Cold Stone Creamery, a Scottsdale, Arizona Franchise Owned by Kahala Brands

[Nadya]

So, a gentleman and I got a craving for ice cream last night, and instead of hauling bottom to the nearest Baskin-Robbins, we strolled up Connecticut Ave. to a new ice cream place on the next block from the Uptown Theatre called ColdStone.

It's a very small place with no tables except a few on the patio, so the line inside is rather long. They have basic flavors (chocolate, sweet cake batter, coconut, peanut, coffee) as well as fancy concoctions. I ordered Cherry Cheesecake - sweet cream base with black cherries, chocolate chips and graham crackers, which was the pure, unadulterated indulgence. The most interesting part is watching them make your serving - a dollop of ice cream base gets kneaded and mixed like dough on a board, and toppings are then mixed in. The ice cream comes out with all the toppings evenly spread throughout the body, and pleasantly soft around the edges. Come on, didn't you hate having to lick your scoop until it gets soft enough to bite?

The bonus for me is a nice walk between Dupont Circle and Cleveland Park and back. Takes care of whatever caloric pack you consume with your ice cream. Or so you might like to think. I would, anyway.

[Jacques Gastreaux]

There is a Coldstone next to Oyamel in Crystal City and I think there is one next to Ted's Montana Grill in Alexandria.

[bookluvingbabe]

Do they still sing to you????

I'm not going back until someone can gurantee me there will be no singing.

Jennifer

[shogun]

Jacques Gastreaux said:

There is a Coldstone next to Oyamel in Crystal City and I think there is one next to Ted's Montana Grill in Alexandria.

Yeah, and packed with tourists! Actually, I think it's next to where the Ted's is going to be in Crystal City, too, but I can't picture the sequence of stores offhand. Coldstone after Oyamel always seems kind of wrong, but sometimes I do it anyway.

"Coffee Lover's" combo with white chocolate chips for me.

bookluvingbabe: Crystal City store doesn't seem too into the singing. The one back home in CT, on the other hand...

[TinDC]

Someone told me they sing when someone puts money in the tip jar. Agree that it is pretty annoying.

That said, I can always go for a "Birthday Cake Remix". Though, last time a friend got a concoction with Oreos. Maybe it was called "Oreo Overload". I would definitely get that one again.

[FunnyJohn]

One just opened at Ballston Commons -- right across from the Starbucks

[wineitup]

One just opened down in Woodbridge, off the Prince William Parkway as well.

[Jacques Gastreaux]

What, are they owned by Ted Turner too? And the plan is to put one next to each Ted's Montana Grill.

[shogun]

Two words: 'buffalo' and 'milk'.

[KeithA]

Coldstone is great. I recommend anything with the mint ice cream. In addition to their basic flavors, they have one more interesting flavor each month like pumpkin (pretty good for a taste) red hot cherry, etc.

They make great ice cream cakes too where they mix real cake with their ice cream and yummy toppings.

While the lines in Cleveland Park are often long (which gives me time to choose among the 40+ "recipes"), my only complaint is that last time I went early in the evening they were out of chocolate. Come on, what type of respectable and chain ice cream store runs out of basics like chocolate. This was only one time though.

[hillvalley]

Sigh

Am I the only one who misses the family owned shop that was there before the redevelopment? Nonchain ice cream, people behind the counter who knew you, pictures of kids with messy faces on the walls.

Sigh

[Mrs. B]

Sigh

Am I the only one who misses the family owned shop that was there before the redevelopment?  Nonchain ice cream, people behind the counter who knew you, pictures of kids with messy faces on the walls.

Sigh

With you on that one. Licked their ice cream better too.

[JLK]

Sigh

Am I the only one who misses the family owned shop that was there before the redevelopment?  Nonchain ice cream, people behind the counter who knew you, pictures of kids with messy faces on the walls.

Sigh

You're definitely not alone. I'm surprised Coldstone got such a warm reception here.

I much prefer Max's.

[CrescentFresh]

How does Coldstone compare with Maggie Moo's, which I think is in Pentagon Row, and probably a handful of other places around the country, just like Coldstone?

