Under the Table with Jen » Cold Treats

Ruby Jewel Scoop Shop

admin — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 22:18:17 +0000

Brutally blindsided by a fierce ice cream craving? Follow the scent of fresh waffle cones to Ruby Jewel Ice Cream’s cheery, Neopolitan-hued North Portland scoop shop, where friendly ice cream scoopers dish up creamy, handmade small batch artisan ice creams like the classic Honey Lavender and sultry Chocolate with Salted Caramel, swoony sundaes like the candied coconut and Marcona-almond topped Ahhh Joy, and of course, their signature ice cream sandwiches, all made with the finest locally-sourced ingredients and hormone-free dairy products. Forget about gummy bears and Oreo crumbles—Ruby Jewel’s artisan toppings include handmade marshmallow, anise sprinkles, rosemary pecans, peanut brittle, and three kinds of exotic sea salt from Ruby Jewel’s neighbor and Portland’s mecca of salt, The Meadow. Vegans rejoice—two “cow-free” selections grace the menu at all times. And one of the most perfect hostess gifts of all time might be the DIY “Make Your Own Sandwich” kits, which allows you to recreate Ruby Jewel’s ice cream magic at home, in case a craving sneaks up on you outside of normal business hours.

Perierra Creperie

admin — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 03:54:09 +0000

I never expected to find the blended and basil-blessed shakelove of my summer at a crepe-making food cart on SE Hawthorne, but I guess love’s funny that way. Truth be told, I’d been to Perierra Creperie three times before I even read the neatly lettered midsection of the menu. My eyes had always just shifted from the sweet crepes list listed on the left side straight over to the savories on the right, not even noticing the critical second column–smoothies and shakes. Where else can you find a Golden Graham milkshake? Basil and coconut milk? Avocado and sea salt? Fresh mint and Oreo? Even the classics, like Lavender and Honey, or Peanut Butter and Banana, or Fresh Strawberry, are something quite special. Vegans, swallow that lump in your throat–the smoothie is vegan-approved, made with fresh lemon juice, limeade, raspberries, blueberries, strawberries, and banana, for a cold, smooth dairy-free treat that’s so compelling you’ll brave brain freeze and practically swallow your straw trying to slurp it down before so much as one drop of condensation forms on the cup.

Via Delizia

admin — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 02:46:39 +0000

It’s no big deal to have a tree outside your restaurant in Portland. Maybe this is a claim to fame in Phoenix, but around here, urban shade is nothing new. Having a tree inside your restaurant, however, is interesting. The Pearl District’s Via Delizia does happen to have a large (faux) tree in their little L-shaped dining room, as part of the Italian villa ambiance, complete with stone walls, low hanging lanterns, green-shuttered windows, and a case of deliciously cold and creamy gelato, which the staff is happy to serve plain, drowned in espresso or syrah port, drizzled with chocolate or caramel sauce, or accompanied by brownies or cookies, almond florentine and a chocolate wedge.

Alotto Gelato

admin — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 18:25:07 +0000

I love cake, no doubt about it. So much so that when I was 8 years old, I stole a box of Duncan Hines yellow cake mix from the pantry and hid it in my closet, and every day after school I’d come home and sit in my closet and eat the dry cake mix with a spoon. What does this super weird blast into my past have to do with gelato? Try Alotto Gelato’s Chocolate Frosted Yellow Cake gelato and you’ll understand. It tastes just like that sweet stolen cake mix of my childhood. If eating gelato that tastes like cake mix isn’t your bag, then choose the flavor that transports you to your own most appalling childhood food memory, or suits your current whim. Seeking a bit of luxury? Chocolate Orange Truffle or dainty Rose Petal. Feeling Italian? Gianduia, Limoncello, Amaretto or Spumoni. Wish you were in Hawaii? Coconut, Mango and Pineapple. At Alotto Gelato, there’s something cool and sweet for everyone and their inner kid-eating-cake-mix-in-a-closet. Plus, you get to enjoy your gelato in one of the sweetest, cheeriest shops in town—soft yellow walls festooned with colorful local art, a variety of Stumptown coffee drinks, and the window bar with a view of NW 23rd make leisurely savoring your chilly treat over conversation with friends a must.

