Exotic Ice Cream in SF

[FoodZealot]

I won't have much time, so based on quality of flavors, quality of the ice cream itself and overall quality of the experience, which should I try within SF proper? Polly Ann Ice Cream or Mitchell's Ice Cream? Or somewhere else?

Thanks!

[ludja]

Marco Polo is out of the way--out in the Sunset districtt but they had neat flavors---even had durian icecream last time I was there!

Only caveat is that I was there quite a while ago~4 years--so may want to call to check if they're still there... The reason I say this is that I looked for it once more recently, without the address in hand and couldn't find it. I may have not been on the right street... Worth it if it's still there!

Alas, a really cool place that I *know* is out of business was a place on Polk street that only had different tea-flavored ice creams; as many as 10 different kinds at a time!

Mitchell's has a neat old time ice cream parlor atmosphere; haven't been to Polly Ann's... If you like Italian gelato; there's "Gelato Classico" a chain with good Italan flavors like hazelnut, etc.

Info on Marco Polo:

Marco Polo

Italian ice cream with an Asian flair

neighborhood: Sunset District

tel: + 1 415 731 2833

address

1447 Taraval St

(between 24th and 25th avenues)

San Francisco, CA

US, 94122

This ice creamery combines the best of Italy and China. The result: Italian gelato with spicy Chinese flavors. It's definitely worth the trek to this establishment. Neighborhood teenagers bop to the overhead Chinese pop music and visit with their friends. The atmosphere is funky, fun and loud. Musky mango, lychee, and java fruit are a few of the unusual flavors offered. For the less adventurous there are a few traditional options including raisin rum and vanilla. Prices range from $4-6.

[ludja]

Thanks for the info on Polly Ann's; if they're both open it is pretty close to Marco Polo!

[Stone]

Friscans love Mitchells. I never thought it was so great. It didn't have the creamy texture I like. I little too crystalline. Try Polly Anns and go to Mitchell Brothers instead.

[ludja]

Friscans love Mitchells. I never thought it was so great. It didn't have the creamy texture I like. I little too crystalline. Try Polly Anns and go to Mitchell Brothers instead.

I do agree w/the Mitchell's ice cream asseesment--it's more for the atmosphere (see above) than for the ice cream itself.

[Gary Soup]

Friscans love Mitchells. I never thought it was so great. It didn't have the creamy texture I like. I little too crystalline. Try Polly Anns and go to Mitchell Brothers instead.

Lately better known as Mitchell Brothels.

[jschyun]

Polly Ann has durian ice cream too, last time I checked. Everyone's so big on durian these days.

[FoodZealot]

Friscans love Mitchells.  I never thought it was so great.  It didn't have the creamy texture I like.  I little too crystalline.  Try Polly Anns and go to Mitchell Brothers instead.

Ha ha! Great suggestion, Stone!! Thanks, everyone. I'll report next week. On ice cream, that is...

[Stone]

Friscans love Mitchells.  I never thought it was so great.  It didn't have the creamy texture I like.  I little too crystalline.  Try Polly Anns and go to Mitchell Brothers instead.

Ha ha! Great suggestion, Stone!! Thanks, everyone. I'll report next week. On ice cream, that is...

I had a friend who used to . . . dance . . . at Mitchell brothers. Once I brought home some Mitchells ice cream and she thought it would be hilarious if the club got a little freezer case to sell pints of ice cream. Hmm, I wonder what the flavors would be?

Red Cherry Temptation?

Banana Fan Dance?

Marshmallow Cream Pie

Edited January 16, 2004 by Stone (log)

[Gary Soup]

Hmm, I wonder what the flavors would be?

I haven't gotten past thinking about what the USES might be....

[FoodZealot]

I didn't pay attention to the website - I found out by phone that the storefront is closed for remodelling, but the ice cream is still available through retail. Unfortunately, no Mitchell's or Mitchell Brothers either.

[marlena spieler]

Polly Ann's used to give free doggie ice cream cones to doggies! perhaps they still do!

[Nancy Berry]

Here are two more "exotic" ice cream places in SF:

Bombay Ice Creamery

552 Valencia St. (between 16th and 17th), San Francisco.

Closed Monday

For more information, call 415-431-1103

Maggie Mudd

903 Cortland Ave., SF

415-641-5291

[josephreese]

I had a friend who used to . . . dance . . . at Mitchell brothers. Once I brought home some Mitchells ice cream and she thought it would be hilarious if the club got a little freezer case to sell pints of ice cream. Hmm, I wonder what the flavors would be?

