Baskin Robbins

www.baskinrobbins.com

My family has been frequenting Baskin Robbins ice cream parlors for over 30 years, and we always come to the same conclusion - the ice cream is first rate, while the service is not great. In fact, it's almost downright terrible at times. However, I am in love with their ice cream cakes - especially because of their awesome frosting - and since I am graduating from college tomorrow, Mom decided to get me one from the local Somerset, MA, branch to celebrate the occasion.


Since you can order any cake via their Web site, Mom went online to set up what she wanted. I chose to have rocky road ice cream on top of white cake, and Mom chose a graduation design for the 1/3 sheet cake (feeds 6-8 people). The cake would read "Congratulations" in the center and "Laura" and "2008" in each top corner. After printing out the page, on Saturday Mom and I went to the Somerset Baskin Robbins, which is on County Street. It is in the same building as a Dunkin Donuts. When we walked inside, it took us a few minutes to get noticed, meaning that the employees were all standing around chatting and not paying attention. When we were finally spotted, a girl came over to ask us what we wanted. Mom told her she wanted to order a cake, so the girl retreated to the back room and came out with what looked like an order sheet. As Mom whipped out her printed page from the Internet and began giving instructions, the girl checked her cell phone to see if she had missed a call between getting the order booklet and walking back to the counter. A little rude, don't you think? Anyway, after this girl and Mom synchronized my cake instructions, we were on our way. She did give us a receipt, but it did not have a price on it (and we forgot to ask what it was going to cost). The cake was to be ready by 5 p.m. on Friday. We drove away hoping that the girl did not take a cell phone call right after we left because she might forget to put the order in. Oh well. We had our fingers crossed.


Fast forward to Thursday night, when Mom decided to call the Somerset Baskin Robbins to see how much the cake was going to cost. The first thing she did was try to find out the phone number. Not only are they not listed in the phone book, but they are also not listed with directory assistance. Who doesn't put their business in the phone book/411? Seeing that they were attached to a Dunkin Donuts, Mom decided to call there to see if they could connect her with the Baskin Robbins staff - in the same building - two feet away. The Dunkin Donuts girl gave Mom the phone number so that she could call over there herself. She called the number repeatedly, but no one picked up. Mom decided to call Dunkin Donuts back and ended up getting the same girl. She asked the girl if there was anyone over at the Baskin Robbins counter, and she replied, "Yes, ma'am. I can see them from here." Mom, still not knowing why they weren't answering their phone, tried calling again to no avail. Exasperated, Mom gave up on the Somerset location and decided to try the Dartmouth Baskin Robbins (yes, they're listed in the book) to see if the phone number she had for the Somerset location was indeed correct. They quickly informed her that they were not associated with the Somerset Baskin Robbins because each store is independently owned. Frustrated, Mom decided that it was virtually impossible to reach the Baskin Robbins where she ordered my cake. Good thing we didn't have to make any last minute changes.

Finally, Friday arrived. At about 5:35 p.m., I walked into the Somerset Baskin Robbins to pick up my cake (yes, I had to pick up my own cake). I was greeted right away (rare) and told the girl behind the counter that I was there for a cake. She disappeared into the freezer area for 15 MINUTES! Honestly, I thought that she had died back there, but I was more worried about my cake. What was going on? All I knew was that I was waiting for something that we had ordered a week ago. Why wasn't it ready? Did they lose it? I was about to. Finally, at almost 6 p.m., the girl reappeared. I said, "I thought you got lost back there," and she just smiled and handed me my cake. Mom had a $3 off coupon, so the total came to $12.99 ($15.99 without the discount). I handed her my money and then raced home so that my beautiful cake wouldn't melt on the ride back to Fall River.


After dinner, we cut into the cake (well Mom did; I have weak hands). I was dying to reacquaint myself with that lovely frosting. IT DIDN'T HAPPEN! Apparently, Baskin Robbins changed the frosting on me. It may just be because this was a specialty cake, but I was looking forward to that ice creamy type frosting that I've been eating for almost 30 years. I was almost heartbroken, except for the fact that the rest of the cake tasted great. The rocky road ice cream was filled with nuts and marshmallows, while the white cake was somehow still soft and tasty. The frosting was pretty good, it just wasn't my frosting.

I really do love my cake, and everything else I've ever gotten at Baskin Robbins. When I was younger, I used to get the clown sundae all the time, and I really enjoyed eating all of their 31 flavors. They also have fantastic milkshakes and smoothies, along with tasty sundaes and ice cream novelties (found in their freezer section). We also love the fact that this is one of the only ice cream parlors that uses real cake instead of "cake crunchies." Baskin Robbins is a little more expensive than a roadside ice cream stand, but the taste is quite good. Our only complaint is about the service, which is usually the same at every location we've ever visited. The staff is usually made up of a bunch of teens, and there never seems to be a manager present. As a result, there is a lot of goofing off, and they think nothing of finishing their conversations with each other when there is a line of customers waiting. This makes for very slow service. For something as simple as an ice cream drink, be prepared to wait about 20 minutes. Again, this is at every location. It's very frustrating to be standing at the counter and watching four or five kids laughing and acting silly while you're waiting for your order. The worst part of it is that they look at you, and then look away! What's up with that?

