CLOCKWISE FROM TOP : COURTESY OF SALT & STRAW ; COURTESY OF TAVERN HOUSE KITCHEN & BAR ; COURTESY OF AFTERS ICE CREAM
SALT & STRAW
It will be an exceptionally sugar-filled summer with the new Salt & Straw location that recently opened on Westcliff Drive . Those who have a hard time choosing just one flavor will love this shop ’ s ice cream flight , which cleverly allows guests to try a taste of more than one sweet or savory flavor . Salt & Straw is known for its out-of-the-box selections that change regularly , but the brand ’ s classic flavors , like Chocolate Gooey Brownie and honey lavender , are always fan favorites , too . Add samples from the special monthly series , which includes Upcycled Food flavors like Day-Old Bread Pudding & Chocolate Ganache during the month of June , to your flight or enjoy other signature options , such as Arbequina olive oil , marionberry coconut sherbet , pear and blue cheese , strawberry honey balsamic with black pepper and Salted , Malted , Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough . With so many innovative flavors to choose from , four tastes may simply not be enough . ( 949-826-1233 ; saltandstraw . com )
A milky bun with the Cookie Monster flavor from Afters Ice Cream
AFTERS ICE CREAM
Ice cream sandwiches are taken to a whole new level — one that ’ s warm , ooey gooey and packed with sugary flavor — at Afters Ice Cream . These revolutionary sandwiches are more than worthy of a permanent photo on your feed . Picture this : The Milky Bun involves a glazed doughnut and some sweet ice cream for the perfect handheld treat . Generous scoops of bright blue Cookie Monster , rich Dark Matter Brownie Batter or creamy Milk and Cereal ( or , really , any flavor of your choosing ) are layered between the two halves of a fresh bun before they ’ re rolled in crushed Oreos , rainbow sprinkles , mochi , corn flakes and other toppings that add a punch of pizazz to this already well-dressed dessert . ( aftersicecream . com )
At Salt & Straw , you can sample four different flavors all at once — with a waffle chip to accompany each ; customize the flight with the ice creams of your choosing .
TAVERN HOUSE KITCHEN & BAR
It ’ s no wonder that Tavern House Kitchen & Bar ’ s menu specifically states that its iconic Bananaggedon dessert serves two or more people . This sundae is admittedly enormous , but there ’ s no doubt every drop will be gobbled up , so make sure to take a photo quickly . The Bananaggedon is made with a butter pecan ice cream base , then topped with a house-made banana liqueur pastry cream , fresh bananas , candied pecans , crumbled Pecan Sandies cookies with toffee bits , shaved white chocolate and a salty caramel sauce , drizzled to perfection . “ Growing up in the Midwest , banana cream pies were a staple dessert that my mom used to make ,” says restaurant founder and managing partner David Wilhelm . When he grew up , he started to make his own but after an unfortunate spill incident , he was inspired by the messy pile of ingredients and created a deconstructed version of the dessert . “ I thought , why not do something like the old-school ice cream sundaes served in ice cream parlors that could be shared ?” Wilhelm notes . Today , it ’ s made this way on purpose and served in a large , multiperson goblet . Only those who are truly good at sharing should indulge in this favorite local dessert . ( 949-673-8464 ; tavernhousekb . com ) NBM
The over-the-top Bananaggedon dessert at Tavern House is designed to serve two or more people , with butter pecan ice cream , fresh bananas and more .
NEWPORT BEACH MAGAZINE 27