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Category: Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt
Neighborhoods: Elmwood, ClaremontMon. 2:00 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.
Tue-Thu. 12:00 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.
Fri-Sun. 12:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
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Jesus, 884 reviews of this place? Why even bother with another? I must soldier on and leave my 1/885th piece of opinons of this place.
Let me be clear from the start---over the years, my pallete has changed. I used to, as pretty much all of do, loved ice cream. it began with Lucerene (safeway) Neopolitan stuff in rectangular waxed paper boxes. ...then it was Thrifty's and their .15 cent triple scoops. YES, Triple scoops for 15cents.---i got into my 20-30s and began only enjoying "premium" ice creams, the Ben and Jerry's, Haagen Daas, the Godiva-----over time in my mid 30s, I began wondering why in the heck I was buying expensive ice cream when I really no longer really liked it.
Ok, to summarize where we are, in my 40s, I no longer like ice cream.
I promised the 885th review of Ici so here we go.
first off, this place stands for pretty much everything I hate in terrms of a food establishment. Allow me to explain.
a. long lines. always a line up of Banana Republic'd thirty-somethings who love to wait in line.
b. price-$4 for a scoop of ice cream? what happened to 15cent triple scoops.
c. clientele---well to do people who have no clue that the line is out the door, ---I like to get in and get out-----why is it that everyone needs to ask for 10 different samples before reaching a buying decision?--comon- you are buying a scoop of ice cream, not a freakin house-
d. is it just me, but is it not annoying how the staff likes to walk out to you with your ice cream like the way your Dr walks towards you to hand you your newborn child?
BUT, despite the above gripes, and despite my complete dislike of Ice Cream if really like ICI. Why does this grumpy old 40something person who no longer likes Ice Cream enjoy a frequent scoop of ICI icecream, and deal with bullet points 1-4?.....It is hard to understand or describe, but then again it is simple to.....ICI is clean, fresh, it leaves you with no aftertastes, simply the subtle essenses of whatever flavor you choose.. Oh, and the cones, to call them Ice Cream cones would be an insult. The cones are more like an awesome butter cookie baked into the shape of cone, filled with a drop of chocolate to keep any melting goodness inside.
Interesting ice cream flavors, beautiful displays, charming tiny ice cream shop. Kind of magical to look at, really. And if I could've figured out how to use my new phone, there'd be pics. Alas...
Very little indoor seating (one bench, a couple chairs, I think) and one bench on the sidewalk. I'm not one to walk and lick. I like to sit and enjoy. Lines can form out the door, but really the place is so small, that loses some meaning. I guess we got lucky, there was one person ahead of us in line. And the inside bench opened up and we got to sit next to an adorable 70ish year old man who clearly was enjoying every lick of his cone as much as a 7-year-old would.
Honestly, I think there's a bit of hype attached to this place. Exotic, fun flavors are cool, but can you do an out-of-this-world chocolate, vanilla? Nope, they didn't. Ok, so don't get the pedestrian flavors when you go. Sample and find something you love.
I had today's Special, their vanilla with a pour of espresso (Blue Bottle Coffee) and a sprinkle of candied citrus. The espresso was fabulous, the citrus, amazing. The vanilla, ok, I've had worse, but at $6, I want better than that.
The amazing flavor I tried was the crème fraîche. Get. That.
Sidebar: I got the stink-eye from some skirted, birkenstock w/ socks woman who felt the need to (loudly) say to her clan, "she gave her kids cold ice-cream on a cold day." Dude, I'm from Michigan, it ain't that cold.
The decor is great, yeah.
Every time I've passed this place at night it's been packed, so I finally came here tonight.
I ordered the crème fraîche + pumpkin pie and the affogato.
It was good, but I still came out of the place without an explanation for why I'd ever crave this place or really want to come back.
I feel like some people on here would try to beat me up for writing this review. Oh well.
Tried Ici for the first time tonight, as I'd heard about the freshly made ice cream and cones, made with natural, sustainable ingredients.
I tried the malted vanilla toffee ice cream on the standard cone. Nice flavor, not too rich. The cone was great - lightly sweet, with a nice crunch - tasted like it was just baked (and probably was).