[brr]

yeah, I miss Larry and Uptown Scoop as well - my sister used to work there and during the winter months Larry would do peoples taxes in the store

my favorite flavour was Arbuckle's delight, vanilla ice cream w/ warm chocolate poured into it to create an incredible mouthfeel of hundreds of tiny pieces of chocolate - all the ice cream was made by Lee's in Baltimore so you can still get it in some places

Sigh

Am I the only one who misses the family owned shop that was there before the redevelopment?  Nonchain ice cream, people behind the counter who knew you, pictures of kids with messy faces on the walls.

Sigh

[mktye]

CrescentFresh said:

How does Coldstone compare with Maggie Moo's, which I think is in Pentagon Row, and probably a handful of other places around the country, just like Coldstone?

Pretty comparable in my opinion. I prefer Marble Slab (which appears to be most everywhere but here) to either.

There is also a Maggie Moo's in the Bradlee Shopping center on King (near the intersection with Quaker) and one in the Village at Shirlington. Surprisingly close together, but both an easy walk from my house.

[bilrus]

How does Coldstone compare with Maggie Moo's, which I think is in Pentagon Row, and probably a handful of other places around the country, just like Coldstone?

I think the quality of the ice cream itself at ColdStone is better. I could see eating a plain dish of some of their ice creams like the strawberry or the cake batter.

At Maggie Moos, the ice cream is really only a medium for the add-ins.

[The Doctor]

The ice cream concoctions at Cold Stone and other similar places are too much of a good thing. After a few bites, the goo just bcomes too sickeningly sweet. And they give you so much of it, even in the small sizes. (Do I sound like a 70 year old man here?)

Discovering the likes of the Del Ray Dreamery really changed my view on the marble slabs. I could eat gallons of the Wisconsin custard and not get sick of it.

[tenunda]

Do they still sing to you????

I'm not going back until someone can gurantee me there will be no singing.

Jennifer

Good Lord, the singing is the WORST.

Also, is it even possible to eat more than the smallest size? soooooo dennnnnnnnnse.

[bilrus]

Also, is it even possible to eat more than the smallest size? 

Yes. Definitely.

[Principia]

Good Lord, the singing is the WORST.

Also, is it even possible to eat more than the smallest size?  soooooo dennnnnnnnnse.

I've been to the one at Fair Oaks Mall, and the new one in the Worldgate Shopping Center in Herndon. I was not subjected to singing at the latter location.

The SO and I have found that the best deal is to agree on a pair of add-ins and order a hand-packed pint. Not that I'm all that fond of them, but they're better than Baskin-Robbins.

[Buckinghamilton]

There is also a Maggie Moo's in the Bradlee Shopping center on King (near the intersection with Quaker) and one in the Village at Shirlington.  Surprisingly close together, but both an easy walk from my house.

And on 18th St. in Adams Morgan (at the bottom of my new street- Belmont Rd!)

I'll admit, I'm a sucker for their Better Batter...

[Roger Troutman]

How does Coldstone compare with Maggie Moo's, which I think is in Pentagon Row, and probably a handful of other places around the country, just like Coldstone?

I've only been to each place once, but I thought the ice cream at Cold Stone was a lot better.

[Pool Boy]

Isn't this the place the smears crap in to your ice cream on a slab and then scoops it all together for you?

If so BLEAH.

I hate crap in my ice cream, except maybe chocolate chips.

[Waitman]

Cold Stone is a loathsome fucking place at every level, from their hideous lighting to their saccarine-sweet ice cream to their cutsey little fold-in gimick. We'd be a better nation if every Cold Stone location became a whorehouse or a funeral parlor.

Maggie Moo's too, for that matter.

[DonRocks]

their cutsey little fold-in gimick.

Steve's in College Park used to be good

[Waitman]

Steve's in College Park used to be good

And, what was it, Steve's on Capitol Hill, 3rd and Mass? Not bad, either.

[Cook&Bottlewasher]

And, what was it, Steve's on Capitol Hill, 3rd and Mass? Not bad, either.

That used to be Bob's Famous at 3rd and Mass. It had great ice cream. Is it a Steve's now?

