This is personal rant that begs to be heard. Why in this day and age are there no small desserts? Seems like every restaurant I goto in the Bay Area has fancy desserts ranging from $5-$7 and the portions are as large as a fancy $5-$7 super-burrito. What are they thinking? I just had a full meal and they want to shove half a cake down my throat? All I want is one small scoop of ice-cream with a wedge of chocolate to close the deal, that’s all. Honestly, I’ll pay $5 for that scoop if it is an option. Hey, I’d even settle for some fruit. They’ll catch on.
One of my favorite Vietnamese places has a Gelato parlor a few blocks away. I finish the meal and walk over and order a kid’s size scoop (they don’t have that size on display, you have to ask for it.) Delight.
If we are on the topic of ice-cream, I’ll throw in another rant. Ever had a ColdStone Creamery small scoop? It’s the size of a baby’s head and about as creamy as a tub of lard. My friend Dirk and I once ordered one each. We took a few spoonfuls, looked at each other and in disgust chucked them into the nearest bin without a word. Every time I see one of these stores, I shiver.
Some restaurants include a small dish of ice cream as part of the meal. The Old Spaghetti Factory in San Jose is one.
Desserts must be a high profit item for them to push them so aggressively.
And you SHOULD shiver at Cold Stone, because it’s cold! :)
My friend and I went into Stone Cold for the first time a few years ago in my home town and I was in shock. I too just wanted something small to eat, not a half gallon in a cone that had been diced, minced and julianed with a candy bar.
My friend is the conservative type so as the guy offered him all the different stuff he could have slabbed up into his ice cream, I leaned over and whispered, “Mmmmmm! Nuts in my mouth!”
The soccer mom in front of us evidently heard me because she made that noise of distaste that only mothers can make and turned around and gave my friend a dirty look.
Now I have that phrase pop in my head every time I pass a Cold Stoned Creamery.