Red Cherry Temptation?

Banana Fan Dance?

Marshmallow Cream Pie

... and it would sell for $20 per taste.

[ludja]

The Gourmet Ghetto adds an Ice Cream Shop... click

Ici, 2948 College Ave. (near Ashby), Berkeley; (510) 665-6054. Open 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Tuesday-Sunday.

Gone are the days of vanilla, chocolate and strawberry. In a culinary world that has become increasingly specialized, even ice cream is far from immune.

Shops like Sketch in Berkeley have already tested the popularity of unusual scoops, gelaterias are popping up all over, and gourmet market Bi-Rite in San Francisco will add to the mix when it opens a creamery later this year.

In her newly opened Berkeley shop Ici, former Chez Panisse pastry chef Mary Canales spins scoops of decadent ice cream, from tempting flavors like Black Mission fig to sweet wildflower honey.

Some flavors change daily, as do a list of special bites like ice cream sandwiches. The basics are there in childhood favorites like malted vanilla and chocolate sandwiches, but more adventurous types will love flavors like the raspberry ice cream sandwiches between gingersnap cookies.

Pick up one of Canales' gallery-worthy bombes for a dinner party or potluck -- chocolate and hazelnut is especially dreamy, complete with a coating of curly dark chocolate swirls, a design that's repeated on the menus and throughout the bright space.

Edited September 13, 2006 by ludja (log)

[ludja]

Friscans love Mitchells.  I never thought it was so great.  It didn't have the creamy texture I like.  I little too crystalline.  Try Polly Anns and go to Mitchell Brothers instead.

I do agree w/the Mitchell's ice cream asseesment--it's more for the atmosphere (see above) than for the ice cream itself.

←

I'm glad I came back to this thread because I need to make a correction...

My response 2 1/2 years ago to Stone's post was in error. This summer I went to Mitchell's, a landmark family-owned and operatated ice cream shop for the first time and really enjoyed it. They have an interesting variety of flavors as well; ranging from many old-fashioned classics to a great selection of tropical flavors. The texture is different than some modern places but I like it very much--still seems very creamy to me and the flavors are very fresh and natural tasting.

Here also is a link to another thread on Mitchell's Ice Cream: click

Back then, I got it confused with another old time ice cream place in the Mission. This place had an old-fashioned counter with stools, homemade candy, etc. But--I did not think the ice cream was exceptional. I did some googling and think I found out the name of this place: St Francis Fountain at 2801 24th St.

Does anyone know if the St. Francis Fountain is still open?

Edited September 13, 2006 by ludja (log)

[eje]

Does anyone know if the St. Francis Fountain is still open?

←

The St. Francis Fountain died and came back to life. It is now owned and run by a bunch of tatooed hipsters. Oddly my wife and I went on labor day. We were actually hoping for the Roosevelt Tamale Parlor; but, they were closed. While I did have a very good Chocolate Malt at the fountain, the service was just dreadful. And not in a sassy 50 year old diner waitress kind of a way. It was dreadful in a, "I don't have time to bother serving you unless you are my friend or a celebrity," kind of way.

Ooops, I forgot to say, I think before it was re-incarnated the Fountain made its own ice cream. They now serve Mitchell's ice cream.

I really like Mitchell's Ice Cream. It is American style ice cream, though, and has stabilizers and some other stuff I usually try to avoid when I buy ice cream. Really like their Dulce de Leche, though.

Edited September 15, 2006 by eje (log)

[ludja]

Does anyone know if the St. Francis Fountain is still open?

←

The St. Francis Fountain died and came back to life. It is now owned and run by a bunch of tatooed hipsters. Oddly my wife and I went on labor day. We were actually hoping for the Roosevelt Tamale Parlor; but, they were closed. While I did have a very good Chocolate Malt at the fountain, the service was just dreadful. And not in a sassy 50 year old diner waitress kind of a way. It was dreadful in a, "I don't have time to bother serving you unless you are my friend or a celebrity," kind of way.

Ooops, I forgot to say, I think before it was re-incarnated the Fountain made its own ice cream. They now serve Mitchell's ice cream.

I really like Mitchell's Ice Cream. It is American style ice cream, though, and has stabilizers and some other stuff I usually try to avoid when I buy ice cream. Really like their Dulce de Leche, though.

←

Thanks for the update and info, eje. Maybe I'l check out St. Francis Fountain sometime for a malt or sundae now that they're serving Mitchell's ice cream.

