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Category: Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt
Neighborhood: MissionMon-Sun. 12:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
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I was hesitant to try the Secret Breakfast. David Chang's Milkbar in New York has a cereal milk flavor ice cream that gave me a sour face, like why is this good? Serious?
Well what David didn't do was add BOURBON. Is it a secret that people add bourbon to their cornflakes? Alcoholics must have a GREAT breakfast because it tastes pretty damn good.
This icecream alone will undo a bad day for anyone. The staff is also notably friendly. There is nothing worse than a mopey face hipster handing me icecream. Geezus you're serving ice cream not battery acid. *cough* cough* Birite!!!!
Challenge your ice cream pallete. I just hate that I can never remember the name of this place.
This place definitely gives Bi-Rite a run for its money. Their flavor combinations are wacky, interesting, good.
White Miso Pear - My favorite! Refreshing sweetness of pear with subtle hint of savory miso.
Secret Breakfast - Tasty with a strong hint of bourbon with the crunch of cornflakes. Great for alcoholics.
Vietnamese Blue Bottle Coffee - Must-try for coffee lovers.
Tahitian Vanilla - Unlike any vanilla ice cream I've ever had...in a good way.
So excited to try more flavors next time! Maybe when its not freezing outside. ;)
We live most our whole lives thinking rocky road or butter pecan pushes the extreme of what ice cream can offer. Being an avid viewer of the Food Network, I have grown an appreciation for the oddities of the culinary world. Humphrey Slocumbe is the answer to those of us looking to challenge our taste buds in the form of ice cream. Whether its the Secret Breakfast (bourbon & cornflakes), Stout, or Miso Pear, you will leave "weirded out" and smiling at the same time.
If available, give the Fois Gras Ice Cream Sandwich a try!
Oh the disappointment...
Pumpkin 5-Spice: Shoulda just left it at pumpkin.
Blue Bottle Vietnamese Coffee: OK, but I'd actually prefer Haagen Daaz's version.
Caramel Balsamic: first taste is interesting, kinda good... anymore than that, and it tastes rancid. (Also, thanks for the rude "It's vinegar, stupid!" written beside the flavor, Slocomb.)
Secret Breakfast: I don't like bourbon in it's normal form, and I didn't like it in ice cream form either.
Cones: Stale. Tasted like it's been sitting out for months.
Service: rude.
If you're in the Mission ...Bi-Rite is MUCH better! (Hell, Dreyer's is better!)
You know its a major disappointment when you have to throw away ice cream. Tried the Blue Bottle Vietnamese Coffee, Secret Breakfast, FIve Spiced Pumpkin, Balsamic Caramel and finally decided on the Blue Bottle as being remotely decent. First thing I noticed was the texture. The ice cream tasted coarse and chalky without maintaining the smooth and creamy texture you'd expect out of ice cream. The taste was just off. The more I worked on my ice cream, I could not help but long for the Haagan Dazs coffee ice cream I left behind in my freezer. I love Blue Bottle and love Vietnamese Coffee, but they really messed up on this one. The sugar cone I ordered was also stale.
If you are headed to the Mission for ice cream, head to Bi-Rite (much better) and Mitchell's instead. It's surprising that this place can get away with mixing confounding and unappetizing flavors together in their ice cream and call themselves a business.
I won't waste your time, here's what I thought very briefly:
Secret Breakfast: good... if you're an alcoholic (well, I liked it)
Tahitian Vanilla: good... you boring dude (I liked this too)
Caramel Balsamic: two good things... that don't belong together
B.B. Vietnamese Coffee: ...F'in delicious
Chestnut something: kinda nutty
One word: overrated
If you are reading this review and are on the way to the Mission for some ice cream, I strongly suggest you spare your taste buds and head towards Bi-Rite or Mitchell's.
The variety...eh, it was lacking. The taste...could be better. The texture...could be creamier. I was probably better off going to a Lucky Supermarket and settling on...gasp...private label ice cream. And I bet they have more variety to choose from, too.
I took a few bites of the McEnvoy Olive Oil and well, it kinda tasted like olive oil, but let's think about this, folks. On a normal day, I want olive oil-flavored ice cream as much as I want puke-flavored Jelly-Bellies. Then I had a sampling of the Secret Breakfast. Really? Bourbon and corn flakes? I guess that's an acquired tasted. I've always thought that that kid in the third grade who mixed ketchup in with rice and beans was a little weird, but hey, to each his own, right? I guess my palette just isn't as sophisticated as "Booger Billy."