Hands down, the service is the worst part of the Baskin Robbins experience. If we were just rating on taste and quality alone, we would give it four hearts (very good). However, since the service is barely even two hearts (so-so), we've averaged it out at three. Don't make us go any lower, Baskin.

The Baskin Robbins in Somerset is located at 978 County St. For more information, call (508) 673-4809. Let's hope someone answers the phone!

Evelyn's Nanaquaket Drive-In

2335 Main Road

Route 77

Tiverton, RI 02878

(401) 624-3100
www.evelynsdrivein.com

We stopped going to Evelyn's after a mosquito bit and nearly killed my sister by giving her spinal meningitis. Since that incident was over 20 years, and that mosquito has been dead for quite some time, Mom and I decided that it was safe to go back near the water and have a seafood lunch under Evelyn's large wooden pavilion. We pulled into the parking lot at just around 1 p.m.

Having taken a personal day away from the office, I was really excited to be having seafood versus the peanut butter sandwich that I would have probably eaten had I been at work. Not wanting to dine in, Mom and I opted to order at the front window. There was a lot to choose from, so we needed a minute to figure out what we were getting. Finally, after asking the cashier to show me the size difference between a cup and a bowl of chowder, I stepped up to the counter to place my order. Since the fish and chips were at market value, the price would remain a mystery until it came time to pay. Mom chose the fish and chips, while I chose a cup of clam chowder and a half dozen clam cakes to share with Mom. We also ordered two Diet Pepsis which were handed to me in bottle form. With tax, the bill came to:

1 fish & chips - $12.99

1 clam cake half dozen - 3.59

1 chowder cup - 2.99

2 Diet Pepsi - 3.98

Food total - $19.57

Non alcoholic beverage total - 3.98

Subtotal - $23.55

Tax - 1.89

*TOTAL = $25.45

*Believe it or not, this is actually one penny too much.

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When the cashier quoted me the price, I was a bit shocked. Why was it so high? When she handed me the receipt, I saw that the fish and chips were $12.99. Around here, especially at "clam shacks," you can usually get an order of fish and chips for around $8. I showed Mom, and she was just as surprised as I was. "Maybe the portions here are really big," she said. We kept our fingers crossed until we heard our pickup number being called. In the meantime, I was trying to keep the stones and clam shells from the parking area out of my flip flops.

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Evelyn's is adorable. From the large wooden pavilion for people who order at the window, to the umbrella-topped tables for the indoor patrons who were seated through the dining room, customers can enjoy peaceful Nanaquaket Pond. We even saw a couple of guys dock their boat and walk up the ramp to order a bag of clam cakes.

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After hearing the cashier call out my number, I went up to the counter to claim our meals. We took the first table under the pavilion while carefully avoiding a large queen bee that was hovering around a bucket of flowers. It took a few minutes to set everything up so that the wind wouldn't take off with our lunch, but once we were settled, Mom and I dug in.

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Mom's fish and chips consisted of a good sized piece of fish with a light coating. The fish was not greasy, but the fillet was on the thin side. The fries around the edges of the piece of fish were tasty, crisp, and dry, but the ones that were trapped underneath were soggy. The platter came with a side of cole slaw, which she gave to me, and a cup of tarter sauce, which was disgustingly overfilled and had spilled onto the fish and a few fries. It made for a messy presentation, especially since Mom doesn't like tarter sauce. After digging the sauce out with a couple of butter knives, Mom tried her fish, which she said was the best part. The fish was tasty, but nothing spectacular. In other words, it's nothing (portion or taste) that should have cost $12.99.

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Of course, I neglected to find out if the chowder was clear or creamy. I guess it doesn't really matter, but I always prefer the creamy white. Unfortunately, Evelyn's serves the clear. Oh well, that's Rhode Island for you. I was hoping that perhaps this clear chowder would sway me to the other side, but like Mom's fish, it was nothing special. Served piping hot, the chowder was over-spiced but had a nice mixture of potatoes and clams. Since Mom had given me her cole slaw, I ate that first to give my chowder time to cool down. Unfortunately, I did not like the cole slaw because it was too dry. Did they forget to mix the veggies with mayonnaise?

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Since the third time is supposedly the "charm," Mom and I opened the bag of clam cakes and hoped for the best. Sadly, we were disappointed. The cakes were so heavy and doughy that they were sticking to the roofs of our mouths. There seemed to be about two clam pieces per cake, and the coating had no crunch to it. Even after dipping my cakes in malt vinegar, which Mom had grabbed from the condiment basket on the counter, it didn't help the underdone texture. To us, the clam cakes did not have a lot of taste. What a let down!

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I feel badly that we did not have a good experience at Evelyn's since the restaurant is such a favorite with local residents. People love Evelyn's so much that it was even featured on the Food Network! I really want to give Evelyn's another shot, but I do think that the fish and chips were a bit overpriced. Perhaps it was because the fish is priced at market value - but still! From the weird choices like the chow mein sandwich ($3.99) to house favorites like the clam strip plate ($10.99-12.99), Evelyn's remains a staple for New England summertime road trips. Both Mom and I hope that our next visit is much better.

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Evelyn's Nanaquaket Drive-In is open daily from 11:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. (summer until 9 p.m.).

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PS - Evelyn's has a fantastic Web site. Very informative and fun!

