It’s amazing how much more you learn about your hometown once you leave. I’m embarrassed to say I never knew that a gem of an ice cream shop like Salt and Straw was founded in my hometown (or the nearest recognizable city to my hometown), Portland, Oregon. I went to their only other location in Los Angeles a few weeks ago, and highly recommend it to anyone in the LA area!
I wish the line is as non-existent as it is in this photo. When I went, there was a small line at 3 o’clock on a Saturday afternoon. By the time I came out, 15 minutes later, the line had spilled onto the sidewalk. Luckily, I already had my half-and-half scoop of honey lavender (flavor 1) and garam masala and cauliflower (flavor 2).
No typo there – those were the ice cream types! The honey lavender melted in my mouth, and it was the best ice cream flavor I have had in recent memory. I could taste the strong hint of lavender but it was not overpowering. The ice cream “barista” told me that the garam masala and cauliflower would taste like a savory curry flavored ice cream, which sounded strange. However, it tasted better than it sounded!
If you’ve ever wanted to try an Indian curry, but was afraid of the spice, it’s time to mosey on over to the Salt n Straw and try this flavor out! Other exotic flavors included the green fennel pistachio and the black olive brittle and goat cheese. Each flavor has a unique story.
Portland and Los Angeles is an uncommon pair, but as Salt and Straw has shown, uncommon pairings can be uncommonly good! Although a bit on the pricey side for ice cream, this gourmet shop is worth it.
Published on October 7th, 2015
Last updated on August 29th, 2017