This week Ryan’s boss is in town from England and last night I finally had the chance to meet her over dinner.
Since she has been enjoying rather indulgent meals out every night since her arrival and was in the mood for something not quite so heavy, Ryan suggested heading to the Artisinal Dish, our favorite spot for fresh, local fare in Ocala. The Artisinal Dish is part gourmet grocer, part restaurant and Ryan and I love it!
I met up with Ryan and two of his coworkers at the restaurant a little before 7 p.m. and immediately selected a drink from the beverage case. They have tons and tons of different flavored sparkling waters and as a sparkling water fanatic, I was excited to see Ayala’s sparkling herbal water available.
I selected the lavender mint sparkling herbal water and loved every sip! I wish this stuff was easier to find and more readily available at the grocery store because it is fabulous.
Once we placed our orders, we hung out and chatted for a while until our food was delivered to our table. Ryan and I decided to share a pizza.
I also got the grilled scallops salad for some greens and ordered a side of the beets.
Ryan ordered a side of the curried sweet potato salad (the one that inspired my at-home attempt of the recipe) and I had a few bites of that as well!
It was just as good as I remembered. Yum!
Before we left, I browsed around the freezer section and stumbled upon the most fantastic-sounding ice cream: High Road brown butter praline craft ice cream.
Of course I had to try it!
As I was looking for High Road’s website, I stumbled upon a review of the ice cream on The Ice Cream Informant’s blog and agree with every word. And yes, there is a blog dedicated to reviewing ice cream. After I found this fantastic blog, I naturally searched it for a review of the elusive Ben and Jerry’s Oatmeal Cookie Chunk to see whether or not we share similar tastes. After reading their review of my beloved ice cream, I saw that they gave it an “A,” so I now know their opinion can be fully trusted. (Hear that Ben & Jerry’s? People love Oatmeal Cookie Chunk! Please don’t take it to the flavor graveyard!)
It was a fun night!
Questions of the Morning
- What is your all-time favorite ice cream flavor?
- If you were going to start a blog that reviewed one kind of food or drink, what would you review?
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I love Ben & Jerry’s Phish Food frozen yogurt!! I’ve never tried their Oatmeal Cookie but that sounds fabulous as well!
Oh I love High Road Ice Cream and the brown butter praline is my all time favorite. They also have a bourbon brown butter one that is yummy. The factory is actually located right outside of Atlanta. I have not been on a tour yet but have heard a lot of good things about them. High Road is an Atlanta staple! Oh and this my be strange but the brown butter praline and the brown butter bourbon are both tasty when used as the creamer in a cup of coffee!
Jeni’s Ice Cream is my favorite! It is based out of Columbus, OH and she has all kinds of crazy flavors. My favorite is Salty Carmel but some of the others that are great is Goat Cheese with Red Cherries, pistachio and honey, and queen city cayenne. She always has something new to try. She has one with corn and blueberries that is great too.
I love rocky road ice cream!
I just have to say, it looks like the photo of you with the ice cream is a selfie (yes, I know that’s an obnoxious word, but I can’t think of another one). It’s GREAT! Every time I take pictures of myself, I look like an alien because the camera angle is off or I’ve cut off half of my face. You’ve got some skills, girl 🙂
1st of all–I am a HUGE fan of the Ben & Jerrys Oatmeal Cookie Chunk. Sooooo good. One of my faves. Secondly, I’m also a huge fan of every single High Road ice creams I’ve tried, but the praline one is the best. I guess we are ice cream soul mates! haha
The Artisinal Dish looks like an awesome place! I wonder if there is a place like down in Sarasota. Your shorts look super cute..where did you find them?
That ice cream looks so amazing. I have been in LOVE with ice cream lately. The addictive flavor in my freezer right now is a chocolate fudge with brownie bites…to. die. for.
I love a really good pistachio ice cream! Or black cherry.
That’s actually awesome that there is an ice cream review blog! I’m gonna check it out right now. If I started a blog to review something, it would be to review nut butters! I’m giddy just thinking about that idea.
Julie, if you like the Oatmeal Cookie Chunk, I think the Ben and Jerry’s Cinnamon Buns flavor would also rock your world! They’re my top 2 flavors and it’s like choosing a favorite child.