[CrescentFresh]

We'd be a better nation if every Cold Stone location became a whorehouse or a funeral parlor.

I agree. I'm just trying to figure out if it's possible to keep the slab for the remodeling.

[Waitman]

That used to be Bob's Famous at 3rd and Mass. It had great ice cream. Is it a Steve's now?

Yes, Bob's. I think it's completely gone but I don't get up that way too often these days, so I'm not sure. Maybe Al Dented can weigh in.

[bookluvingbabe]

Waitman said:

Yes, Bob's. I think it's completely gone but I don't get up that way too often these days, so I'm not sure. Maybe Al Dented can weigh in.

Completely gone. It's a "bagel cafe" now. Sigh..

[Heather]

An acquaintance I can't stand owns one of these stores in the DC area. Too bad they're so popular.

[JPW]

Heather said:

An acquaintance I can't stand owns one of these stores in the DC area. Too bad they're so popular.

That's cold.

[Waitman]

Completely gone. It's a "bagel cafe" now. Sigh..

Bob's was a regaular stop way back in the early 80's when, like an addict-in-waiting who says "maybe I'll just do one line," I said, "maybe I'll volunteer on a campaign." It was about a block from the Gary Hart campaign headquarters and a favorite of the staff.

[bilrus]

I like the Cake Batter ice cream with nothing in it.

[Cook&Bottlewasher]

Bob's was a regaular stop way back in the early 80's when, like an addict-in-waiting who says "maybe I'll just do one line," I said, "maybe I'll volunteer on a campaign." It was about a block from the Gary Hart campaign headquarters and a favorite of the staff.

Even more peculiar,was then bought by a member of Gary Hart's staff when things went south.I think that qualifies as a favorite of the staff.

[ol_ironstomach]

I finally ducked into the Germantown location last week, and it was pretty good...a bit more satisfying than Maggie Moo's, I thought. With mix-ins, even the small size is deceptively filling. Ice cream flavor selection seemed a bit limited though, with a preponderance of variations on a sugary cream-colored theme. I chose the French vanilla, with coconut and...oh heck, I've forgotten.

It was a bit sobering to realize that not one of the kids working in the place was old enough to have remembered Steve's brief expansion to the area. I think that Cold Stone keeps their granite slab chilled quite a bit colder than Steve's or Herrell's ever did (ate quite a bit of both during my time in Cambridge), and after smushing the ice cream remains somewhat firmer, which is to my liking.

[TinDC]

I agree that Cold Stone's ice creams are verrrry sweet and oddly sticky but I love me some goodies smushed into my ice cream.

[jjl]

That used to be Bob's Famous at 3rd and Mass. It had great ice cream. Is it a Steve's now?

There's a Bob's in downtown Bethesda around the corner from the Starbucks on Wisconsin (I think it's Bethesda Ave.) Is this the same as the Bob's Famous on 3rd and Mass? Even if not, they are good. For those of you looking for the independent ice cream stores, try Thomas Sweet in Georgetown as well as Dolcezzo (the gelato place in Georgetown) and Giffords, also in Bethesda next to Mon Ami. And as other people of posted The Dreamery, or whatever it is called now, is fabulous! I agree with the post that Cold Stone Creamery is way too sugary--I've never had a flavor or a speciality mix-in there that I have liked.

[Pool Boy]

There an interesting ice cream place in Belstville just north of Powder Mill Road on the southbound side, I can't remember the name, but they have some unique flavors of ice cream (like ginger). Pretty good.

There used to be a place in Bethesda, too, that had decent ice cream and it was an independent as well. Sort of on the backside of where the Discovery Channel building is/was (still is there, but Discovery Channel is not). Opposite side of the bilding where Philly Mike's is located. Anyone know if it is still there and whatthe name of the place is? Or did the Ben & Jerry's shop kill them off?