Bite of the Week - Hillside Self-Heating Beverages

Mom and I have been seeing these Hillside self-heating coffees and cocoas at Wal*Mart for a few months now. Originally the price was $2 each, but Mom didn't want to spend $4 on two drinks that we weren't sure were any good. So, we left them there. Yesterday, we saw them on sale for $1 each. "Can we get them now," I asked, impatiently. "Grab two," said Mom. I chose the cocoa with marshmallows while she chose the mocha latte coffee. The other flavors we saw were French vanilla latte and cocoa without marshmallows. We had no idea how the beverages were to heat themselves, and were anxious to find out what they tasted like.

THE VERDICT: Delicious! Mom's coffee was thick, rich, and had a strong mocha flavor. You could see the marshmallows floating around in my cocoa, which was creamy and chocolaty. Both Mom and I were fascinated by how the whole thing worked. We still don't understand how the cup heated itself. Maybe we need Mr. Wizard for this one. When you first open the bottom, you have to press a button which releases green water into the cup. Green water? "What kind of poison is this," said Mom. After releasing the green water, we turned our cups over and were told to wait 5-8 minutes, or until a pink dot on the label turned white. Odd. When it turned white, we had to turn the top of the cup (which my father is convinced has been locked down so that the cup doesn't explode) until we're able to see the top of the can. Pop the top, and enjoy! We certainly did.

Gray's Ice Cream

16 East Road

Tiverton, RI 02878

(401) 624-4500
www.graysicecream.com

Anyone that reads this Web site knows how much my mother enjoys coffee ice cream. She could probably eat it every day of the week, so it was quite a surprise to me when she told me one day that she would like to try a cup of ginger ice cream from Gray's in Tiverton. Yes - ginger. Are you shocked? Ever since I had a cone of it a few years back, I've been telling Mom to try it - and today she was finally ready. We pulled into the Gray's parking lot at just around 6 p.m.

You can't get near Gray's in the summer. Everyone and their mother come from miles around just to get a taste of this delicious homemade ice cream. Set in a picturesque part of Tiverton (Tiverton Four Corners), the Gray's stand is built into a store which sells various food items. Mom and I have never been inside, but we're assuming that their freezers are filled with ice cream in pints, quarts, and half gallons. The ice cream stand is fairly large, but they don't open all of the ordering windows. Perhaps it controls the crowds better to have them wait in two lines versus three or four. On the side of the store is a fenced in grassy area which several cows call home. Mom and I are still wondering what ever happened to the llamas they used to keep there. Perhaps they were getting too pushy with patrons. You know how llamas can be.

When I got to the window, I found myself waiting behind two people that were visiting from Pennsylvania. Apparently they heard how good Gray's ice cream is and just had to see for themselves. Once it was my turn, I ordered a small cup of ginger for Mom ($3.25) and a small homemade waffle cone of frozen pudding for myself ($4 = 3.25 + .75 for waffle cone). The total came to $7.25. Now, I don't know if it's just me, but I've always found the service at Gray's to be very slow. I'm not sure if it is because there is always a ton of people there, or because the ice cream treats and frappes take long to make, or because the ice cream is just difficult to scoop. However, on this day, I was pleased because I didn't have to wait very long for my desserts. I walked them back to the car so that Mom and I could dig in.

Mom was very pleased with her ginger ice cream. She was delightfully surprised to find that disbursed throughout the creamy ginger ice cream were little crystallized ginger pieces. They added a slight crunch to the creamy texture and an intense burst of ginger flavor. It was really delicious, and she was glad that she ventured away from her coffee for one day.

Popular in New England, my frozen pudding was fantastic. It was heavily flavored with rum and chock full of candied fruits like raisins, cherries, and pineapples. Having this ice cream in the homemade waffle cone only enhanced the flavor. I even let Mom try a piece of the cone, and we both agreed that it tasted like a warm sugar cookie. It was out of this world.

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The ice cream here is hard (no soft serve) and is award-winning. Flavors include black raspberry, blueberry, butter krunch, butter pecan, butterscotch, cherry vanilla, chocolate, chocolate chip, chocolate walnut, coconut, coffee, coffee chip, cookie dough, eggnog (seasonal), grape nut, lemon, maple walnut, mint chocolate chip, mocha chip, orange pineapple, Oreo, peach, peanut butter, peppermint, pistachio, pumpkin (seasonal), rum raisin, strawberry, strawberry cheesecake, and vanilla. Sherbet flavors include lemon, orange, raspberry, and watermelon. Voted Rhode Island's best ice cream from 1990-2002, Gray's has won awards for the best coffee ice cream and best cabinet (an ice cream milkshake). The prices are as follows:

Random funny story: While sitting in the car eating ice cream, Mom and I spotted a little kid walking with her parents toward the ordering window. We both saw it at the same time - her low-hanging diaper. This diaper wasn't just low, it looked full. It looked like she should have been changed hours, maybe even days, ago. Not the kind of thing you want to see when you're getting ice cream. The poor thing was walking as if it weighed about four pounds. Anyway, Mom and I were giggling to ourselves about it when we heard the guy in the next car losing it. I rolled down my window just in time to hear, "It looks like she has 12 pounds of @&!% back there!" I immediately started laughing because the guy was acting like this loaded diaper was personally offending him. He saw me laughing and he and his wife kind of looked over. I said, "Laughing at the diaper?" He replied, "OH MY GOD!" The wife was more sympathetic. I heard her say, "Awww, poor thing." He, on the other hand, was acting like the little kid just walked over and @&!% on his car. It was hysterical.