Since they've undertaken a nice thing in keeping this traditional place alive, I hope they get their act together regarding service. It's strange and rather inexplicable when one encounters that type of service in a small, privately-owned place.

[eje]

Being a lazy home-body type, it often takes me a bit of time to get out to new places.

Finally got to the new-ish Bi-Rite Creamery on Sunday.

There was a lemon ice cream and ginger snap ice cream sandwich available, so my wife's choice was a given from when we walked in. Quite tasty.

I tried the Salted Caramel ice cream. Wow!

I don't know what to say, other than it was amazingly fresh tasting and amazingly delicious. It really does taste like the best possible home made ice cream.

My only quibble would be the sugar cone. It seems like they are using some sort of organic, all-natural, blah, blah, cone of the sort you might get at a natural food store. They are just not that great. They should just make their own waffle cones, instead.

The beautiful day, dogs in Dolores Park, and fantastic ice cream, had us really missing our old neighborhood!

[melkor]

Bi-Rite does indeed kick ass. Their Ritual coffee ice cream is my current favorite. I don't care one way or the other about their cones - they're fine with me. I do like that they'll give you a split single-scoop. Salted Caramel and coffee is the way to go.

[annachan]

Another vote for Bi-Rite creamery. Salted caramel ice cream is just divine. The hot caramel sauce is also oh so good! If not Bi-Rite, I usually go for gelato at Naia.

[BryanZ]

Bi-Rite and Slocombe are so freaking delicious, though quite different when it comes down to it. I loved, loved, loved the Secret Breakfast at Slocombe. It was one of my favorite ice cream, well, ever. With that said, a lot of that shop's appeal is its novelty. I'd take out of town visitors there. Bi-Rite on the other hand just puts out perfectly textbook ice cream. Great texture, pure flavors, not too sweet, just an impressive product from both taste and technical perspective. I don't see how anyone could not like the ricanellas flavor, and the strawberry-balsamic just made so much sense that it didn't feel like a new flavor at all, more like an old friend who I wish I'd known my whole life.

[yasuofenix]

I was just in San Francisco. I went to Bi-Rite and Humphrey's. Right off the bat I will say that I am biased. I've been making ice cream for some time and I eat a lot of ice cream. I know people eat a lot but some days I eat half a gallon. But maybe thats not a lot to some? Anyway, Bi-Rite was super busy when I went. The one toffee flavor I tried was good. The vanilla was like any other. I'm a bit picky when it comes to vanilla, if you can't get that right it ruins my experience. I didn't care for the texture either, too much overrun. The sweetness was pretty balanced, but as far as purity I'm not seeing it. Its obviously me cuz everyone see's "purity" differently. To me its about a constant struggle to balance between the flavor of the dairy and the ingredient. Bi-Rite to me did not achieve that. I couldn't taste any of the dairy, and as someone who drinks a lot of dairy I know what is good and what is average. You should even be able to taste what the cows have been eating. I have experienced this flavor in both Laboratorio del Gelato and GROM. Supposedly Strauss is suppose to be good dairy, but I've been trying it from other places too and its overrated. But there doesn't seem to be a whole lot of ice cream/dairy suppliers in CA. So lack of choice?

Humphrey's - I sent them an email but never got a response. Its probably the worst ice cream I have ever tasted next to Angelato in Santa Monica. I wasn't mean in my email just inquiring how could they sell ice cream with so much ice crystallization. I mean I could see them, they were the size of tick-tacks. I have no reason to lie. They advertised the vanilla as "Tahitian Vanilla, yeah so what?" I asked them why they put that, I was told it was because most people ignore vanilla. Man... I'm the wrong person to talk to then. I recognize that everybody works hard, no doubt. But that vanilla was horrible. Please don't anyone take me as a snob. I was fortunate as a college student to travel to Tahiti and see the vanilla fields. If I were from Tahiti I would sue that place. Its not even close, if you don't want to use extract and only beans you better use a whole lot of beans. Otherwise its just disrespect.

As someone who takes ice cream very seriously I don't know... best ice cream I had in California was at Spring Hill Dairy's small shop in Petaluma. Sure it was a little old fashioned; but the density, overrun, flavor of dairy was top notch. If that place took it seriously and took the time they would be a real destination. Maybe I caught that place on a good day and those places like Bi-Rite etc. one bad ones. Who knows? You can never make ice cream technically perfect, but some places try too hard and fail easily.

Maybe I should just shut up and start my own ice cream place. Anyone willing to help?