It’s finally ice cream season and, with the weather being as turbulent as it has been, every cone counts.
I visited Roberta’s Takeout and Bakery to sample their two new flavors of soft serve, vanilla and horchata. They’re sold individually or as a swirl and both are made in house.
I ordered a swirl in a cup, as they were out of cones in the middle of the afternoon (a minor tragedy). The total was $6.53, which is more than scoops at high end ice cream spots elsewhere, like Van Leeuwen and Davey’s.
The vanilla was creamy, not too sweet, and definitely the better of the two. The horchata flavor falls short of the drink it was named after. Horchata is a Latin drink made with nuts, such as almonds, or rice milk (other nuts and grains are less common) and is typically flavored with vanilla and cinnamon.
Roberta’s soft serve take on the classic drink barely tasted like cinnamon and its pale color suggested a light hand was used during spicing. No almond, rice milk, or vanilla flavors showed up to the party either.
Aside from the vanilla and lackluster horchata, no other flavors were offered, and the lack of a chocolate option may be a deal breaker for many. Last year, the non-vanilla flavor rotated, so perhaps there’s hope this summer.
Soft serve thrives on toppings, which were missing during my visit. Though two containers of sprinkles sat on top of the machine, they weren’t offered, and they aren’t listed on the menu.
With muted flavors and no cone or toppings, the dessert got old fast. There are are benches outside Roberta’s and an enormous backyard, however, I didn’t stay to finish the cup, which is saying a lot for a nearly $7 ice cream.
If you’re already at Roberta’s, head to the backyard and order a glass of wine, one of their excellent salads, and a pizza (the Takeout spot is a great way to avoid lines). But if you’re craving something sweet, save your money and hit the trucks for your Brooklyn summer cone, instead.
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Images courtesy of Abigail Koffler