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After eating our treats and laughing at someone else's expense, Mom and I headed off into the sunset to do some shopping. We love Gray's, and it has definitely established itself as one of the best - if not the best - places for homemade ice cream. It is a must visit for any New Englander, or anyone passing through. You will not be disappointed.

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Gray's Ice Cream is open from 6:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and 6:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Sunday.

Cracker Barrel

www.crackerbarrel.com

After a failed attempt at going to Iggy's Doughboys and Chowder House in Warwick, RI, Mom and I turned the tables and decided on comfort food instead of seafood. Last month, we had visited the Cracker Barrel restaurant in Wrentham, MA, but forgot to bring the camera. Now that the camera was safely in my pocketbook, it seemed like the perfect opportunity to drive up three more exits and visit the Cracker Barrel on New England Boulevard in Coventry, RI. We arrived at just about 4 p.m.

After walking through the row of rocking chairs that were placed out on Cracker Barrel's "front porch," we entered through the main door and arrived in the gift shop. Cracker Barrel cleverly places its restaurant behind the gift shop so that patrons are tempted to shop both before and after their dining experience. Trying not to look at anything too distracting, Mom and I passed by all the adorable chachkis and headed toward the hostess station. We told a uniformed waitress that we wanted a table for two, and she quickly showed us to one. Left with two sets of paper menus - one for breakfast and one for lunch/dinner - Mom and I started to browse through all the delicious options. We were soon greeted by our waiter, Brian, who took our drink order. Both Mom and I always go for the Diet Stewart's root beer, so we ordered two of those. They quickly arrived in glass bottles and were accompanied by two frozen mugs. After telling Brian that we still hadn't made up our minds, he left us alone so that we could narrow down our choices. Finally, we were ready. Mom ordered the meatloaf dinner ($7.99) which came with three sides. She chose applesauce, mashed potatoes (without gravy), and corn. I went with the half-pound bacon cheeseburger ($7.69) which came with lettuce, tomato, pickles, mayonnaise, and a side of fries. I asked for my burger to be cooked medium well. Brian took away all of our menus while Mom and I took a look around at this chain restaurant's crazy interior.

What's not on the walls here? Seriously, if it's kitschy and old-fashioned, it's probably nailed to the wall inside Cracker Barrel. From where I was sitting I could see washboards, checker sets, lunchboxes, guitars, irons, Singer sewing machines (not hanging on a wall, obviously), old advertisements, fishing and farming equipment, horseshoes, mounted fish, jugs, pans, hunting tools, and much more. I love this place! It's like a trip back to the old days, and the large fireplace and bluegrass music playing in the background only helps with the time travel. There aren't any booths at Cracker Barrel, and all of the wooden tables are topped with old-fashioned oil lamps. There is also this little game on every table. It is a wooden triangle with several holes filled with pegs - all except one. The object of the game is to jump each peg to see how many you are left with. If you're left with just one - you're a genius! I've never been able to do it, but apparently today was my lucky day because on the last game I committed myself to, I won! I knew I was a smart cookie.

Just as Mom and I were marveling at the fact that there were actually tables available (Cracker Barrel is ALWAYS crowded), a gentleman and his wife came in and sat at the back by the windows. As he placed his order, he made sure to ask the waiter if his steak would be a good size, or if he would have to look for it on his plate. Mom and I just laughed.

I spotted Brian bringing over our dishes. Both platters looked fabulous. Mom's meatloaf plate also came with a biscuit and a corn muffin, which she said were great. As she dug in, I asked Mom how everything else was. She said that her meatloaf was thick and nicely spiced with onions and peppers. It was quite a substantial piece! The sides were great as well. Although the mashed potatoes came with gravy when she asked for none, she did not make a fuss and said that everything tasted just fine. The corn nibblets were good, and the applesauce was nicely chilled and tangy. Her whole meal was very filling and delicious.

My burger was great. I almost never order a burger when we go out to eat, but today I was just in the mood for one. The layers of Colby cheese melted nicely over the pattie, which was cooked just to my liking. The bun was soft, the veggies were fresh, and even the cole slaw was very tasty. The bacon gave the burger an extra jolt of smokey flavor, which I thoroughly enjoyed. I've had this burger once before on my first trip to Cracker Barrel, and this one was just as good.

Since we've been to Cracker Barrel a few different times, we've had the opportunity to have both breakfast and lunch here. Unfortunately, I forgot to grab a take-out menu on the way in/out, so I won't be able to list the prices. However, I will be able to recommend a few things. For breakfast I've had the biscuits and gravy and Montmorency cherry pancakes which were out of this world, while Mom's had the pecan pancakes that were heavenly as well. I've also been lucky enough to try the strawberry lemonade which was cool and tasty. For lunch, we've both tried the chicken salads which were served with a boiled egg (yuck for me, yum for Mom) and wedges of Colby cheese. It was fresh, crisp, and quite tasty for a salad. For dessert, we've tried the chocolate cobbler. It was sooo delicious. Topped with hot fudge, pecans, and whipped cream, the cobbler was served in a little mug. How quaint! Enough about us. If you're in the mood for something hearty, then Cracker Barrel is the place to be. Daily features start at 4 p.m. and include fried pork chop Mondays, butter baked chicken Tuesdays, broccoli cheddar chicken Wednesdays, turkey n' dressing Thursdays, fish fry Fridays, chicken n' rice Saturdays, and homestyle chicken Sundays. Other comfort foods include country fried steak, roast beef, farm-raised catfish, ribeye, and chicken tenderloin.