It's nearly $4 for a single-scoop cone, and I waited about 15-20 minutes in line, but thought it was worth it because it is really a gourmet ice cream experience.
My name is Lindley and I am an outlier.
That's right. In the bell curve that is the reviews of Ici, with most ratings clustered in the 5 star area, my review is only three.
It isn't that Ici _isn't_ adorably cute and charming. It has charm to spare. But good lord, the emperor almost has no clothes. He's wearing underwear, so our eyes are shielded from his privates. Thank goodness for small favors.
I tried four flavors at Ici - chocolate caramel, walnut-oat-something, saffron and (t?) (r?)oasted pistachio and Earl Grey. And all were...gasp horror...ICY! Yep. Ice crystals in each flavor.
When I pay real money for real ice cream, I expect genuine expertise. In one flavor I tried the saffron was turned up to 11 - too hot, too strong. In the Earl Grey there was the opposite problem - too subtle with only a slight hint of bergamot. The fudge stripe drowned out the nuances. The chocolate caramel was neither chocolately nor caramely. It was too soft and too icy.
The cones were delicious but the chocolate ganache at the bottom was too sickly sweet. I threw out the last bite of my cone - something I would ordinarily never do.
The 30 minute wait for ice cream at ICI's is well-worth the wait.
Amazing flavors! Make sure to phone in ahead of time to see what's on the menu because it changes daily.
I love how they let you sample more than the posted max of 3.
The cone is to die for.
Ici's will definitely give you a mouthgasm, you'll always come back for more!
OK. I'm number 887. I went here on Sunday night after dinner at Shen Hua. Words seem so trivial when describing Ici. I tried lavender honey. Lavender Honey!!! Crazy right? It was beautiful. Creamy and rich and no more then one scoop needed. My husband got Meyer lemon and my daughter also got Lavender Honey. Her boyfriend got hot chocolate which was creamy and smooth and rich but not too rich and done with semi sweet chocolate with light green marshmellows melting on top. The interior is gorgeous. I'm thinking paris flea market with the pink accents and flowing cursive writing for all the flavors. The customer service is top notch and one of the best things as there is NO garbage. The cups, napkins, spoons and plastic water cups are all compostable. How great is that! Eating right and being good to the planet.
Because it was a Sunday night and it was cold the line was short which was nice because it's a small place and we didn't have to wait outside. If you are looking for a new expereince in ice cream try Ici.
OVERATED
i dont know what the big deal is. sure, they may have new flavors everyday, but usually more than half of them taste iffy. taste like they were trying too hard to come up with a new flavor and the result was a catastrophe of epic proportions.
on weekends and night times theres typically a long line because everyone seems to sample the whole menu when its their turn. i guess that's not really ici's issue
only reason i'm not giving this place 1 star is because my fiancee absolutely loves this place and completely disagrees with this whole review. that's why i love her
You can't help but feel happy when you enter this artisan ice cream shop. It's one of those eateries that makes you feel lucky to live in the East Bay. When you finally enter Ici after toughing it out in the long line, you instantly notice the carefully thought out delicate attention to detail that lines the walls and the counters. You're faced with the decision of picking only a few flavors to try and order, but the staff is friendly and is ever-so-patient with indecisive tasters (guilty, as charged). I'm a fan of their environmentally friendly use of metal tasting spoons! They offer some of your more standard flavors and always offer some off the wall creations. All the flavors are rich and creamy, but not overpowering. You only live once, so be adventurous and try something out of the ordinary.
Yay:
- Meyer lemon
- Chicory-Coffee
- Handcrafted sugar dusted cone with a dark chocolate surprise at the bottom so you can eat and enjoy your ice cream, and not wear it on your shirt.
- Fun selection of ice cream concoctions and baked goods
This deletable treat is a bit pricey and there's inevitably always a line pouring out of this cute ice cream shop, but it's definitely worth the splurge (and the wait!).
This was amazing!
Despite what Jakob H. said (we were in the same group getting ice cream), I enjoyed my ice cream here. I adore sorbets here.
The flavors are fun and unique and I really like the handmade desserts like peppermint marshmallows and all sorts of flavored meringue cookies.