I finally settled on the Ancho Chocolate and the Blue Bottle Vietnamese Coffee. After much reflection, I realized I could have had the same experience on a scoop each of Haagen Dazs' Chocolate and Coffee ice cream. Should have gone to Lucky's...at least I wouldn't have to suffer driving around the Mission looking for parking for sub-par ice cream. Two stars for effort...
I first read about Humphry Slocombe on Eater SF late last year and promptly became a fan on Facebook on the basis of their creativity . With flavors like Olive Oil and Boccalone Prosciutto, how could I resist? This past weekend (with friends visiting from LA in tow) I finally decided to give this relative newcomer to the local ice cream community a try.
Sad to say, but after all the hype, it was a little disappointing. We walked in around 2PM on Sunday afternoon and promptly noticed that there was no line (we'll chalk it up to the fact that they just opened an hour earlier and it was a little cold outside.)
The Boccalone Prosciutto definitely tasted like prosciutto but wasn't really to my liking. The Blue Bottle Vietnamese Coffee was too sweet for my taste, and the McEnvoy Olive Oil had a lemony sweetness that I did not really care for either. I had to try the Secret Breakfast after all the reviews here, but found the bourbon to be overpowering and couldn't identify the corn flakes anywhere. The Ancho Chocolate was my favorite out of the ones we tried. The pepper was a nice complement to chocolate and provided for an intense flavor combination.
The texture was pretty gritty across the board, so it must be something in the base that they use.
Overall, the experience was pretty underwhelming. Now I need to go and figure out how to remove myself from their Facebook fan page...
Best ice bream I've ever had, hands down. Salt & Peppa rocked my world, and Blue Bottle Vietnamese Coffee was perfect.
Okay. I reeeeeeally don't get the hype.
I guess the people who like Humphry Slocombe are those that like to drink for breakfast and like to mix really odd flavors into their ice cream. Maybe I'm just not experimental enough (I never did try the beef ice cream at that little store in Taipei).
First of all, what happened to selection? That is first and foremost one of the biggest factors of any ice cream parlor. "31 flavors"... that's what made Baskin Robbins famous, isn't it? What's up with this "we only serve 12 flavors a day" bull-crap? Bi-Rite and Mitchell's both have a much better selection than this place.
I tried the Secret Breakfast. One spoonful and I thought I felt like I should be drunk, except I wasn't. All I tasted was bourbon - what happened to the corn flakes? Don't get me wrong - I'm a big scotch fan, but I don't think it's something I want as ice cream.
The root beer tasted nothing like root beer (but pretty similar to bad root beer candy that I've had before). The olive oil had a lemony flavor (but lacked olive oil flavor, oddly enough). The Vietnamese coffee was the only flavor I tried that I remotely liked, so I got a single of that (I'm still kicking myself for not getting the kid's size).
After finishing all of my coffee ice cream, my tongue went numb. And not in a good way. Maybe my body is allergic to sub-par ice cream? I'm not really allergic to much, so I didn't understand why my tongue felt so funny. I went to Blue Bottle later and had their drip coffee and my tongue did not reject that, so it wasn't the coffee.
Maybe I should have gone for the vanilla. However, another thing that I noticed was that the ice cream here had kind of an odd consistency. You know how most ice cream is smooth and creamy? This wasn't smooth at all. Also, it was overly sweet - or at least the coffee one was. As if adding more sugar makes up for the lack of flavor.
I guess it should have tipped us off when we came here at 2:30 on a Sunday afternoon and there wasn't a line that this place really isn't that great.
2 stars, because no one had food poisoning (but my weird allergic reaction is questionable). Oh, and also for the teeny tiny dining hall water cups that they had - those were so cute! Definitely the highlight of my visit here.
I really do not get why people will line up for the weak flavors at HS. The root beer, tastes NOTHING like root beer. The tahitian vanilla...meh.
The blue bottle coffee and secret breakfast are good, but there is no comparison to bi-rite. My friend tried to explain that HS uses muted flavors so you can really taste the quality of the base cream that they use, but that is not why I eat ice cream. I love the flavor intensity at Bi-Rite, and they use high quality creams and base ingredients, too.
I know I see you once or twice a year.
