Tastefully Smashed Ice Cream
This ice cream is fun! It’s super creamy, focused on fresh ingredients, and the presentation is over the top. We’d been hearing the buzz, and now we know why! The smash and roll method ice cream shop started in Thailand, and quickly spread throughout Asia. In 2015, the founders made plans to take their idea across the Pacific. They opened the first shop New York City, and named it I-CE-NY. Now there are 20 locations in the country, two of them being in Ann Arbor and Novi, Michigan! Almost as fun as the ice cream was the server preparing it, thank you Donovan! We love it when the people behind the food are passionate about their fare. Since this was our first visit, we asked for recommendations: Donovan suggested the Strawberry Cheesecake and Biscoff Cookie Butter, so we replied, “we’ll take them both”. Not wanting to limit our options he mentioned the Banana Pudding was really good too. Good to know, “we’ll have one of those -also.” Struck by the beautiful photos on the counter top menu, we asked about the pretty lavender colored one. “To-Taro” he said, their “best seller”. “Add it to the list” we responded. “Ooh,” thought Sadie, the Vietnamese Iced Coffee sounds good to wash down all of this ice cream, “Rachel would you like a coffee?” she asked. “That’s an ice cream flavor” Donovan says. “Oh really? OK will try one of those too.” (We spent the rest of the day on the treadmill.)
How It’s Made
They start by pouring their cream on a frozen metal plate (that can get as cold as -15 degrees Fahrenheit). Next they use scrapers to mash and mix the toppings of your choice into your customized creamy creation. In just a couple minutes, the ice cream firms up. Then it’s spread into a thin layer, and scraped into rolls. They stand them up into a cup like a freshly rolled bouquet of ice cream and top it with a variety of fresh fruits, syrups, candies, cookie crumbs… Yeah.
Where to Begin?
It was hard to know which one to try first! Since pi(e) day, a couple days ago, Sadie had been craving banana cream so she started with Banana Pudding – Sweet cream ice cream, Nilla wafer, Banana, and Caramel sauce?…Yum. Decadent, but still fresh with the fruit, light, and creamy.
Rachel started with the To-Taro, Taro Ice Cream, Coconut Flakes, Cornflakes, Mochi and Condensed Milk. It just looked like so much fun. Seriously like a teenage dream; light purple, topped with colored gummy balls and a drizzled in sweetened condensed milk. So lively! And it was delicious, we can see why it’s their best seller.
The Strawberry Cheesecake next- oh my goodness. Sweet cream ice cream, NY Cheesecake (made daily), Fresh Strawberries, and Strawberry Sauce… Perfection and instantly Rachel’s favorite. “It’s rich without being heavy and the fresh strawberries are (put your fingers to your lips and make a kiss sound).”
Next we followed up with the Biscoff Butter Cookie- Sweet cream ice cream, Biscoff Cookies & Spread, Caramel Sauce.. Just the best ice cream concoction Sadie has ever tasted. Really.
We ended with the Vietnamese Iced Coffee – Café Du Monde Coffee (brewed fresh daily), Lychee, Coconut Jelly, Cookie Straws, and Sweetened Condensed milk. Befitting because who doesn’t like to end a dessert with a little coffee? At least we at Sadie‘s Nest do. It had great strong coffee flavor, but the coolest part was the coconut jelly ice cubes. Honestly they look like ice cube sitting on top of drink! So creative!
The Ice Cream is So Good!
Do try it. It’s delicious.
Try five or six at a time -because they’re that enjoyable.
For more information, check out their website! icenyicecream.com