I got a waffle cone with my sorbets and a bag of hazelnut meringue cookies that were simply scrumptious.
Yes, there's a huge ass wait. But it's not bad if you're waiting with friends.
Ici is an adorable ice cream shop. All the ice cream is made in house and they offer unique flavors. The flavors rotate constantly. My favorite is Earl Grey or Vanilla.
Only downside is the line can get long during certain hours and Ici is a little pricey for ice cream.
Definitely a must try if you're in Berkeley.
Ici is an awesome homemade Ice Cream place. We went there to get some ice creams last night at almost 8.30 but the line still was long.
The staffs are friendly, I ordered mine as simple, One scoop of Rosemary Pinenut in homemade cone....It's a Big scoop for me, really and i would die for homemade cone, it's really tasty.
I was walking around College Avenue in Berkeley one summer night when I realized I needed to go to the bathroom: number 1. What I usually do is go into the closest store, buy something, then ask to use their restroom. On this particular night, Ici happened to be right in front of me.
I went to the back of the line and waited for about 25 minutes. When I finally got to the front I ordered a cone of their Brown Sugar ice cream and asked to use the bathroom because by this point I really had to go, you know? But to my chagrin, they didn't have one! Almost a half an hour, completely wasted!
So I headed to Ashby and pissed around the corner. Then I took a lick of my ice cream and it tasted like...like...!....like....!....like ice cream.
Whoop D fucking Doo
Ici is OK, but really just OK. The first time I went I was so excited because of the reviews and because I have a serious love for interesting ice cream flavors. They had some different combinations but nothing really seemed to come together well. I opted for the salted caramel which has become a mainstream flavor and it was decent enough. The waffle cones are good and I am glad their ice cream holds up on a cone unlike Bi-Rite.
My second trip was disappointing. The combinations I tried fell flat but I wanted ice cream so I went for a root beer float. I asked the staff how the root beer was; spicy, creamy, etc. and they stated they didn't know because they had never tasted it. Ugh. That's a serious pet peeve of mine. You need to know your product - every employee should be able to sample and describe everything. Anyway the root beer was kind of bland and I actually gave the rest of my dessert to my friend because I just was not into it.
I stopped in again the other week because I was close-by and wanted something sweet. It was OK but I was still not wowed, especially at the prices. If I'm in the neighborhood and am craving ice cream I'd consider stopping in if the line was small, but I wouldn't go out of my way to go back. *My favorite ice cream is still Jeni's in Ohio: http://jenisicecreams....
peace, love, and good booze ~ chase
I never imagined the wait for one scoop of ice cream could be so long! The last time I was willing to stand in line for 15 minutes for dessert was @ Diddy Reise in Westwood. It probably didn't help that the party of children in front of us were sampling every single flavor, even though there's a sign in huge print pasted right in front reading "PLEASE LIMIT YOURSELF TO 2-3 SAMPLES". People please, this isn't Costco!
But ooooooo boy, it was well worth every second standing in the shivering madness.
I was bummed to reach the front of the line only to hear "we're out of strawberry-candied pistachio". Major womp. Good thing I had a back up flavor in mind, bad thing they weren't that good. I sampled the rose and the orange blossom and neither satisfied my taste buds. Guess I'm not a fan of floral flavors. For $2.85, I resorted with the crunchy peanut butter and consumed it within seconds. Not too sweet, super creamy, and it didn't activate my lactose intolerance!
Twas a happy evening...
The little homemade treats on the side looked delicious, but my sweet tooth wasn't kicked into gear enough to try them. I'll definitely be back to try that strawberry pistachio and maybe even a cup of affogato.
Did I mention they use Blue Bottle Coffee here?? So so awesome.
Me: "So... what's good around here?"
Sister: "Ionno." ::shrugs::
Me: "And you've lived here in Berkeley for 3 years now?!?"
Sister: "Yeah, I don't go out a lot."