[treznor]

My girlfriend and I are fairly big fans of Cold Stone as a guilty pleasure, though the singing does annoy me greatly. We've visited Del Ray Dreamery, and while it was quite good, it didn't live up to a place that I'd gotten used to when I was living in Raleigh, Goodberry's. Frozen custard, three flavors a day: vanilla, chocolate, and flavor of the day. During the fall the flavor of the day about once a week is pumpkin and it just so closely matches the flavor of pumpkin pie that it's amazing. The custard is very dense and creamy with a good selection of mix-ins. Now if I could only find a place like that around here :-)

[ol_ironstomach]

There used to be a place in Bethesda, too, that had decent ice cream and it was an independent as well. Sort of on the backside of where the Discovery Channel building is/was (still is there, but Discovery Channel is not). Opposite side of the bilding where Philly Mike's is located. Anyone know if it is still there and whatthe name of the place is? Or did the Ben & Jerry's shop kill them off?

Gifford's? IIRC the location you mention is the resurrected Gifford's, after the chain imploded for a while in the 90s.

[Pool Boy]

ol_ironstomach said:

Gifford's? IIRC the location you mention is the resurrected Gifford's, after the chain imploded for a while in the 90s.

Yes, that is the place. It imploded in the 90's? I remember it as pretty good and I was a sometime visitor during 1995 to 2000 or so. Looks like they moved south a bit, too.

[JPW]

My girlfriend and I are fairly big fans of Cold Stone as a guilty pleasure, though the singing does annoy me greatly. We've visited Del Ray Dreamery, and while it was quite good, it didn't live up to a place that I'd gotten used to when I was living in Raleigh, Goodberry's. Frozen custard, three flavors a day: vanilla, chocolate, and flavor of the day. During the fall the flavor of the day about once a week is pumpkin and it just so closely matches the flavor of pumpkin pie that it's amazing. The custard is very dense and creamy with a good selection of mix-ins. Now if I could only find a place like that around here :-)

Welcome treznor!

When's the new album coming out?

[treznor]

Treznor has been my online nom de guerre for well over a decade so it's tough to change even though I don't neccassarily even like Reznor's new stuff, so I couldn't even tell ya' when the new album is coming out :-)

[DCJono]

My two cents:

My +1 absolutely loves Cold Stone. My issue is that the ice cream is too goopy. It has a slightly unnatural gumminess that I think is kinda nasty. Of course it isn't bad - I'd never pass up ice cream.

My issue about both Cold Stone and Maggie Moos is that they don't seem to use fresh fruit. For the whopping prices they charge, one would hope that at least in season some of the fruit wouldn't be from the freezer or jar.

[TinDC]

TJaehnigen said:

Yes, that is the place. It imploded in the 90's? I remember it as pretty good and I was a sometime visitor during 1995 to 2000 or so. Looks like they moved south a bit, too.

They are going to open up another Gifford's in Chevy Chase where all of the fancy new shops are (Louis Vuitton, Ralph Lauren)...right behind. Also, a Potomac Pizza.

[shogun]

I know this is going to make me a complete forum pariah for going up against one of the un-sacred cows everybody seems to uniformly hate but in the spirit of resisting groupthink, here goes: For a slow Saturday night, few things beat ice cream from Cold Stone, a few ounces of something lower-middle quality mixed into something fizzy with ice and a bendy straw, and violent video games played over the Internet with friends in CT.

That said, if there wasn't one on the ground floor of my building, I'd never go. I'm sorry, but sometimes you have to go against the herd on some things. If you can't deal with that, I'm sorry.

[Waitman]

I know this is going to make me a complete forum pariah for going up against one of the un-sacred cows everybody seems to uniformly hate but in the spirit of resisting groupthink, here goes: For a slow Saturday night, few things beat ice cream from Cold Stone, a few ounces of something lower-middle quality mixed into something fizzy with ice and a bendy straw, and violent video games played over the Internet with friends in CT.

That said, if there wasn't one on the ground floor of my building, I'd never go. I'm sorry, but sometimes you have to go against the herd on some things. If you can't deal with that, I'm sorry.

Power is going to kick your ass out of the kitchen as untrainable if he reads this.

[DLB]

Cold Stone is not bad, however this area is really lacking in a really good independant Ice Cream shop. I usually make my own, which I think is better than any shops around here, however I really wish someone would open something along the lines of La Berthillon. I know people always say this the the best Ice Cream in the world, I would argue that it's better than anything you can find in our area