I know time spent with you is valuable.
sharing one scoop at Humphrey Slocombe is enough
I know life has its ups and downs
I know you don't know what tomorrow brings
I know somedays are tough
sharing one scoop at Humphrey Slocombe is enough
Can't guarantee that time spent with me is gonna make you happy
Can't guarantee it will make you smile
sharing one scoop at Humphrey Slocombe is enough
until I see you again
this one scoop will be all that I have to remember.
Recommend: I think so.
Will I go back: with a cute girl, I will.
Romantic: I don't know much about romance but if you are lucky to share one scoop with someone special, take it. You never know what tomorrow brings.
That Secret Breakfast is MY kind of breakfast. So generous with the bourbon that i could taste it in every single bite? Its like you just get me Humphry. *makes heart with hands* Its like no other ice cream you'll ever taste. Go to Humphry, taste it, you'll LOVE it, guaranteed.
Second runners up: Vietnamese Coffee and the Salted Caramel.....yumm! Flavors change daily so you're always up for a surprise. Im waiting for Hibiscus Beet to come back. Also, they have bacon peanut butter brittle. Who does that? It was pretty damn tasty.
I love it. It's simple. It's tasty. It's daring and different!
The gal behind the counter was so sweet and let me sample everything! The flavors that stuck out in my mind:
Thai chili pepper- Yes, it is spicy! Not a fan of it.
Peanut butter curry- Tasted like peanut hoisin sauce. Thumbs up.
Corona Lime- Refreshing just like the beer itself.
Secret Breakfast- Basically, bourbon ice cream with cornflake bits.
In the end, I picked out the one flavor I didn't sample, because I had a feeling that it was the ONE. haha and it was. I had Guinness Gingerbread on a sugar cone.
This place is just brilliant. Sweet and savory flavors that taste exactly like their names. No frills, no artificial colors or preservatives. You can definitely tell that it's home-made ice cream.
Secret Breakfast.
I am a convert.
I walked into HSIC and was almost immediately disappointed by the offering of flavors. What was this frou-frou white-tablecloth top-chef schlock? I searched the case looking for a familiar flavor.
Nothing.
So I started sampling. And sampling. And sampling. Some flavors were too sweet (Apple Cranberry and Chocolate sorbet, I'm looking at you). Some were a little too understated (McEvoy Olive Oil).
But like Goldilocks, I eventually found something just right: Secret Breakfast. Bourbon and cornflakes? Sounded silly, but tasting was all I needed to set myself right.
The ice cream here is extremely well-made. There's not an ice crystal to get in the way of the silky-smooth, low-overrun ice creams here. The ingredients are top shelf. The ice cream is served at the perfect temperature. Jake is a friendly, welcoming presence. And most of the time it isn't overwhelmingly busy.
This is better than Bi-Rite. And this is better than Mitchell's (which is better than Bi-Rite). And it makes me angry to see that people think otherwise. Yes, they can be compared. It's still all ice cream, made from the same basic ingredients. People instantly dismiss it as a novelty, and then claim Bi-Rite is better. But no. Feel the texture in your mouth. It's like no other ice cream you've had. Get the Tahitian Vanilla. Nothing fancy, just the best vanilla ice cream ever. If you're not adventurous, don't get an adventurous flavor. There's always at least one tame flavor on the menu. No one's forcing you to eat prosciutto ice cream, so don't order it and complain if you don't like that type of stuff.
I almost wonder if people come here set on bringing this place down and intentionally order the least appetizing flavor so they can say Bi-Rite is better.
Went back today and got balsamic caramel, strawberry with candied jalapeno, and saffron yellow beet.… Read more »
Taking the book of traditional ice cream flavors and literally throwing it out the window, Humphry Slocombe offers an eclectic assortment of inventive and unlikely ice cream flavors that will take you on an irreverent journey of discovery.
The "Secret Breakfast" ice cream, flavored with corn flakes and bourbon sounds a little suspect if you are not accustomed to spiking you morning cereal, but tastes fantastic and is one of their best flavors. And for all you true alcoholics, they've taken what you are already doing and made it into an ice cream!!!! Hooray for You
Other flavors, such as the "Jesus Juice" sorbet, an obvious reference to Michael Jackson's second favorite cocktail of Coca-Cola and Wine, is surprisingly tasty and is more than just a novelty flavor. His first favorite cocktail being Demerol and Morphine (Would not be surprised if this shows up on the Humphry Slocombe line-up of flavors next week.)