It's sad, just sad I tell you. I'm trying to think back to when I was in college (oh god that was 10 years ago) and I'm pretttttttty sure I didn't like to just sit around playing footsies with my significant other and flying home to southern California every month. I specifically moved away for college in an effort to broaden my horizons, which, in addition to meeting the United Colors of Benetton ad come to life, entailed the exploration of my new surroundings. Granted, college students are notorious for living on a budget, so I know it's not all champagne and caviar and weekly Chez Panisse dinners, but come on, walk around, see the city, discover some truly amazing local places that aren't found anywhere else!
So it was that I ended up having to consult fellow Yelper and Berkeley expert Jackie G. for recommendations on must-visits. Two things stood out from her excited texted reply: Cheeseboard Pizza and Ici ice cream, both of which my cousin and sister had heard of but hadn't expended any effort to try.
Well try them we did, and in (relatively) quick succession. What's that song about leaving your heart in San Francisco? Well I'd like to leave my mouth at Ici, so I could enjoy their gourmet ice cream at all times. Tonight I had the extreme pleasure of having a scoop each of the maple candied bacon and bourbon salted pecan ice cream in a hand-crafted, chocolate tip-filled cone. The two flavors actually complemented one another well, and yet each one had distinct, layered flavor profiles that managed to shine through. And the cone, oh the cone; it was like a buttery waffle cookie that was the perfect edible pedestal for those two delicious scoops.
I'll sleep well tonight knowing I've forced these new experiences (oh the horrors) upon my sister and cousin, and I'll be dreaming of when I can return for more of that Ici magic.
I can't believe I haven't written a review of this place yet. Ridiculous! I've been coming here since their opening back when my sis was still a freshman in college. I make sure I stop by every time I visit her...every time. Especially since Sketch isn't open now, I need to get my ice cream fix here. This time I had the cookies n' cream and the fudge peanut somethin' (i'm bad with names of food) on a cone of course. (btw, they now have gluten-free cones!) My sis didn't feel like any but after tasting mine, she managed to eat half of it. The line here is worth it too, but if you're smart, you go after lunch! I have never waited in line...really.
The decor, sweets, staff...all perfection!
I wasn't too impressed with the ice cream here. I just tried this place because everytime I passed by there was a HUGE long line and I really just wanted to see what the hoot is all about. I really don't think they are any better than just a tub of Bryers cookies 'n cream from safeway or something. So given that, I definately didn't think waiting in a LONG line would be worth it.
I do have to say that the waffle cone was waffle ice cream cone at it's BEST!! It's just the right amount of sweetness and crispy-ness! And it's chocolate filled at the tip! If you don't come for the ice cream, you MUST come for the waffle cone!!!
One the the places I'll miss the most when I leave Berkeley & one of the first places I'll go to when I come back to visit.
The ice cream is creamy, not too rich, and in unique flavors you don't see anywhere else, but somehow works out to be delicious.
A double scoop on a freshly-made cone could cheer me up on my worst day. =]
Like Esther Y. and Christine N., it took me nearly a year, but only to write about this place since I love ice cream and and ice cream store with a consistently long line is of utmost priority.
Just go. Its great.
Advice #1: make sure you like what you sample before ordering. I've ordered a scoop of a sample I thought was alright and just felt bad to ask for another one, and was left regretting. Suck up your guilt and sample away until you find a winner.
Advice #2: GET THE WAFFLE CONE. GET IT. or else I'm going to get angry at you.
Advice #3: the line goes fairly quick for how formidable is looks. be patient son.
The place is pronounced EE CEE btw. That took longer for me to figure out than writing this review. Enjoy!
Holy crap, I'm in love.
I couldn't make up my mind between Wildflower Honey and something-or-other Muscat so I sampled both. Blew my mind. I went with a scoop of Wildflower Honey though, cuz I was in a flowery kind of mood. Maybe I should have gotten 2 scoops (or 5) because I finished it before I even got into the car that was parked right outside.
I also bought Rose Pistachio Meringues (told ya, flower power mood) and loved them! The rose flavor overpowered the chopped pistachios but it was still melt-in-your-mouth wonderful.
I love that they're local and organic and use biodegradable/compostable materials. Their sample spoons are metal spoons that they wash and re-use! Go green! Go Ici!