Brian, having popped in during our meal to ask how everything was, came over to clear away our plates when we had finished. After deciding against dessert (there was no room!), Brian brought us the check and reminded us that we were to pay at the gift shop. That's right! We had forgotten the last time. We just left the money on the table and took off. Since I didn't have enough change to leave Brian's tip on the table, I left Mom alone and went to the cashier area in the gift shop. The total came to:

1 Stewart's diet - $2.29

1 Stewart's diet - 2.29

1 meatloaf - 7.99

1 Bacon CB plate - 7.69

Subtotal - $20.26

Tax - 1.62

TOTAL = $21.88

After getting some change, I returned to the table to get Mom and to leave $5 on the table for Brian for his great service. Before leaving, Mom and I checked out the ladies' room. Normally filled with frantic people, the restroom was clean and quiet. Both Mom and I enjoy the fact that the bathroom always has hand lotion available. As we exited the restrooms, we took a look around the gift shop. There were several T-shirts, sweaters, knitted blankets, old-fashioned candies and chips, toys, games, DVDs, candles, and lawn decorations that were overpriced, but adorable. I'm not sure if they've had a problem with shoplifters in the past, but the two most recent visits to Cracker Barrel kept Mom and I under the watchful eyes of the gift shop staff. I hate people who steal from gift shops. That's why everything has to cost so much. Leave things alone!

We first visited a Cracker Barrel on an old-lady bus trip to Yankee Candle/Holyoke Mall some years back, and ever since then each time we visit one, we feel like we're on a trip. Maybe it's because the gift shop sells so many travel items (games, books on tape, etc.), or maybe it's because so many tourists stop here to grab a quick bite before getting back on the road. Either way, Cracker Barrel is a great place to eat and reminisce about days gone by.

Cracker Barrel in Coventry (401-827-8015) is located at 825 Centre of New England Blvd. General hours of operation are 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, and 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday. For a location nearest you, please visit www.crackerbarrel.com.

Simcock Farm

361 Marvel St.

Swansea, MA 02777
(508) 673-5721

www.simcockfarm.com

Date visited: 4/26/08

After our long drive home from Hyannis, Mom and I were in the mood for some ice cream. Since we were heading up to do some errands in Swansea, we decided to go to Simcock Farm. We read on a sign last week that the ice cream stand was opening soon, and we wanted to be one of the first to get a taste of Simcock's flavorful treats. We pulled into the crowded gravel parking area at around 6 p.m.

Simcock Farm is adorable. Not only is there an ice cream stand, it is also a working farm complete with fresh vegetables, dairy products, fresh cut flowers, candles, crafts, and seasonal specialties including hay rides and school tours. If you're lucky and live within a five mile radius, you can have fresh veggies and ice cream delivered to your door! There is even a bevy of friendly pets and farm animals that have become used to all of the attention they get from passers by. Simcock Farm also has a great Web site where you can learn the names of the critters, the history of the farm, and take a look at their family album.

Since there were already people at the window, Mom and I stood at the wooden milk bottle that lists all of the ice cream flavors, including pistachio, cotton candy, peanut butter cup, pumpkin, chocolate, strawberry, frozen pudding, vanilla, coffee, cookies and cream, sherbet, and some sugar-free flavors as well. When it was finally our turn to decide what we wanted, I went with a kiddie cup of banana ($2.95) while Mom chose a kiddie cup of Snickers ($2.95). Why a kiddie cup, you ask? Well, we've had the small cup at Simcock before and it is HUGE. It's almost like an entire pint of ice cream. We usually stick with the kiddie cups because it really gives us just enough. Simcock Farm DEFINITELY does not skimp on portions. I'm afraid to see what the large cup looks like! The girl at the window scooped our ice creams and handed them over to me. The total came to *$6.20 (*I forgot to write the correct total down, but I'm assuming there is tax). Mom and I headed back to the car so that we could dig into our cups.

Simcock Farm offers other ice cream treats such as sundaes ($3.50-4.95), cones ($2.95-4.25), frappes ($3.50-3.75), malts ($3.75), milkshakes ($1.25), ice cream sodas ($3.25), Holstein floats ($3.25), freezes ($3.25), banana splits ($6.25), and even a Frosty Paw treat - with cookie - for your dog ($1.25). Oh, and if anyone knows what a Holstein float is, let us know. Mom thinks it is a black and white float, possibly made with Coke or root beer and vanilla ice cream. Is she right?

