow you to sample a few flavors before you choose.
I thought for sure I would end up ordering the Food Baby – concord grape. Donut soil, raspberry coulis and rainbow sprinkles – but I didn’t love it. I tried one other that was delicious before settling on the seasonal “Nuts of Wrath.”
When I tell you what the description was, you might think it’s a little strange. But I’m here to tell you it was phenomenal! And that it tasted like each thing listed in the description.
Ready?
Marcona almond and Grape Kool-Aid jam. Mmmmm.
I asked the person behind the counter which cone they suggested and went with the Salted Blue Corn Honey. It was the right move.
Ice & Vice cone are made by The Konery and they are awesome artisanal waffle cones. My friend Abby who works for Tasting Table told us that during the non-summer months, when The Konery has left over batter, they make fortune cookies! How cool.
I don’t typically order my ice cream in a cone, but I am happy to report that Ice & Vice may have changed that going forward.
Ice & Vice really was one of the most unique ice cream shops I’ve visited and the taste was WONDERFUL. It was such a multifaceted experience for my taste buds (yeah, I really just wrote that). And the texture/consistency is just how I like my ice cream – a little on the harder side!
The price may come as a bit of a shock (the specialty cones are $1.75 in addition to the cost of a single scoop being $4+) but it’s worth it if you’re going to go out for ice cream.
I look forward to stalking their Instagram feed until the next flavor that “I NEED” comes around!
