Talk about a useful list: This week's L.A. Times food section included an extensive list of Los Angeles' top milkshakes. Some highlights (paraphrased from the article):
25 Degrees: The chocolate shakes and malts use a house-made Valrhona syrup, like a thin ganache. The ice cream that goes into the vanilla shake is made with vanilla beans steeped in simple syrup and a little rum to bring out the flavor. And the strawberry shake is based on a compote made with fresh strawberries and again, a dash of rum. (Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, 7000 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood); Shakes, $5; malts $5.50.
Pazzo Gelato. Served in a tall plastic cup, with an enormous crown of whipped cream, it's a shake you can take outside — with a demitasse of their fabulous espresso — and enjoy at tables along Sunset Boulevard. They'll make shakes from any flavor on offer: strawberry-tarragon, litchi nut, or the astonishingly rich chocolate-Martini — made with Valrhona chocolate infused with Grey Goose vodka. 3827 Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles; Shakes, $4.25; malts, $4.75.
Lucky Devils. The toasted pecan shake is extraordinary, deep and rich without being cloying, made with a Madagascar Bourbon vanilla-infused custard base; the chocolate shake is flavored with a cake made from Scharffen Berger chocolate. There's also a hot fudge malt whipped up with house-made Valrhona fudge. 6613 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood; Shakes, $4.25 to $4.50.
Fair Oaks Pharmacy. With 15 ice cream flavors from which to choose, terrific retro malts and Cole Porter tunes playing, you'll be happy sipping your shake from an old-fashioned fluted glass with whipped cream. 1526 Mission St., South Pasadena; Shakes, $4.60.
The Land of Fruits and Nuts. Drink your date shake (a Southern California classic), or maybe a cashew-caramel or pistachio. But don't rule out the chocolate and coffee shakes: Try the chocolate-raspberry, made with Ghirardelli chips, or a toffee-coffee shake. Aboard the Queen Mary, 1126 Queen's Highway, Long Beach; Shakes, $4.50 to $6.95.
Scoops. Try peanut butter-cappuccino or lemon poppy seed. Or vegan chocolate-hazelnut. Or combine them. 712 N. Heliotrope Drive, Los Angeles (Silver Lake); Shakes, $3.25.
Mashti Malone's. Saffron-rose water with pistachios is the most popular. Laced with floral notes and the terrific flavor and texture of the nuts, this makes a fabulous shake, though ginger-rose water and orange blossom are pretty fabulous too. 1525 N. La Brea Ave., Los Angeles; Shakes, $4.82.
Papoo's Hot Dog Show. Some seriously old-fashioned shakes in chocolate, vanilla, strawberry, coffee and peanut butter, with lots of whipped cream and lots of napkins. 4300 Riverside Drive, Burbank; Shakes, $3.25 to $4.
Fred 62. Flavors are chocolate, vanilla, strawberry, banana and mocha. Served with whipped cream and a serious dash of attitude. 1850 N. Vermont Ave., Los Angeles; Shakes, $3.87.
Fosselman's Ice Cream. In recent years it's gone beyond the old standards, introducing flavors such as macadamia-white chocolate, green tea and dulce de leche. And those groovy flavors, like the lavender-colored taro ice cream, make some killer shakes. 1824 W. Main St., Alhambra; Shakes, $4.30.
Beverly Hills Hotel's Fountain Coffee Shop. The shakes are fabulous (especially the espresso one) and the atmosphere's pretty terrific too. Beverly Hills Hotel, 9641 Sunset Blvd., Beverly Hills; Shakes, $5.25.
OK, I think it's time to organize a field trip. I must now try them all. Diet, be damned!
(Photo: From this milkshake fansite.)
No comments:
Post a Comment