It's weird how sometimes two people are thinking the exact same thing, but it never gets mentioned because they each think that the other one would not agree with their statement. Although both Mom and I loved the taste of our ice creams (mine tasted like fresh bananas and Mom's tasted like an actual Snickers bar complete with caramel and fudge), we both agreed that the ice cream flavor is sometimes taken away by an aftertaste of freezer burn. There always seems to be tiny ice crystals in the dense ice cream, which takes away from the texture. You'd expect the homemade ice cream to be creamy, however, because of the ice crystals, it comes across as grainy, and has the mouthfeel of an ice milk more than a premium ice cream. We're thinking that - because it's an ice cream stand - they may have to run their freezers very high. Other than that, we enjoy visiting this stand very much.

As we left Simcock Farm, both Mom and I agreed that this is the kind of place that you'd want to end up after a long Sunday drive around New England, and that's exactly how it's advertised on their Web site. Mom and I are going to have to stop into the store and check out some of their other goods, but for now, we're glad that the ice cream stand is open and we look forward to going back and trying one of their other treats. Where else can you get a cup of ice cream that size for only $2.95?

The Simcock Farm ice cream stand is open from 3-9 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

Barbyann's

120 Airport Road

Hyannis, MA 02601

(508) 775-9795

www.barbyanns.com

Date visited: 4/26/08

In the past, my aunt has mentioned Barbyann's restaurant to my mother as a "must visit" when we're in Hyannis because of their delicious food and nautical atmosphere. Because we don't really know Hyannis well (other than the main drag - Route 132), Mom printed out directions from MapQuest and we were on our way. When we found the place, we were shocked to learn that it is basically one street behind our favorite Mexican restaurant, Sam Diego's! We pulled into the parking lot, which was empty, at around 4 p.m.


After walking up the ramp and entering the lobby, Mom and I realized that we were the only two in the place. A hostess came over to greet us while I noticed some take-out menus sitting on a shelf and grabbed one. The hostess/waitress named Lisa asked Mom and I if we were OK to sit in the pub area, and we agreed. She showed us to a small table at the back of the pub facing their large bar and left us with two large menus. When Lisa returned to take our drink order, Mom and I requested two Diet Cokes, which promptly arrived in real glasses. Mom and I still needed a minute to decide what we wanted, so Lisa left us alone to choose our meal. When she returned, Mom ordered the fresh fish sandwich ($8.99) with steak fries and I ordered the tuna melt ($7.99) with spicy fries. Because we were only getting sandwiches, we also ordered an appetizers of crab cakes ($8.99). After all, we were in Hyannis. Why not keep the seafood theme going? Lisa took away our menus and left us to check out the interior.

Barbyann's is very "Cape Cod." With gold fish, boat, and compass decorations hung throughout the largely wooden space, you almost feel like your dining at some quaint seaside barroom than a family restaurant. Television sets hung in the corners of the room while oil lamps sat atop every table. The green and gold bar lamps went well with the magenta place mats, and the floral print on the plush banquette and oriental rug popped when placed against the rust print wallpaper. Very old-fashioned, but very cozy. There were no booths in the bar area, but there were plenty of windows scattered around so that customers could smell the fresh air. On a nicer day (it was a little cold), Mom and I would have gladly had lunch in their outdoor dining area. There were even string lights wrapped around the large wooden rafters on the ceiling. So cute!


Other menu items at Barbyann's include the grilled sashimi tuna salad ($11.99), the Commander's surf and turf (priced daily), baked stuffed shrimp ($17.99), fresh swordfish steak ($17.99), Admiral Snarky's surf and turf ($21.99), Fisherman's platter ($19.99), baked stuffed scrod ($17.99), grilled tuna ($17.99), fried scallop roll ($10.99), and the lobster salad roll ($17.99). For something other than seafood, Barbyann's has a list of burgers, Mexican foods, soups, appetizers, and entrees including the New York sirloin ($19.99-21.99), Bubba's best babyback ribs ($17.99), and grilled chicken teriyaki ($13.99). They also make all their salad dressings on site, and offer a Sunday brunch available from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. which features eggs Benedict, omelets, and Sunday roast dinners.

Before our appetizer arrived, some other patrons had come inside and were also seated in the pub area. We noticed that they were served bread, which we were not. I assume it was because we had ordered sandwiches. Still ... I really like bread. Oh well, maybe next time. Lisa returned to the table with our order of three lump meat blue crab cakes accompanied by a cup of Old Bay dijonnaise sauce. They looked, smelled, and tasted fantastic! They were nice and crispy on the outside, but very soft and tender on the inside which isn't always the case with crab cakes. Some of the others that we've had were very bready and dry, but these were very moist and delicious. Even the sauce wasn't bad - not too sweet; not too tangy.


After spotting that both Mom and I had chugged away our Diet Cokes, Lisa returned to our table with a pitcher of soda to refill our glasses. Before long, our topped off Cokes were joined by our sandwiches. Both looked great, and we couldn't wait to dig in. Mom's fish fillet was a good sized piece with a crispy outside and a tender, flaky inside. She loved it. It was served hot on a large, fresh bulky roll and topped with Mom's choice of American cheese. The plate came with tarter sauce and a pickle, which she handed over to me. Her fries were very hot, crisp, and potatoey. Mom usually orders fish and chips, but today she was brave enough to try the fish sandwich and was not disappointed. She would definitely order this again.