I can also recommend the Thai Chile Lime Sorbet, the Balsamic Caramel, and the Vietnamese Coffee. The flavor components are strong and each ingredient gets their chance to shine. The bourbon flavor is a bit stronger than most ice cream with alcohol and the Thai Chile Lime Sorbet will get you good in the spice department.
These flavors are all very tasty, but the only complaint is the lack of flavor rotation. Other than that, this is perhaps one of the best ice cream spots in the BAY AREA.
Highly Recommended
Friendly staff, great ice cream. Kudos for originality!!!
Blah blah blah ice cream is awesome blah.
BACON PEANUT BRITTLE. It's hidden off to the side on a shelf. Do yourself a favor and get some. Amazing. Next time, I'll have to try the lard caramels sitting right next to the brittle...
Oh and I wasn't belittling the ridiculous awesomeness of Secret Breakfast and Blue Bottle Vietnamese Coffee with my "blah blah." I just know you've heard it a skillion times by now. But worth mentioning: Limoncello. Yum. Also, if you can manage to just order Vanilla, their Tahitian Vanilla is perhaps the best vanilla ice cream anywhere.
After all the hype, I was fairly disappointed with this place.
There are a handful of places out there that make "unique" ice cream combination flavors - Peanut Butter Curry, Crème Fraiche, Honey Thyme, etc. Even though these flavor combinations can be odd, they should still be appetizing, and most of the flavors I saw when I arrived were not appetizing. I tried three flavors: Balsamic Caramel, Autumn Harvest Corn, Tahitian Vanilla...they were okay. The Balsamic Caramel was actually pretty bad - it was very sour and tasted like vinegar ice cream....not good at all. Autumn Harvest was pretty good - a sweet corn ice cream that had a refreshing taste to it, my problem with it was that there wasn't more "corn" flavor...it seemed a bit faint. The Tahitian Vanilla was okay too - the texture was decent, but it wasn't as creamy as I like my ice cream to be...also, again, the flavor was pretty faint and not really sweet enough.
With organic ice cream, I feel the flavors should really come through since unneeded chemicals are not being added...at this spot the flavors were barely there. Also, the execution of the final flavor seemed to not be very good - if caramel mixed with anything tastes like vinegar, that's not a good thing. Also, when I usually go for ice cream at least a handful of flavors should immediately pop at me so that I can't decide what to get...when I was there, I felt like I couldn't decide because nothing really sounded very good.
I think I'll be sticking with Bi-Rite...
Oh my God this place is IT! This ice cream is heaven on earth. A friend of mine went here a while ago and would not stop talking about it night and day. I love ice cream but I was not to interested in trying a bunch of crazy flavors.
What I ate: the beer flavored ice cream, the carmel balsalmic, the blue bottle, and the winner, the surprize underdog flavor:
Pumpkin Curry, I love you and you are the best. You rock my world. I can not stop thinking about the special times we shared last night.
Food:
As far as I'm concerned, the best ice cream you can get in the city. I recommend getting some friends together and trying as many flavors as you can to figure out which ones are winners (Secret Breakfast, Jesus Juice, Thai Chili) and losers (Balsamic Caramel yechhhh) (that's just my personal opinion!)
And hellllloooooo bacon peanut brittle. Incredible.
Service:
Fast and friendly. They let you taste whatever you want. It will behoove you to follow them on Twitter/Facebook to see what new flavors they are serving each day - and get there early! I wanted to bring some Brown Butter ice cream home for my roommate, but got there around 6pm and they said they couldn't even give me a 1/2 a pint so everyone else could sample it - which I totally understand. And you can't beat saying the secret phrase on Monday to get free chocolate or butterscotch toppings!
I'M TORN...
Normally upon any dessert place, I default to 5 Stars whenever I'm able to "FORGET" about chocolate. And with the Secret Breakfast and the Vietnamese Coffee, I was able to forget about chocolate.
BUT...
Who the hell thought of puttin chili peppers in chocolate ice cream??? You don't do things like that. WHY???
Final Verdict: 4.5 Stars. Service was excellent. Very patient with you as you try and venture out on their unique and I have to say, they are very unique flavors. Definitely not for the ordinary, and I mean that in a good way! A definite alternative to bar-hopping.
It was empty when we visited at 1p on a Thursday afternoon.
