Melt Before it Hits 110

The Dish: Lemongrass Poppy Seed Ice Cream
The Place: Melt
The Location: 910 N. 5th Street Phoenix, AZ 85004 (602-472-3246)

By: Erica Cron

Today I waved winter goodbye and stepped outside to indulge in one of my favorite summer treats-ice cream. Something I always try to do when going out for desserts is keep local businesses in mind in order to discover the most innovative spins on classics. Melt, in downtown Phoenix on the trendy Roosevelt Row, is a hidden gem that does just that, and very well.

The lemongrass poppy seed ice cream, which came in a chinese takeout box topped with a fortune cookie, is one of their seasonal specials for the warmer months. It is a flavor that is perfect for summertime. It’s creamy and sweet, with the perfect balance of the lemongrass and poppyseed. The layers of flavors is something unexpected for an ice cream. I thought the presentation of the ice cream looked good, but I wasn’t prepared for the heavenly flavor that took over my tastebuds.

Pablo Sapien, the manager at Melt, said the idea for the lemongrass poppy seed ice cream came from a bagel he once fell in love with. He teams up with Karens Kreamery each week to produce ice cream and flavors based on inspiration he gets from his surroundings and love for food. John Sagasta, owner or Melt and also Jobot Coffee, said, “We feature about 4-5 different flavors a month, depending on what fruits and vegetables are in season. We love to use seasonal produce for freshness and flavors and also our local fruits to our state like honeydew melons, lemons, cantaloupes and prickly pears.”

Melt doesn’t limit themselves to specializing in ice cream, they make their waffle cones fresh every morning. Instead of using a traditional waffle cone maker, they use a sandwich press and roll them by hand. Pablo explained to me that they had one of their chefs tweak the recipe for the batter, adding ingredients like cocoa powder and cinnamon. He said, “They don’t look like your typical waffle cone you’d find at other ice cream shops, but best believe they taste better!”

The shop and its ice cream are in the perfect location for immersing yourself in the culture and sweetness of downtown Phoenix. Just look for the quirky house turned ice cream shop with a retro neon sign flashing “munchies” to greet you on your way in. Melt is open from noon to midnight everyday. If you want to check out their new flavors, visit http://meltphx.com/index.html and Facebook!

Get to Melt before our 110 days arrive so you can truly enjoy this wonderful ice cream (you’ll still enjoy in 110 weather)!

eat + drink + share