There is a teenie, tiny farm in Delaware called Woodside Farm. The Creamery at Woodside Farm is a small stone building, next to an old stone farmhouse that churns out the most incredible freshly made, on site, ice cream. I know it was once featured in Gourmet magazine! The Raspberry Chip is divine, so decadent! And the kids love the Dirt flavor – yes, there are gummy worms slithering through that Dirt:) With other flavors like Motor Oil, Peanut Butter and Jelly to complement to standard Chocolate, PB Swirl, etc, there is something for everyone. You can sit outside under the huge oak tree at their picnic tables and savor every bite. Ahhhh, I’m dreaming of my next visit already!
LOVE the oatmeal chunk!! I had sent a million (okay, maybe a dozen) emails to B&J when it was first halted after being a limited edition. I was so psyched when it came back with the “by popular demand” label (and felt personally responsible for the triumph!) and then it started disappearing. Odd that it is on the website but so impossible to find….Glad to know I’m not alone in the search/frustration!
I do recommend the limited edition Cannoli. And while I’m not a fan of the namesake/inspiration, the Red Velvet is good too. For me, it is all about having good “chunks” (def the reason I tend toward B&J…..if only I didn’t keep confusing a container with a serving!).
The oatmeal cookie is my absolute fav Ben & Jerry’s flavor!!!
When we lived in Orlando we were obsessed with Edy’s slow churned birthday cake. It was (sort of) healthy, really inexpensive and amazing – high praise from 2 chocoholics. The flavor was retired but they brought it back out this summer as a limited edition, anniversary flavor. If its available in Ocala, you must try it! I am also dying to try Jeni’s roasted strawberry and marscapone.
If I were to stick to only reviewing one type of food, I actually think its be “healthy” snacks. There is a plethora of random stuff at our local co-op (kale chips and granola and granola- less bars, oh my!) that I would love to try out.
That place sounds like somewhere my husband I would would LOVE! Did Ryan’s boss like it? How was the ice cream? Had to be good with a name like that, right? 🙂
Love those shorts! My favorite ice cream has to be a tie between mint chocolate chip and peanut butter chocolate 🙂 If I had pick a food to review I think it would be pizza. Thin crust, thick crust, meaty, veggie, artisnal, simple… just so many options out there! That restaurant looks so fun! I love sparkling water, too and that lavender one sounds delish!
That ice cream looks heavenly!!
Being in Vermont, Ben & Jerry’s is a favorite of course… but disappointing when I go out of state and get get it cheaper. 🙁 Just recently I came upon B&J’s Cotton Candy – Limited Edition! SO good!! I typically prefer either a mint chocolate chip or Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough though.
If I was going to review food or drinks, it would be buffalo wings… I like trying them when I go out and about. It’s amazing how often I’m disappointed with their greasy-ness.
Thanks for the mention – sooo glad you enjoyed the ice cream. The experience looks delightful! Thanks for including High Road in your evening! Thanks for the tip on the sparkling water too…I’m a fiend!
Cheers!
My all time favorite ice cream is Mint ‘n Chip. I’ve loved that ever since I was a kid.
As far as blogging about a certain drink…I’d choose coffee chillers. I don’t really drink hot coffee but recently I tried a mocha chiller from 7-Eleven and it was delicious! Needless to say I’ve been getting one every week, sometimes twice.
Do you ever read “On Second Scoop?” Yes, another ice cream blog! I occasionally read it and realize I’m drooling.
Ben and Jerry’s Oatmeal Cookie Chunk is by far my favorite flavor of theirs…I can’t find it ANYWHERE anymore 🙁 Your new ice cream find sounds fabulous
Oatmeal Cookie Chunk is fantastic! Found it at a convenience store near my house. Hadn’t seen it anywhere in months, maybe years.
Thanks for the link! I love a lot of the High Road Flavors. You have to try their Peanut Butter Brittle if you ever see it. http://www.theicecreaminformant.com/2012/09/review-high-road-peanut-butter-brittle.html
Favorite ice cream flavor: anything involving peanut butter! And coincidentally, if I were to have a one-food-focused blog, it would feature ice cream without a doubt. Never gets old 🙂