They were patient with us as we tested a few flavors before making up our minds
Tested:
- Ancho Chocolate- very chocolately, could not taste the chili. Would have liked more chili
- Miso Pear- Quite refreshing and definitely different. But not sure i can eat a whole scoop of it
- Bacon Peanut Brittle (not ice-cream. real brittle)- it was Very bacon-y. I felt like i was having b'fast all over again. maybe a tad less bacon?
Bought:
- Secret B'fast- Bourbon + Frosted Flakes. Very unique and tasty. I really enjoyed it
- Luna Blanc- Belgium Ale. Strong flavor, went well with the Secret B'fast. I'd be open to switching this flavor out for something else the next go-around
- Chocolate Chip Cookies (again, not ice-cream. real cookie)- Very chewy and tasty
Overall, the texture of the ice-cream was fluffy and not super rich or creamy, which made the experience much more enjoyable. I've never quite tasted ice-cream like that before....it was like...powdery snow for skiing! But not as icy.
Will definitely be back
There was a line out the door, but of course when it's my turn, I have to be 'that' guy and get a taste of three different things (they were all good). Pumpkin curry= tasty -but ended up with Bourbon and cornflake ice cream topped with a scoop Red wine and Coke Classic! Talk about mixing your alcohols. Fantastic!
The service was good and quick.
They have nice out-door seating. It's on a stretch of 24th that includes other goodies/shops and is lined with trees.
It's pretty much five stars. But, the decor and space is really vanilla, ha! They have great and interesting flavors, but not the biggest selection. -And it has intense competition with Bi-rite and Mitchels, etc.
This place is a must for a treat.
Since I just FINALLY wrote my first review on Yelp I had to get out a couple of extras for my Favorite Things in San Francisco.
This is one of them.
Slightly tough on vegetarians (salty pig parts etc), but more than makes up for it with secret breakfast ice cream, hibiscus-beet sorbet, salt-and-pepper ice cream, and just general awesomeness in the wild wild world of ice-cream-fads.
Humphry Slocombe simply cheers me up when i need it.
If I could have a savory meal with sweet dessert all in one setting, then why not? My curiosity grew stronger each time I pass by this place since the crowd is always pouring out onto the streets with kids and young families bursting everywhere. Finally I looked up the address on Yelp and realized it was Humphry Slocombe, so I jumped at the chance to stop by for dinner and dessert. The place is pretty small with bright paint and a set of unique blend of ice cream such cream cheese, Thai chili lime, and salted lycorise. They were already out of the Blue Bottle Vietnamese coffee by that time, so I decided to go with two-flavor single scoop of peanut butter curry and McEvoy olive oil on a sugar cone ($3.25).
Sitting on the bench outside, I come to realize the sweet peanut butter actually blends in nicely with its light but distinct curry flavor and the smooth McEvoy olive oil was smooth, delicious and just light enough to complement the heavier taste of the curry. Albeit the fact that my single scoop was melting quickly, I thought the cone was nicely packed to the bottom and the scoops were generous. For someone with a sweet tooth, it was a perfect set up to have a meal packaged into a yelpalicious ice cream cone!
Despite the positive experience with the taste testing, service was lukewarm and inconsistent. The server who helped me with the ice cream was extremely helpful and accommodating but the cashier was borderline rude. As my ice cream was quickly melting while I was trying to reach for my wallet, I asked where the napkins were and instead of helping out, she pointed me to places that was hard to get to due to the overwhelming crowd. By the time I navigated there, some of the dispensers were already out of napkins. Bummer.
Despite the sour experience with the service, I still think the quality and price of their ice cream are top notch, innovative, and worth trying. I would love to come back to try their other flavors such as Blue Bottle Vietnamese coffee, green tea black sesame, and balsamic caramel. 4 stars for the overall experience.
Best ice cream in the City - hands down. We tried the Secret Breakfast, Jesus Juice, Blue Bottle Coffee and Balsamic Caramel; all of which were divine.
Asked them to "lick it" and had some decadent butterscotch drizzled on top at no cost...these folks are brilliant.
The folks here are friendly and patient, even as we prepped for Dia De Los Muertos festivities and were probably the most annoying patrons of the day. This place rocks! With new flavors constantly rolling in, we will definitely be back!!!
I heart Humphry S. .