Ici. If read one way, you get "icey" if read another, you get "icky". Take your pick, you're probably pronouncing it right. I want to like this place, so badly. 750+ Yelpers can't possibly be wrong. This block of people really do all think this is the best ice cream in the bay area. For every minute I stood in line, my expectations grew. When I reached the front, I discovered why there is a 40 minute wait for ice cream.
1 person serving, every customer allowed 3 samples.
I can put a line out a Coldstone too if I've only got one person helping customers. Unfortunately all this line waiting really built up to a huge letdown. The flavors are unique by American ice cream shop standards, but their core flavors fell flat. Keep to the experimental stuff, less your mouth tastes like extract. To their credit, everything's natural, organic, hormone free, something-something-this-is-berkley-so-of-course-i t-is.
I imagine that a conversation between friends might go something like this:
"Yeah, my parents were in town, so I told them to check out Ici."
"Wow, you really don't like them."
"They don't know any better, they'll think it was god's gift to ice cream."
It's a solid 3. I wouldn't seek this place out willingly, but I'd tag along since groups make the line bearable. If this is the best in the bay area, we suck.
Never heard of this place until my fourth year at Cal... CRAZY I KNOW!
I had my first Ici epiphany fall of 2008 after my roommate convinced me to hop off the 51 while on our way to Safeway to take an Ici detour. BEST IDEA EVER!
The line was about average for Ici, but it seemed like forever considering I had never been in a line that long for "just" ice cream. Once inside I tried a few of the exotic sounding flavors like Meyer lemon and lavender but ultimately settled on a single scoop of malted vanilla peanut brittle on a cone.
OMGEE, it was love at first lick. I loved eating the little bits of crunchy peanut brittle as I delightfully skipped my way to Safeway. And the beautifully wrapped cones with a bit of chocolate at the bottom... man I could eat those all on their own.
Following visits I've had both good and so-so flavors. The sorbets are good as well! Ici you're totally worth the wait!
I've been to Ici many times, and can't believe I haven't commented on Ici yet! A must-have/ must-try for the Berkeley native/visitor.
My personal favorite is the honey lavendar. So creamy and light with an extra touch of lavendar spice, it is mindblowingly delicious. I could eat it for the rest of my life! Other favorites include: cardamom rose, saffron orange blossom, basil-mint, pear-lime sorbet, strawberry, and milk chocolate with salted almonds. The flavors change all the time depending on what is in season, so that's just a list of what might be in. Vanilla and chocolate are the constants.
The best part of Ici is their ice-cream cones! I know its 75 cents but don't skimp on it, trust me. It is hand-made with a surprise at the end--dark chocolate. Soo amazing. The best part: your ice cream won't drip with the chocolate. Don't you hate it when that happens? Problem solved!
Ever wonder how long people will stand in line for ice cream? Apparently a very long time at Ici!
While I'm pro ice cream, I'm anti line...but my dad insisted this was
THE best and we had some time to kill! First I had the taste of the fattening stuff (some kind of peanut butter). It was super refreshing and the lemon/mint combo was bliss on my tongue.
I'm still anti-line, but I'd do it again for Ici!
I don't really understand the long lines I see outside this place.
I've given it a number of tries and found their ice cream to be nothing amazing. Maybe I'm getting the wrong flavors? The people behind the counter are really friendly but if I'm going to wait in line for over 15mintues I expect the ice cream to be mind blowing....it is not.
I gave it two stars because it is not like the ice cream is gross. It is just nothing special.
I would much rather take the 10 minute walk (if that) to Tara's Organic Ice Cream.
I have passed by this place numerous times but today was the DAY to finally go in. Wow. Why did it take me so long?
Love love love this place. This is a good place to go if you:
- Enjoy unique, one-of-a-kind ice cream flavors
- Dig handmade ice cream cones
- Want to support an environmentally-friendly ice cream shop
- Like homemade baked goods
In the flip side, this is a bad place if you:
- Are on a diet
- Are lactose-intolerant (I did not see any ice cream for folks who are...maybe it doesn't exist?) - oh no, I take that back. There were at least two sorbet options....
- Like the run-of-the-mill ice cream that costs less than two bucks and is served with a cylindrical scoop that has been soaking in a bucket of water
Ici has your standard favorites: vanilla and chocolate. However, life is too short to just eat vanilla ice cream. So I had to try the caramel salted peanut as well as the cardamom candied pistachio. Didn't care for the former and nearly had an orgasm for the latter.
