The Sampler at
The Chocolate Moose
When one calls to mind that ice cream institution The Chocolate Moose, born in the city of blooming knowledge to our geographic west sometime in the 1930s, the first image that probably comes to mind is of the line of helpless ice-cream-aholics one inevitably sees outside their walk up window on Bloomington’ s South Walnut Street.
But things will be different with the new Chocolate Moose outlet on South Van Buren Street in Nashville. There is plenty of indoor seating, even some outdoor seating, and plans for a drive thru window soon. And there is coffee.
The old ice cream stand model has been wed to the more recent vintage Brown County Coffee Company to produce a two-headed, breakfast and dessert dynamo. Throw in a few sandwiches, and one can easily imagine whiling away morning, afternoon, and evening hours.
Excited and innervated by this prospect, I proceeded forthwith to the combination ice-cream and coffee shop to experience for myself the joyous advent of hand dipped cones, shakes, sundaes, and splits with multiple toppings and syrups.
The clean, airy space is furnished by a stand-up coffee bar, several small tables, and deep, comfortable sofas suitable for long-term lounging.
The service is quick and efficient, but the choices are nearly mind-boggling. Hand dipped or soft serve? Dish or cone? What kind of cone? Sprinkles, toppings, flavored syrups?
I hesitated ever so slightly over the notion of assaulting a sundae or even a banana split. I wanted to see how they would present it. In the end, I could not fight off my solemn devotion to butter pecan ice cream with a waffle cone.
No doubt, I will arrive one day soon at a rendezvous with the hot fudge sundae or an afternoon tryst with a fully loaded banana split. For now, I kept it simple.
Mrs. Sampler went for straight vanilla, softserve, with chocolate syrup— a classic ice cream treat.
The hand-dipped ice cream is still homemade at the parent Chocolate Moose store in Bloomington in 13 flavors.
The Moose also offers five flavors of vegan ice-cream made from coconut milk.
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60 Our Brown County Sept./ Oct. 2016