My tuna melt was also fabulous, but the fries weren't that great. Accompanied by a pickle, the tuna melt was served on fresh marble rye (yum) and was very tasty. The white meat tuna with melted Swiss was a great flavor combination. The real name for this sandwich is "Lisa's Tuna Melt." I wonder if we were actually being waited on by Lisa herself? Either way, it was a great sandwich. However, the fries had no middles! In other words, the fries were so overcooked that the potato inside had disappeared, leaving only the shells. Since I'm not really a fry kind of person, it wasn't a big deal. However, Mom's tasted 100% better than mine. I will definitely order the plain steak fries next time.

After coming over during our meal to see how everything was, Lisa returned to our table to clear away the dishes and bring the bill. The total came to:

2 soda - $4.50

1 crab cakes - 8.99

1 tuna melt - 7.99

1 fish sandwich - 8.99

Subtotal - $30.47

Tax - 1.52

TOTAL = $31.99

We left $37.50 on the table for Lisa which included a 20% tip for her great service. Before our long car ride back to Fall River, Mom and I used the restroom. Because it was located off of the main dining room, we got to sneak a peek of what that looked like, and it was quite nice! The restroom was actually very clean and adorable. It must have been the entrance of swinging wooden doors like in an old time saloon that won me over.

Stuffed, Mom and I walked out of Barbyann's and headed back to my car. We noticed that the restaurant parking lot was starting to fill up, and we definitely knew why. My aunt was right - if you're ever in Hyannis, stop at Barbyann's for some great tasting food. We can't wait to go back and try one of their delicious-sounding entrees.

Barbyann's is open from 11:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Sunday.

The Daily Scoop

230 County Road

Barrington, RI 02806

(401) 245-0100

446B Thames St.

Bristol, RI 02809

(401) 254-2223

www.dailyscoopicecream.com

I was stuck at home today, playing hooky from work because of a migraine. As the migraine started to ease off, I went on the Internet and started browsing through our list of restaurants. I came across The Daily Scoop, and remembered the e-mails that were passed back and forth between the owner and I after our initial review. She was shocked that we weren't that crazy about the taste, and invited us to try the ice cream at one of their two Rhode Island locations versus getting a pint out of a freezer at a store. Since ice cream always makes a migraine feel better (tee hee), I jumped in the car and headed for Barrington. Before I left the house, Mom suggested that we sample a pint of the exact flavors we had purchased in back February - coffee and banana peanut butter cup. I agreed. I pulled into the parking lot (located behind the ice cream shop) at just about 1 p.m.

The first thing I was worried about was the parking. There are NO street spots in front of The Daily Scoop, so already they were earning points because of their large back lot. I spotted an entrance on their deck (facing the back parking lot), but I wasn't sure if that was the proper entry way. I soon spotted a ramp leading up to a second door, so I entered that way. I found myself at the bottom of a few wooden stairs, leading up to a very large ice cream counter. There was one cashier/ice cream scooper behind the counter that greeted me immediately. I was a bit concerned that they wouldn't be able to pack the pints fresh as I hadn't spotted the pint containers yet, but the young girl informed me that she could pack a pint of any flavor I wanted. I chose the coffee and the banana peanut butter cup (which is labeled peanut butter banana) and watched as she stuffed the ice cream into each pint container very quickly and neatly.

The interior is quite adorable. Right as I walked through the door I was hit in the face with what smelled like the aroma of homemade waffle cones. They have a large freezer featuring tubs of their homemade ice creams, benches to sit on inside and out, and they even feature Del's Frozen Lemonade - a Rhode Island favorite. Everything was extremely neat and clean, and the bright colors reminded me of summer.

The cashier rang me up and asked if I wanted the pints in a bag. I said yes, and my total came to $9 ($4.50 a pint - a little more than the specialty pints at the supermarket). After paying, the cashier wished me well and I proceeded to exit through the front door to get some pictures of the adorable main entrance.

When I got the pints home (which had been labeled), I automatically headed for the silverware drawer so Mom and I could dig in. When we opened the pints, they were a little soft from the 30 minute ride back to Fall River. This was fine with us because softer ice cream always has more of a taste than ice cream that is frozen solid. Mom dug in right away, but I was busy scraping the remnants off of the inside cover. The first thing I noticed was the extreme banana taste. This wasn't banana flavoring - it was actual banana. Mom was amazed at how different her coffee ice cream tasted from the first time she had it. This time the coffee tasted deep and rich, and the entire pint was full of coffee flavor. The texture was smooth, creamy, and didn't taste like it had been in a freezer for months. My banana ice cream was also smooth and creamy, and the peanut butter cups were minced so that you a) didn't choke on them, and b) could taste the peanut butter inside of the chocolate. It was so tasty and different. What a vast improvement from our last review!

(L) banana peanut butter cup; (R) coffee

A word to the wise - if you want to have delicious ice cream, please try The Daily Scoop. However, if you buy this ice cream in a freezer and for some reason it's not that great, put your spoon down and head for the shop. You will not be disappointed.

*************

Date: 2/11/08

Like any normal day, Mom and I were craving a pint of ice cream. Not just any ice cream - homemade, local ice cream. Mom had read about this place in Westport that makes ice cream from scratch, and sells it at Lee's Market in Westport, MA (796 Main Road). Lo and behold, we were at the Target in Dartmouth - the neighboring town. Naturally, going to Lee's had to be our next step.