Their ice cream cones run $3.60. Don't think twice, just go for it man. I had the cardamom ice cream with cone and was pleasantly surprised at the chocolate-coated interior towards the end.
Inside Ici is squeaky-clean and homey at the same time. Wish they had more seating and when those ice cream containers slam it kind of makes you jump. Those are my only two gripes. Overall, if you are in a bad mood, or if you are feeling kind of blue, or craving really tasty, original ice cream, or if you are just feeling bored, then come here.
This place is definitely a treat, but I just can't say I'm a fan. It feels like a bit of a rip off, and I don't go running back to places like that.
But on the plus side: tasty and creative ice cream flavors, amazing looking boutique candies and small cakes also for sale. Very cute fixtures and displays overall.
You feel sort of rich buying an ice cream cone here. But bring a date, buy a little candy while you're there, get some toppings on your cones--and you'll feel like a poor man when you step outside and wonder where your $20 went.
Also, their hand rolled cones were nothing to shout about. $.75 extra, and they were sorta dry and didn't enhance our ice cream choices any.
So good.
That was the only thing I could think about when I bit into Ici's ice cream cone. I love the ice cream, which is thick and creamy, but I love the cone even more. The cone is like a cookie version of a pancake, and at the bottom is chocolate, which is slightly melted by the time you reach the end of your cone, making it taste oh so good!
Ici has really unique flavors, and they change their eight or ten flavors every day. They let you try 2-3 samples, but they're pretty nice so if you wanted to try more, you could - but at the risk of annoying people waiting in line behind you, and the line can get pretty long, especially at night. I tried the Spiced Marsala once, and I didn't really like it, but it tasted like marsala. Their Earl Gray is really good.
THE WAIT IS WORTH IT. And at the end of your wait, PLEASE GET A CONE WITH YOUR ICE CREAM! It might be pricey ($3.65 for cone and $2 something without), but just treat yourself once a month. :) You'll be happy!
One more thing, the store itself is so quaint! There are crocheted ice creams hanging by one window, and the inside of the store is painted with pastel colors. They also sell cones without ice cream and little cookies and sweets, which are all nicely packaged, arranged and set on the left counter while they sell their ice cream on the right counter. You can also sit there and eat on benches.
Ici, you are A-OK in my book.
I don't really understand why people wait so long for this ice cream though.
I first had Ici at the Eat Real Festival. I had the Saffron Candied Almond and it was pretty good. Came to the store for the first time last weekend, and the line moved along at snail speed. About 47 minutes to be exact. The flavors were interesting, but not all that impressive. I felt very rushed when we were sampling our flavors. I ended up getting a scoop of earl grey and a scoop of brown sugar gingersnap. They were both good, but not amazing, and I still dont understand the waiting game and hype.
My best friend took me here a few weeks ago on a "girls night out." I saw the super-long line and looked at her like, "are you kidding?" because she is not the kind of girl who stands in long lines. She assured me the ice cream was worth it, and we hunkered down for the 10-15 minute wait.
As we got closer, I saw how cute the place was, and looked at all the signs announcing which flavors were available for the evening. I also looked at the kinds of flavors people who were exiting chose, and noted that almost everyone got double scoops. I took this as a good sign.
I opted for the more traditional flavor, peppermint chocolate chip, and my friend went for the lavender pistachio. As other yelpers have mentioned, definitely go for the cone over the cup. The cone is a delicious pitzel-style confection with a delicious chocolate nugget in the bottom to prevent drips. To me, the cone is what takes the experience at Ici to a higher level.
The ice cream was delicious, and didn't aggravate my lactose-intolerance issues very much (I forgot my lactaid pills, as usual). I am already looking forward to my next visit to Ici!
Holy Mother of God. That was so good.
Gluten free cones for my Yelp friends who need that.
Homemade cookies and Candies are offered in pretty little dishes.
It's going to take the rest of the day to get over this.
Betty H. is a happy girl.
