My expectations of Sebastian Joe's were actually not that high. I had never visited before and I think the reason for that is my broad based assumption that if they were always so busy then the ice cream must simply appeal to the masses and be full of stabilizers and candy. I don't like to admit it but, boy, was I wrong.
Sebastian Joe's has a wide menu of sundaes, malts and fancy-dipped cones but we honed right in on the ice cream itself. The stand out winner of the four flavors we tried was the signature Pavarotti ice cream, a seriously operatic combination is banana, caramel and chocolate chips. I was forced to sing my compliments - I have never had such luscious tasting banana flavor in ice cream before and we surmise that those bananas must be baked or otherwise cooked to get such a rich flavor. The pairing of the banana with caramel and the perfect dose of chocolate creates a phenomenal experience. This was the best bite of ice cream I have had in a very long time. It put the Banana Chip with Peanut Butter from Sonny's to shame.
The other flavors we tried were also worth talking about. The Coconut Cream Pie was densely packed with coconut and maybe even some coconut milk. The occasional Nilla Wafer acted as the "crust" replacement. This was a wickedly rich flavor and if you are not a 100% coconut fan, avoid this flavor at all costs. The Raspberry Chip (another signature flavor, I think) was full of fresh raspberries (and seeds too!) which made it taste fresh and summery. Finally, we tried the Chocolate Peanut Butter. This was pretty much just chocolate ice cream with mini peanut butter cups in it. While the chocolate ice cream was delicious and the perfect consistency, we had anticipated that there would be peanut butter in the base or swirled through. I realize there is probably a trademark violation in this but the name should have said Peanut Butter Cup.
The Linden Hills location of Sebastian Joe's has a nice outdoor area and even a "sunroom" with fireplace that can be closed off in the window. While Crema is more of a restaurant, Sebastian Joe's alter ego is as a coffee shop with plenty of lattes and even free wifi. I guess in a winter prone area such as Minnesota, your business model had better include something else if you want to stay open all year.
Conclusion. In the future, I will definitely be stopping in at Sebastian Joe's for their ice cream rather than raising my nose as I walk by. I hang my head in shame at previous behavior and can't believe I have been missing out on this place during all my year's in Minnesota.
1 scoop of ice cream costs $2.80 or $3.00 even with tax
Thumbs Up: Pavarotti, nice smooth creamy base, 16 flavours to choose from
Thumbs Down: Chocolate Peanut Butter name, too much coconut?
Sebastian Joe's 4321 Upton Ave S Minneapolis or 1007 Franklin Ave, Minneapolis
6 comments:
Many of their flavors rotate through, so the next time you go they probably won't have Coconut Cream Pie or Chocolate Peanut Butter. But Joe's always has Pavarotti & Raspberry Choc Chip. My personal favorite is Campari Ice. On a hot summer day....oh my!
I *heart* Sebastion Joe's! My fave is Oreo. And it's not just vanilla ice cream with chunks of Oreo cookie thrown in. No, no. The Oreo cookies are mashed and swirled in with the vanilla, so what you get is a black and white marriage of happiness, with an occasional satisfying bite of cookie.
Now all you have to do is try the Pumphouse Creamery.
Nice job on the site/blog!
Hold your horses... the week isn't over yet....
And I can't wait to go back and try that Oreo. It looked amazing and almost everyone else at the shop was eating that flavor.
Hey, I worked for Sebastian Joe's years ago, and at the time (and I don't believe this has changed) they did not use any coloring or unnatural flavoring to their ice creams. The raspberry, coconut, etc. comes from actual fruit-hence the slighty higher price tag.
Also, they really do try to serve you ridiculously fresh ice cream, which is why the selection is always rotating, and you can't always get a flavor you've had before. :)
Their ice cream is the best. I especially like Oreo, also Rum and Raisin. I see there's a fan website for them too: http://www.sebastianjoe.com
Post a Comment