Not to be mean, but Humphry Slocombe doesn't live up to the hype. It is quite possibly the worst of the artisan small ice cream producers so far. Unlike the wildly popular Bi-rite, Ici and the now defunct Sketch, it seems now that only talent you need to possess to be an ice cream maker is to be able to infuse stupidly strange flavor combinations into a pre-prepared ice cream base from Strauss Creamery or Berkeley Farms, and voila! you have an ice cream company! And everyone jumps on the bandwagon and thinks it's great because of the weird flavors like peanut butter curry.
Well, in this pastry chef's' opinion, the quality is inconsistent, flavors are muddy and artificial tasting and it seems that there's a lot of shock value going on....I mean, what's up with the Jesus Juice? The first time I had the McEvoy olive oil ice cream, I thought it was okay, not great, but something I could get into (by the way Pizzeria Delfina makes a wonderful olive oil ice cream) but the second time I tried it, the flavor was weak, the texture was incredibly icy (could have been old) and frankly, tasted like a generic drugstore brand. My friend had the vanilla, which tasted old, stale and more like artificial vanilla or vanillin, as it is called in the industry.
My advice to the folks at HSIC is that they might want to try improving and mastering the classics and focus more on producing a high quality product and less of a shocking one.
The ice cream itself is okay but not great. It is all about the exotic ingredients/combinations that they put into the ice cream.
Special breakfast is a common favorite and worth trying. My biggest advice is to SAMPLE everything before buying it. Once I winged it got Jesus Juice without sampling it first. I ended up pushing the Jesus Juice scoop into the trash can because it was so nasty. My friend refused to eat it too because she thought it was gross too. But some people like Jesus Juice so it all depends on your taste preferences. But overall, the flavors are hit-or-miss so make sure you sample before you decide!
Although I give Humphry Slocombe credit for their innovative flavors, Mitchell's is the best ice cream shop in the neighborhood.
Thanks to my favorite tiny friend Mari C, I finally ventured down here after a downright disappointing burrito up at Papalote.
What better way to turn my frown upside down than these creative concoctions! I sampled half, the bf sampled the other half, we settled on a sundae of Secret Breakfast and Peanut Butter Curry. YUM!
Can't wait to come back and try the rest!
No, no and more no.
Seriously, half of the flavors made me puke in my mouth just by thinking about them.
Salt & Pepper:
Anchovie Chili Chocolate
Jesus Juice
Secret Breakfast
Balsamic Caramel
Blue Bottle Vietnamese Coffee
Peanut butter & curry
To be fair, my friends and the 600+ reviews on yelp love this place. I really don't get it.
Sorry guys, maybe I like normal flavors. Maybe I'm boring. I feel like I'm the PC of the ice cream world and you're the Mac.
Whatever it is - you're not doing it for me.
It's not you, it's me. We're going to have to to part ways.
Ok, thanks, bye.
Shocking. I love nearly everything about this place.
The 'secret breakfast' flavor combines about seven of my favorite things in life- cereal, sugar, bourbon, dessert, breakfast, combining weird dishes, cold, and clever names- it's kind of like everything great about being a kid AND an adult.
It's like getting a snow day and I don't have to go to school so I sleep in 'till like 10:30. When I get up, mom already has my Wheaties ready with the sugar bowl too 'cause what kid likes plain Wheaties? and then I decide to have a side of ice cream for breakfast 'cause I'm actually an adult and I can do what I want and then REMEMBERING I'm an adult I pull out my old friend Maker's and start taking a few nips early 'cause, hey, it's cold out and I don't have to do ANYTHING except maybe go sledding and enjoy my delicious, flavorful, creamy, icy, joy of a dessert from my old friend Humphrey. God Bless this joint. Try everything, even though you might be embarrassed like me, because they're patient and they'll let you and you're using metal tasting spoons(!) so you don't have to worry about filling up the great pacific gyre with your gluttony.
Also, this is a quieter, lovely corner of the Mission to sit outside and compare surprising flavors with whichever new friends you happen to make because such novel experiences lend themselves to efficiently crossing the normal social barriers. Wine and coke? don't mind if I do! Balsamic vinegar? hell yes. Do it people, go here and enjoy immensely. Unless you're stuck on green mint chocolate chip from Baskin Robbins (not hating- also my childhood) 'cause this ain't that.
Holy shit, this place has the most random combinations of flavors but they are so good.
