Thursday, June 28, 2012 By Ellie Farrin
The two scoops for $2 deal was very popular with campers, like this one who chose to get lemonade and mango in a cup. - Brooke Smith
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I am not a fan of ice cream, but when I stepped inside Ben and Jerry’s ice
cream parlor I noted the cheerful atmosphere and friendly employees and
customers -- and I suddenly had an open mind about the cozy shop. The first thing
you notice when you step into Ben and Jerry’s is the intoxicatingly good smell, a
mixture of the milky fragrance of ice cream and sweetness of waffle cones. However,
if you sit in the parlor for more than ten minutes, the aroma starts to overwhelm
you.
The menu features a variety of classic and original flavors. The classic flavors
include mint chocolate chunk, coffee, and my personal favorite, butter pecan. The
original flavors feature creative names such as Phish Food, Bonnaroo Buzz, and New
York Super Fudge Chunk. The menu also boasts several non-ice cream treats,
namely smoothies, with flavors such as Mixed Berry, Razzo Mango, and Cran-
Pineapple Craze.
The prices are fairly reasonable. One can chose from three cup sizes, kids ($2.75), small ($4.10), and large ($5.10). Smoothies are available in small and large sizes.
For my ice cream, I chose a small cup of butter pecan. The first thing I felt
when I tasted the ice cream was bliss. First, one experiences the slightly nutty taste
of pecans, quickly followed by the buttery bliss of smooth ice cream. Ben & Jerry’s
butter pecan has all of the rich, silky flavor a butter lover like me could want. Finally
the two tastes combine, creating a nutty buttery flavor. It was delicious.
The atmosphere of Ben and Jerry’s is cheery, friendly, and slightly childish.
The walls are painted a sky blue and covered in cows and clouds, setting a peaceful
tone for the shop. The tables are small and perfect for smaller groups of two and
three, but unaccommodating for larger groups like mine.
The staff is friendly and helpful, constantly asking if they could help with
anything. However, on a less positive note, the restrooms are long overdue for a
cleaning. The water fountain also needs updating, since the water is very warm and
has a distinctly unpleasant taste when you take a drink.
Overall, however, having ice cream at Ben and Jerry’s was a pleasant experience, and I highly recommend paying the Broad Street shop a visit on a hot
day.