Mio Gelato

admin — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 22:44:44 +0000

The only thing better than gelato is gelato + people-watching, and Mio Gelato has you covered on both. Strategically placed in the cuter-than-thou Pearl, Nob Hill, and Irvington neighborhoods, Mio’s got shaded patio tables, a steady stream of gelato lovers, and of course, some of the best gelato in Portland–an ideal combination for the dedicated gelato-eating voyeur like me. Mio crafts their creamy, flavorful gelatos and sorbets daily in small batches using locally sourced ingredients, and in case you like a light meal with your surreptitious staring and blatant eavesdropping, they offer pastries, paninos, soups, salads and pizza too. Sippers & Surfers–they’ve got a long menu of coffee drinks made with locally roasted Italian coffee Caffe D’Arte and free wifi at all locations.

Staccato Gelato

admin — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 21:18:37 +0000

Staccato Gelato is a childhood fantasy come to life–a gelato and doughnut shop that looks like a Nickelodeon set, with bright orange and blue walls festooned with cheerful bubbles, a massive mural of a Bernstein Bears-esque treehouse, lemon yellow plastic couch (great for spills) and a kids play area with tiny purple plastic chairs and toys. Staccato is a supremely comfortable spot to hang out, with plenty of seating inside and out on the sidewalk, a substantial menu of coffee and tea drinks, free Wi-Fi, and a fat striped neighborhood cat who strolls in now and then and lays in the afternoon sunbeams that cross the wood floors. Eighteen flavors of homemade gelato fill the cases daily, ranging from classics like Peach, Lemon, and Coconut to more experimental blends like Raspberry Pomegranate Lime and The Pope Says Hi (meringue & chocolate). Staccato makes their own doughnuts too–the Lemon Ginger and sprinkle-adorned Fairy Princess are my favorites–fresh, cakey, and with just the right amount of icing. Staccato also has a full selection of sundaes, Ristretto Roaters coffee and Jasmine Pearl teas, and if you feel like drowning your Peanut Butter Fudge gelato in coffee, you can opt for gelato affogato.

Waffle Window

admin — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 05:47:27 +0000

Hawthorne mainstay Bread and Ink’s darling little ‘round the corner Waffle Window, located on SE 36^th Ave, is making the world a better place one chocolate-dipped waffle at a time. You could order just that–a pearl sugar waffle dipped in Guittard ($2.50), but why stop there, when you could get two chocolate-dipped waffles hugging a truly staggering amount of vanilla ice cream, aka the Waffle Ice Cream Sandwich ($4). Or go all out and get the Hot Fudge Sundae Waffle–topped with vanilla ice cream and lavished with whipped cream, chocolate sauce and fresh juicy strawberries ($4.50). Take your treat to one of Bread and Ink’s nearby sidewalk tables, in fair weather, it’s one of the best spots in town for people-watching and waffle-gobbling.

Blueplate Soda Fountain

admin — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 23:09:20 +0000

When I was little, I loved Wendy’s Frosties. Pondering this now, I realize how foolish I was, thinking a fast food frosty was the epitome of a blended ice cream treat. But way back then, how was I to know about Blueplate, and their dense, creamy three-scoop shakes, made with impossibly rich super-premium Cascade Glacier Ice Cream and intensely flavorful add-ins, like the butterscotch milkshake with toffee-covered cashews, honey roasted peanuts and vanilla crunch ($4), or the chocolate and filbert butter shake ($4), or the Cowboy Coffee shake made with Stumptown beans ($4)? Then there are the floats–the Black Cow marries cola, chocolate syrup, and ice cream ($4); or the ATL Frosted Orange–orange soda blended with vanilla ice cream ($4), and of course, the classic Chocolate Malted. And when I sit in the South Park blocks sipping my gorgeous shake or float just leisurely enough to avoid brain freeze, I think the Older but Wiser adage has never rung so true.

Sol Pops

admin — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 23:20:57 +0000

Everyone loves a popsicle, and since we live in Portland, where the edible bar is constantly being raised, we get Sol Pops—the tastiest, most delicious gourmet all-natural whole-fruit organic and locally-made paletas (a denser, thicker cousin of a traditional fruit popsicle) possible. The imaginative flavor combinations include Basil Lemon, Mango Lavender, Cucumber Lime Jalapeno, Coconut Agave, Strawberry Lemonade, Raspberry Coconut and whatever other flavors the Sol Pops boys dream up–all made with local organic produce, vegan ingredients and natural sweeteners, and transported in pedal-powered carts (totally Portland). They’re sold out of a funky little pop shop on N. Williams Street and from the icy innards of Sol Pops’ colorful carts, which can be found at farmers’ markets around the city, as well as at New Seasons, Food Front, Peoples Coop, Por Que No, and beyond.