They are really nice about letting you try the flavors before you find "the one" that suits your tastes. I ended up going with Secret Breakfast. Yummy. Bourbon and cornflakes? I was hoping it would be Maker's Mark bourbon in the ice cream, but it was Jim Beam. We can't all be perfect.
I'm hoping to try the foie gras ice cream next time I visit. They change their selections so if you see something you want on their online menu, call in to see if they have it available that day.
I had the curry and peanut butter ice cream.
And it was good.
Yup... it is now official. Humphry Slocumbe is my new favorite source of ice cream.
Finally made it in today after having it on my "to do" list for months, and I am both kicking myself for taking so long to roll through and looking forward to coming back again soon. Had their "single" size, which actually has two scoops, on a cone with Secret Breakfast and Guiness Gingerbread. Went the booze-related route this time around. Both were amazingly creamy and hit the right flavor notes. Picked up some Bacon Peanut Brittle also, but have not busted it out yet.
Do you guys offer classes or internships? I would provide you with some free slave labor in exchange for the Secret Knowledge of the Ice Cream Gods. Bow down to Humphry Slocumbe!
Holy crap.
This weekend was my first encounter with this place I was seriously blown away. I love ice cream and have always been game to try odd flavors, but so many of them have been half baked and poorly conceived and seem to be more about shock value than actually tasting good.
So I was really shocked by HS. We went there twice and tried 7 flavors (secret breakfast, peanut butter and curry, beer, sour cream and brown sugar, olive oil, bacon proscuitto...) and all were great. I am really smitten with the olive oil ice cream and I definitely recommend adding the flaked Maldon salt on top.
Life is short and HS is a great example of how something offbeat and seemingly strange can actually turn out to be pretty damn wonderful.
I haven't tried the offerings of Bi-Rite or Mitchell's (the rest of the SF ice cream trifecta - are there more? please enlighten me), but our visit to Humphry Slocombe was definitely ice cream heaven.
I tasted the peanut butter curry and the secret breakfast flavors. I always tend to try a few flavors and then order something completely different, but the secret breakfast was too good to pass up. I loved the burbon flavor with the SUPER creamy ice cream and random corn flake crunches. The PB curry was really good too, but the curry aftertaste was a little strong so I ventured out and replaced it with banana pecan - a safe bet, but excellent. Carmelized pecans dotting a smooth lightly banana-flavored cream. I like that HS is taking an adventurous approach to ice cream and appreciate their innovative flavor combinations. I'm up for anything if it involves frosty sweet cream, really.
I worked in ice cream retail in high school and have used the oops-I-accidentally-screwed-up-your-order-so-I-can -eat-it-later tactic, so I could relate when one of the girls behind the counter made a Blue Bottle Viatnamese Coffee + Oolong Tea creation TWICE when my friend had ordered the Coffee + Dulce de Leche. An innocent mistake, and after eating our four creations, we offered to buy both of those off her anyway....
I WILL be back. Is it a guilty pleasure if you never actually feel guilty about it?
Obviously, it's no secret that Secret Breakfast is delicious! They'd mopped just before I walked in and it kinda stunk lik not-so-fresh mop water as we sat at the window and enjoyed some amazing ice cream.
Peanut butter & curry? Check. Bourbon & cornflakes? Check. Red wine & coke? Check. Prosciutto ice cream??? Hmmm I'll pass on that one.
This place has some amazing ice cream flavors. So amazing that you'll most likely be grossed out by a few of them. The best that I tried were the peanut butter & curry and the hibiscus beet. Unfortunately the 2 of them did not go together, so I had to pick one. I wanted to try a taste of them all but i didn't want to be obnoxious about it so I stuck to 3. Next time I'll try the coffee and the salt & pepper, but not necessarily together.
I also love that everything there is reusable or compostable. Nice!
Neighborhood: Mission
Category: Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt
Neighborhood: Mission
Category: Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt
Neighborhood: Mission
Category: Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt
Neighborhood: Noe Valley
Category: Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt
Neighborhood: Parkside
Category: Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt
I'm still trying to decide which one I like…
Not really, but sometimes I get bored of going to…
A chronicle of a few of my nights out in this…
Get your fixie off the sidewalk so I can f**cking…
"The Mish," as I like to call it. Please don't…
My local dry cleaner, watering hole, deli, cafe,…
My trip to SF...and I hit 15 eateries in 4…
Licking sweets off your fingers has never been so…
