I had blogged Scoops more than three years ago after my brief visit following dinner at Cobras & Matadors - Los Angeles (Los Feliz), but it really deserves its own and much longer post. Not that Scoops really needs much of an introduction anymore. I mean, who in L.A. hasn't stopped in for some brown bread ice cream? Avocado Guinness sorbet? Peanut butter and celery gelato? Salty chocolate? Roasted corn? Pistachio lavender goat cheese?
Oh, I could go on and on with how much I love Tai Kim's many inventive flavors.
In my original post, my childhood friend and I got there just as they were closing.
They let us in anyway, but that there were only two flavors left. The flavors are made fresh each day and you can see how they've pretty much been scraped clean. Except for maple walnut (my choice) and peanut fig (my friend's pick). Aww, shucks. We really wanted to try the crazy flavors they're known for like foie gras or olive oil and caviar. (Ha! I told you my original post was brief.)
Since then, I've been back on many occasions. Sometimes when I'm sort of in the area, many times not. More often when I want to introduced non-LA people to Scoops.
Like with oldest nephew and third cousin from OC, before our picnic and movie at Hollywood Forever Cemetery. Or with dad's friend's daughter before dinner at Hae Jang Chon Korean Barbecue Restaurant - Los Angeles (Koreatown).
A scoop here is actually the equivalent of two scoops elsewhere. For $2.75. Cash only.
There's wacky flavors I wouldn't have thought of like peanut butter and celery. Totally tasted like it and in a good way. And not too adventurous but still tasty coconut horchata.
Olive oil vanilla sea salt was actually quite good. Passion fruit dragon fruit was a little mundane actually, well, in comparison to the other flavors.
Avocado Guinness? Totally worked for me.
I know we got the vanilla olive oil and salty chocolate that day I visited with lil' sis and the oldest '87 after lunch at Soot Bul Gui Rim 2 Korean BBQ - Los Angeles (Koreatown).
And after an overly crowded grand opening at Agura Dining - West Hollywood, I took cousin Q's older brother's wife here to sweeten the disappointment. Did we get pumpkin? I do remember we got a pint of Guinness chocolate and pumpkin to take home. Pints are $6 and you can get about three flavors.
It took me so long to give Scoops its own blog post that the sign has changed. Luckily, the prices have remained the same.
So back to the visit with dad's friend's daughter. Roasted corn this time was overly sweet and not corny enough for me. Har har. :P Salty caramel was as good as always.
I got a scoop of pistachio lavender goat cheese.
Blackberry balsamic vinegar was OK.
So I opted for a second scoop of dill mascarpone cheese. Remember, one scoop here is actually two. Yum!
Blueberry tarragon was interesting. But I liked the dill more.
And my very favorite is brown bread. It's like Grape Nuts swirled into the ice cream.
With Scoops, most of the fun is seeing all the possible combos that I would have never imagined.
Other gelato and ice cream shops:
Bert & Rocky's Cream Company - Claremont
Bulgarini Gelato Artigianale - Altadena
Fair Oaks Pharmacy and Soda Fountain - South Pasadena
Fosselman's Ice Cream Co. - Alhambra
Saffron Spot - Artesia (Little India)
Scoops
712 N. Heliotrope Dr.
Los Angeles, CA 90029
323-906-2649
Monday to Saturday noon to 10 p.m.
Sunday 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Cash Only
*****
1 year ago today, Everything but the Kitchen Sink Cookies.
2 years ago today, Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls with Cranberry/Pumpkin Butter/Walnut Filling and Maple Icing.
3 years ago today, my adventures in bread baking.
4 years ago today, I started crocheting a scarf that still isn't completed.
I've only been once...sans camera! :(
ReplyDeleteHi WC,
ReplyDeleteOoh, cool. An address to keep in mind!
I really don't know about the pistachio/lavender/goat cheese, sounds like overkill (lavender or pistachio, not both!), but I'd love to sample the brown bread, especially since I just finished reading about this at the blog of David Lebovitz, the ice cream/dessert author...
Interesting flavors!
ReplyDeleteWow some flavors I've never thought of before. Olive oil vanilla sea salt?!?
ReplyDeletehi wc - this is a place i definitely want to visit. my poor lactose intolerant husband! but he will probably like it anyways! all those flavor combos make my head spin and my mouth water! i love reading about places like this!
ReplyDeleteWeeMo,
ReplyDeleteOnly once? How is that possible?
Tammy,
A lot of the flavor combos sound really odd, but I've liked almost everything. It's always so hard to choose just a few each time.
Kitty,
Yup!
Liz,
It was sooo good though. And he's always coming up with flavors I never think of.
CC,
They have vegan flavors too! So he can definitely try those.