When we arrived at Lee's, Mom and I headed straight for the freezer section. We spotted a lot of different homemade ice creams, but none were from Westport. Disappointed, neither of us wanted to walk away empty-handed. Mom noticed a stack of purple and white striped pints of this ice cream from a place called The Daily Scoop. Made locally in Barrington and Bristol, RI, the flavorful choices surprised both Mom and me. At $3.99 per pint, we spotted flavors like lemon custard, banana chip, black raspberry chip, kahlua fudge brownie, vanilla, pumpkin, butter pecan, coconut almond chip, and peppermint stick. I spotted something called banana peanut butter cup, which mixes two of my favorite things. I quickly grabbed that one from the freezer. My mother chose - are you sitting down?? - coffee. Yep - her favorite flavor, and the kind she always gets. She said that by eating the coffee pint from The Daily Scoop, she would be able to judge it against brands like Haagen Dazs and Ben & Jerry's. *sigh* We made our way to the register, and Mom shelled out $7.98 for the two pints. The cashier loaded them into a paper Lee's bag, and we headed back to my car. I figured that we would probably eat them when we watched American Gladiators at 8 p.m.

At around 7:30 p.m., I couldn't take it anymore. I was dying to see what the ice cream tasted like. I told Mom that I was excited to try it, and - guess what - so was she! Big surprise. I grabbed the pints from the freezer, handed Mom her flavor, and dug into mine. Now I should mention that, at the Lee's register, we both noticed that the pints felt a little light. We were hoping that this ice cream was not the airy, churned kind that you often see at the supermarket. We really don't care for those. However, after a bit of research, we found that The Daily Scoop pint and the Haagen pint weigh exactly the same. Go figure.

I kept waiting for Mom to be bowled over by the taste of her coffee ice cream, but it never really happened. She thought the ice cream had only a slight coffee taste versus the bold taste that you find with Ben & Jerry's or Haagen Dazs. She felt that a homemade ice cream should be very dense and creamy. However, this one was very light and airy with more of a texture bordering on ice milk rather than a premium ice cream. In all, she was a little disappointed with the flavor and the mouthfeel.

Doesn't the flavor "banana peanut butter cup" sound exciting? Well, it wasn't. Like Mom, I thought that the flavor wasn't totally there. Even the real Reese's Peanut Butter Cups seemed to get lost in the bland banana ice cream. It almost tasted like ice cream that had a bit of freezer burn, or the scoop of a supermarket brand that was nearing the end of its half gallon. It just tasted different. Mom checked the label and we found that both ice creams were made with nonfat milk, but we didn't want to blame the milk in case all pints are made with this same type. All in all, we were both fairly disappointed with our pints. Don't get me wrong, we ate every bit of it, but we weren't as happy as we are after eating other brands.

Before doing this review, I checked out The Daily Scoop's Web site. It is very cute. Aside from the flavors we saw in the freezer at Lee's, there are many other choices such as apple pie, chocolate almond fudge, carrot cake, cookie dough, coffee and mint Oreo, rum raisin, and wild Maine blueberry - just to name a few. There is also frozen yogurt, smoothies, ice cream cakes, low carb ice cream, sorbet, and something called "Wow Cow," which is an all natural soft-serve frozen dessert developed in Southern California that boasts all of the following characteristics:
• 100% fat free
• 100% cholesterol free
• 100% Kosher
• Very low lactose (no milk or milk solids)
• Only nine calories per ounce
• No artificial sweeteners (naturally fruit fructose sweetened)
• Ultra creamy consistency
There are also special coupons available for printing, as well as a list of supermarkets that carry The Daily Scoop pints in their freezer sections. In the history area of the Web page, I learned that owners Bob and Deb Saunders actually met and fell in love over their personal obsession with ice cream. My question to Deb is ... does Bob have a brother?

It must be very hard to make ice cream from scratch, and we certainly admire the initiative they have to create all of these interesting flavors. I can't say that we'll never eat another pint from The Daily Scoop, but we definitely want to visit their locations instead. Perhaps the ice creams will taste a bit more fresh and delicious.

The Daily Scoop in Barrington is open every day from 12-9 p.m. The Bristol location is open from 12-9 p.m. Monday through Thursday and Sunday, and 12-10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.

Bite of the Week - Java Pop

While browsing the shelves at Stop & Shop last night, Mom and I spotted something we'd never seen before - coffee flavored soda. We both knew that it existed, we had just never come across any. "Get a vanilla one," said Mom with excitement in her voice. She just loves trying new things. Besides, what could be bad about something that marries coffee with soda? I grabbed a bottle of the Java Pop ($1.49) and decided to crack it open today - MOTHER'S DAY. How did Mom feel about it?

THE VERDICT: Java POOP. The only pop that existed was the sound of the bottle going into the recycle bin. It was horrible!! Not only did it smell exactly like butterscotch syrup, it tasted like crap. Not soda, not coffee - just crap. It was so sweet that I thought the enamel on my teeth was going to come off. Mom took one sip and said, "I'm done," and handed me her half to throw away. I decided to give it one more shot, but my half quickly followed hers down the drain and probably into the Taunton River. If you see any fish or swans dry heaving in the water today, it's probably because they had a swig of this disgusting beverage. Hey, at least I get a nickel back for the bottle deposit.

Thanks for almost ruining Mother's Day, Java Pop. TWO THUMBS DOWN (one thumb pictured above).