"Citysearch Editorial Review"

By Michele McCole Moss

Editorial Rating: Recommended

Exotic flavors and traditional favorites make this Hollywood shop a glacial hit.

The Scene
This small strip-mall shop, oddly still carrying the half-Irish moniker of its predecessor, has been churning out exotic ice creams and sorbets since 1980. The decadent flavors and friendly, sweet service are so far removed from chains that you may swear off Baskin-Robbins forever.

The Food
The ice cream is made regularly on the premises, and rosewater is the base for most flavors, enhanced with Middle Eastern ingredients such as orange blossom, saffron and cardamom in place of traditional American ones. Creamy rosewater ice cream hits the tongue meltingly smooth, while the perfume of roses wakes the taste buds. Coconut-pineapple marries two powerful flavors into a perfectly balanced mixture. The rosewater sorbet is similar to a traditional Iranian dessert, flecked with slightly crunchy rice noodles. American flavors are just as delicious: Strawberry cheesecake tastes remarkably like its namesake, and almonds stud praline's caramel sweetness.