I'm going to make an ongoing list of flavors I've tried:
1. Caramel Toffee = Very sweet and creamy.
2. Burnt Caramel = Tastes like what it should! Some places make it overly sweet but if you're a fan of bitter flavors (coffee, earl grey, etc.), you will like this one. One scoop is definitely enough for me.
This place reminds me of SoCal's Sprinkles Cupcakes http://www.sprinklescu.../ (but the ice cream… Read more »
Woohoo! As good as it gets!
if you live in San Francisco, bay area. This is it.
be warned: every single time I've been here anytime after 8pm, there's a line. The best time to go is 6pm on a weekday.
Favorite flavor so far: Shiso Leaf Milk ice cream.
It's really a 3.5 at this point, but I just HAD to round up for the service. The folks that work here are amazing. I ended up with the a nice combo of Huckleberry goodness mixed with creme fraiche with sprinkled praline madness. Served in a bowl with their hand-rolled cone and chocolate stuffed bottom stacked on top. Upside-down, of course.
I'm going to have to go back to give the other flavors a go. The ice-milk shiso mint flavored ice-cream wasn't creamy. I'm getting that maybe it's supposed to be so. I'll have to try the earl grey flavored cream as well. Hmmmm...
As a rule of thumb, I'm only willing to wait in line for food that hits a certain threshold of saturated fats and/or sugar. Thankfully, I'm pretty sure ice cream falls into this category. But still, I couldn't help second-guessing myself as I waited for nearly 20 minutes just to smear a little more plaque onto the inside of the arch of my aorta. The flavors they were offering and/or I sampled: strawberry-hibiscus (just a lot of sour), chipotle-chocolate (too much bitterness from the chile), darjeeling-cardamom (but the cardamom stole the show), vanilla (seriously??) and LAVENDAR-PISTACHIO (if I could insert an mp3 of my head-to-toe mouth-gasm I would). The wonderful floral perfume of the lavendar was the perfect partner of the dark mustiness of the nut, all against the wonderful backdrop of perfectly-creamy base. Real thought went into this flavor, and I appreciated that. The house-made waffle cones w/ the gem of chocolate in the bottom were delightful as well.
Though I felt most of their flavors were suffering from borderline-palatability disorder, the ones they manage to execute well are ethereal and spot-on. Price is a bit steep, but that's what you get when the owner has Chez Panisse running through her blood. And now I've got triglycerides running through mine...
Long wait. Pretty creamy ice cream. The lavender-vanilla was lovely, but to me, it was just not worth the wait. Maybe on a day when there's no line, I'll stop by again, but this spot is so popular, I'm not sure if there is ever a time when there is not a line. More power to the people who brave the throngs to satisfy their sweet tooth at this place. Not I!
Ici is one of my favorite ice cream shops in the East Bay! Unique flavors and a cookie cone with a chocolate finish, makes this place a go-to destination on a hot afternoon or after-dinner delight.
The line gets a little crazy and yes, some of the flavors I've tried haven't been the tastiest (muscat...passable). Yet, Earl Grey is the flavor that gets me coming back time and time again. The flavors switch out frequently, so one day might be different from another day, but this is what keeps the shop fresh and exciting.
We came here at 9:15 on a rainy Sunday night, thinking we'd outsmart the crowd that is lined up right out Ici's front door 150% of the time. FAIL. That being said, the whole place is about 75 square feet so there only needs to be about 4 1/2 people in line for it to stretch out the door. Don't be scurred.
I tend to scoff at fancy, highbrow renditions of junk food (Lavender-pistachio ice cream? Spare me.) but my visit to Ici was sincerely life-altering in that it precipitated the discovery of the purpose of my existence: I shall build a house out their lemon-gingerbread ice cream sandwiches and eat my way out of it.
A little pricey for an ice cream sandwich, but $4.75 is cheap for existential enlightenment.
There is always a long line, but it's worth the treat!!
The flavors are rich & the variety is superb.
The staff are really friendly.
My favorite ice-cream shop in the East Bay!
Neighborhood: Claremont
Category: Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt
Emeryville, CA
Category: Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt
Neighborhood: Downtown Berkeley
Category: Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt
Neighborhood: Downtown Berkeley
Category: Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt
Albany, CA
Category: Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt
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