gelato/ice cream on vandy?

alafairnadia · August 2007

they could, of course, just get mrs. C to make vanilla peach ice cream for them. good GOD was that stuff delish.

bricktop · August 2007

just there with the lil' brickies, they had kiddie flavors and I had a perfectly servicable -- though not astounding -- hazelnut crunch in reasonably fresh sugar cones. Points for the unusual flavor, tho. All around I'd give it 4 out of 5 bricks.

brooklynred87 · August 2007

I was there tonight with my husband and visiting little brother. We walked in to whom I can only assume was the owner yelling at the guy behind the counter about I'm really not sure what. The worker guy greeted us and, just as I asked which flavors they had, the owner went off on another tirade about something for a full 2-3 minutes which the worker guy had to listen to before helping us.

Fine if you need to correct something with one of your employees, but if there are CUSTOMERS IN FRONT OF YOU EAGER TO GIVE YOU BUSINESS, at least hold off for the three minutes it takes for them to get their ice cream and leave.

For what it's worth, the ice cream was fine but a bit melty as others have noted. Based on this experience, however, I don't think we'll be making any special trips over to Vanderbilt for ice cream...which is really a shame.

apollonia666 · August 2007

Oof, brooklynred, that sounds frustrating. Also, it's kind of crappy to yell at an employee in front of customers -- there's no need to humiliate the people who work for you.

I've only stopped in this place once, the first week they were open. The guy who waited on me -- I think he was the owner -- seemed really scattered. I stood there very obviously waiting for service for a few minutes while he chatted with a couple of lookieloos who weren't buying anything, and when he finally filled my order (two scoops in a cup) I had to catch his attention again because he didn't give me a lid. The little girl was running around behind the counter making a shake, which was really slowing down service -- it's so tight behind that counter that one person can't reallly pass around another back there, so the kid was completely blocking the staff. I chalked it up to opening week chaos, and I'm hoping it's better next time I stop by.

It's such a cute space and the ice cream was good; I also really hope they get their act together. This is a business I *want* to support. If the owner were to read this, I'd ask him to keep this stuff in mind:

1) Pay better attention to food safety/temperature/cleanliness, which includes...
2) No kids behind the counter, period.
3) Your first priority should be promptly serving your customers -- not yelling at your staff, babysitting, or jawing with your friends.

sweetsummercorn · August 2007

In terms of the flavors of the ice cream, I'm not sure about the egg creams and such, but the ice cream is not Ronnybrook. Ronnybrook in Chelsea Market is a different thing. He says on the sign that he uses "Ronnybrook organic milk," so he makes it differently from Ronnybrook but is using their raw ingredients.

I had the strawberry and the vanilla and I am an ice cream fanatic. The vanilla did not taste like anything and the strawberry had that sweet, saccharine flavor of fake strawberry syrup that is hardly what I want in my ice cream.

I was upset that the ice creams were so bad, because if you're going to start out with basic flavors, like hazelnut, vanilla, chocolate, etc., then they have to be REALLY GOOD! And I can make better vanilla in my ice cream maker.

Otherwise, if he makes really interesting flavors like white peach ice cream, or cardamom, or something, no one knows if it's that bad because we don't have that stuff every day! We can all go out and get some decent vanilla ice cream from the store, so it's really sad that his isn't yet up to par. Maybe he will get the recipes straightened out soon.

brookfetish · August 2007

apollonia666 wrote:
1) Pay better attention to food safety/temperature/cleanliness, which includes...
2) No kids behind the counter, period.
3) Your first priority should be promptly serving your customers -- not yelling at your staff, babysitting, or jawing with your friends.

And that concludes today's lesson of "What Should Be Obvious".

oishigirl · August 2007

I live around the corner from this place, and it is SO nice... I have had a few flavors of ice cream thus far, and they have all been good. I like just chilling on the benches outside for a bit, and ice cream just brings people together and makes them happy. ;-) (even if I am mildly lactose intolerant!)

The ginger limeade is sooo tasty, too...

(I have also been going to Bittersweet in Ft. Greene on Dekalb near Carlton a lot. Homemade ice cream and also very friendly and delicious.)

giraffehead · August 2007

benches: good
ice cream: mediocre

brooklynbound · August 2007

Anyone know where to find rum raisin ice cream around here? The closest place I've found is Uncle something in Park Slope on 7th ave.

sushipants · August 2007

Does anyone else find this place incredibly disappointing? An ice cream parlor with only six flavors?

Enh.

I fear for their business model.

kaki · August 2007

yes i think everyone does, looks like they changed staff, very dissapointing, no more friendly service!!!!!!

ltjbukem · August 2007

what do they do when it turns cold and no one wants ice cream? better get a better coffee brewing machine..

sweet tea · August 2007

because of things i'd read here, i had misgivings about this place, but the gf really wanted ice cream tonight, so we braved it.

it was awesome! our ice cream -- one sugar cone coconut macadamia, one chocolate chip -- was creamy and delicious. the service was great and, if i may say so, easy on the eyes... :drunken: ... and according to her, the ice cream is made by ronnybrook. we sat on the very nice benches they've set up outside and generally enjoyed ourselves.

the only complaint i can come up with is that the portions could have been bigger. for full disclosure, let me state that this will never not be my complaint about good ice cream.

four thumbs up.

kaki · August 2007

when it turns cold, run out business!!!!! There is only one easy on the eyes staff, the others left or got fired by psyco owner, who is he???

raisedeyebrow · August 2007

had a great strawberry shake there and it was goooooooooood!

lberghol · August 2007

My hubby and I had lunch there on Sun, and OMG SO GOOD. We had bagels with lox & cream cheese, but the best part was the drinks. I had the Detroit Egg Creame, which was literally the best egg creame I've had yet (tho my exerience is admittedly limited) and my Hubby had the a malted milkshae with the coconut macadamia ice cream...YUM!! We both agreed, def. one of the best shakes we've had.

I'm just waiting for an excuse to go back! XD (cannot overindulge you know)

kaki · September 2007

Strawberry is really good!!!

hp · October 2007

Subject: this place is terrible

since it seems to still be summer even though we are nearing the end of October, a friend and I stopped in for an ice cream this afternoon. the girl working behind the counter was very busy, in fact almost too busy to even serve us, grinding coffee for the non existant crowd of people that were in the shop. there was nobody there but us. she served me a dish of ice cream in a 3 oz portion cup the likes of which you might see barbecue sauce in at a fast food restaurant. it was impossible to eat without getting it all over myself and dumping it out on the counter. I asked for a coffee cup to put it in and she slammed it down in front of me. she immediately told me how much it was without even allowing my friend the opportunity to order something. The ice cream I had was labeled incorrectly. It said coconut macademia, but it had chocolate covered almonds in it and was a strange consistancy. I really like to see new businesses in the neighborhood and want to support them, but I have to say, that considering their size, the quality of the service and the fact that they can't do a simple thing like ice cream right, I am afraid for their future. I love ice cream, but I will not go back to this place.

gelato/ice cream on vandy?

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