This is Sandra’s Food Finds, the top source to find out if the craziest food trends of Los Angeles are actually worth trying.
This issue of Spectrum, I will be letting you know if the famous desserts of Afters Ice Cream are worth you trying them. Located on Van Nuys Blvd, Afters is well known for their ice cream so I decided to see whether it met my expectations.
Their ice cream has been featured throughout social media, especially Instagram. It is synonymous with unusual flavors and bright colors. What I saw on Instagram proved to be true, as all the colors of the ice creams varied from all different shades of the rainbow. They ice cream was anywhere from a light shade of lavender to a deep cerulean.
The flavors that Afters offers are beyond the levels of any other ice cream shop that I have ever tried. Not only did the ice cream look beautiful, it also tasted delicious. The flavors where anything from Churro to Peanut Butter S’mores. Other flavors include Vietnamese Coffee, Strawberry Cookie Crunch, Mint Monster, Jasmine Milk Tea and many more. The Jasmine Milk Tea ice cream was definitely one of my favorites and I recommend that everyone tastes it. This smooth and creamy flavor tasted soft and flowery, but filled with delicateness. With every spoonful, the flavor only got better and better.Jasmine Milk Tea was a breath of fresh compared to the average ice cream as it is not a popular flavor.
The two desserts that interested me the most were the famous Milky Bun and the Mangonada. These two desserts enticed me because of their unusual looks and bright colors. The Mangonada is colored a brilliant orange with flecks of red and as soon as saw it, I was immediately interested in tasting it as soon as I saw it. The Milky Bun is probably the most fascinating dessert to look at. Sandwiched between two sweet halves is a bright slab of ice cream. The Mangonada and Milky Bun are featured all throughout social media and are truly appealing to look at.
The Milky Bun is ice cream sandwiched between two halves of a sliced glazed donut with an additional free topping. Though it may appear to be super unhealthy, its looks are enticing enough to be eaten it within minutes. Besides its looks, the Milky Bun is delicious. This amazing treat is truly delicious and addicting. The Milky Bun is an overwhelmingly delectable dessert. The buttery bun melts in your mouth as the ice cream floats inward. This synergy of flavors provides a pleasant feeling like no other. The alluring Milky Bun costs six dollars and thus is an affordable treat if only devoured on special occasions. I strictly warn you, if this was to be eaten more frequently, you would go bankrupt!
The Mangonada is a scoop of mango sorbet balanced on top of a waffle cone. What makes it special is that drizzled on top are thick layers of Tajin powder and Cholin sauce. Tajin and Cholin are toppings with an extra kick of spice. Having an ice cream cone taste hot and spicy might be extremely unconventional, but it proves to be extremely tasty. The flavor of cool mango refreshes your mouth and the tingling of the spice gives your mouth a pleasant prickling sensation. The Mangonada costs four dollars because it is more than justified by the deliciousness of the dish.
Personally, The Mangonada was my favorite because of its unexpected flavor combination. Combining the refreshing taste of something cold and adding a kick of spice has been done in the past, but seems ingenious when you add mango ice cream to the equation. The mango was icy and cold and the spice counterbalanced it with heat.
Afters also has a collection of varying t-shirts, sweaters and hats. All the items have their logo and are themed after other famous brands, yet have a dessert aspect. One of their clothing designs says ‘Anti Diet Diet Club’ which is inspired by the ‘Anti Social Social Club’ merchandise. In case insane ice cream doesn’t define what Los Angeles dessert is all about, selling clothing inside of a dessert store hammers the nail on top of the head.
The interior is very minimalistic, meaning that there really isn’t nothing inside besides the ice cream. The ambience is only inviting because of the fact that there is ice cream inside. While I personally do not prefer minimalistic decor, I love ice cream and I see how it works in Afters’ favor because it brings attention to their ice cream.
Afters Ice Cream deserves four and half Sandra Stars out of five. Although the ice cream was absolutely divine, my experience could have been a bit more pleasant if only there was more creativity in the ambience.
This column is written every issue to celebrate all the fabulous food in Los Angeles. Afters Ice Cream is located on Van Nuys Blvd. in Sherman Oaks. It is located in a large plaza with other establishments on 4550 Van Nuys Blvd, Sherman Oaks, CA 91403
