Wanderlust Creamery
Samples – Smoky Road, Abuelita Malted Crunch, Hai Van Pass
The White (Milk Cream, White Rabbit Candies) / Ube Malted Crunch (Malted Milk, Purple Yams) / Aussie Caramel (Dark Caramel Cream, Vegemite) / Pandan Cone
Inspired by travel, and likely firm believers that not all who wander are lost, it was midday that Wanderlust Creamery in Venice was found sparsely populated, a previous visit to the Atwater Village location setting expectations high and the Ice Cream once again excellent, though distracted customer service offering “tastes” so small that Chocolate and Vanilla proved difficult to distinguish compromised the overall experience.
Owned and operated by Jon-Patrick Lopez and Adrienne Borlongan, the former attorney providing financial backing to Ms. Borlongan’s talents fostered in Food Science, guests entering the shop will quickly notice stark design, an expansive footprint with limited seating plus flavors listed with comprehensive notes including Ingredients and cities ranging from “Our Socal Childhood” to Vietnam.
Back to the server, one of three and the only serving guests, it was after dropping two consecutive shavings of Smoky Road on the floor that faint hints of Cocoa were tasted, a touch more bitterness found amidst a Vietnamese Coffee themed speck before finally abandoning hope and simply ordering three half-Scoops on a Young Coconut perfumed Cone for around $8 after tax.
Uncertain when Samples became subject to cost-containment, especially inside an artisan shop with only two additional guests present, it is with good fortune that each flavor selected featured a bold base and well-researched inclusions, “The White” lightly sweet and intensely creamy while Ube Malted Crunch and Aussie Caramel each represented their Island Nation well with a touch of savory emerging then slowly dissipating before the next lick.
www.wanderlustcreamery.com/venice