Last year I came to LA and met up with a friend who's crazy about desserts. As a local foodie, she's totally addicted to whichever new hot sugar spot opens up in town. When we decided to meet up to chat for a bit, she told me to meet her at a new ice cream shop called Salt & Straw in the Larchmont Village, right in the middle of LA. Little did I know that the ice cream I would have there would be, most certainly, one of the most original ice cream I've had, and close to the best one (my fav is still the one from Scoop Deck in Wells, Maine... No offense!) in my life.
And I certainly was not the only one to think so since there are now 4 locations (the 4th is just about to open) in the city. What makes this place stand out is that the flavors offered are out of this world, created from local inspirations, and hand made. My personal favorite is the Black Olive Brittle and Goat Cheese (you've read that right... It's THE best!!!). But other flavors that have struck me as incredible are the Honey Lavender, the Sea Salt with Caramel Ribbons, and the Rose Water with Apple Bitter (if you like bitter, this is something you've never tasted before! If you don't like bitterness, stay away from this flavor!
Salt & Straw is originally from Portland, Oregon, and has extended to the city of Los Angeles. California is, for now, the only other state where you will find this ice cream. Last year, I was so taken by surprise by the amazing taste that I wrote to the company asking them if I could open up a branch in Montreal! Sometimes I get these crazy ideas... Of course, I was not taken seriously. So here I am again, in LA, only to find out there are now more locations opened in the city, including one on Abbot Kinney, a 5 minutes walk away from where I'm staying. So how can I resist taking my kiddo there for a nice big scoop of ice cream? This, my friends, is what I call a necessity, an obligation!!!
