First of all, thanks everyone for the sweet comments on my Blogiversary post. I loved hearing from readers, especially some people I know in real life who I didn't know were reading. You guys are great and I'm excited to continue to share recipes and hopefully hear from you!
Julia, Ryan, and I headed there a few Thursdays ago after I'd run 18 miles for marathon training. Needless to say, the image of ice cream sundaes kept me moving that morning and I was more than ready to dig into a sweet treat!
The restaurant was busy, but not crowded, and we were immediately seated at a booth. Before browsing the menu, we paused to take in the sights around us. The Fountain's website says they are the most photographed restaurant in St. Louis and I can see why...the walls are covered in brightly colored murals and the restaurant itself just has a fun atmosphere and layout. (I also read online AFTERWARDS that its bathrooms are a top 10 finalist for Best Restroom in America...now I'm mad I didn't go to the bathroom there!) Another quirky feature of The Fountain was its in-booth radio show. Certain booths, ours being one of them, have a knob on the wall that you can turn to listen to some "Soap Hospital", a radio show soap opera featuring some saucy doctors and nurses! We listened for a few seconds, but then turned our focus to more important things: the ice cream.
I knew before we came what I was getting: The Coconut Almond Joy (from the menu: coconut almond joy ice cream drizzled with homemade hot fudge, whipped cream, and a chocolate coin). I thought mine was incredible. I've tried a few different kinds of coconut ice cream, but this beats all others I've ever had. It had chunks of chocolate covered almonds and the coconut flavor was prominent. The whipped cream was unlike any I've ever had. I don't know what their secret is but it was truly the lightest, fluffiest, best tasting whipped cream to pass my lips (and this wasn't just me in a run-induced hunger! Ryan agreed!). Needless to say, I devoured mine and enjoyed every bite.
Ryan went with the Nutty Irishman (from the menu: creamy Irish coffee ice cream with hot fudge and pecans, topped with housemade whipped cream). He substituted caramel for the hot fudge and that was his favorite part. One thing to note--all of their sauces, etc. are made in-house and are without high fructose corn syrup. After tasting them, I can definitely see a difference between these and the type you'd find at your typical ice cream shop or grocery store. I was a big fan of their versions! Ryan liked his coffee ice cream, but didn't think the coffee flavor was strong enough. Overall, however, he enjoyed his sundae and so did I (I couldn't resist stealing a few bites!).
Julia agonized over the menu for awhile and finally settled on the Chocolate Brownie Cake in a Cup (from the menu: moist, made-from-scratch brownie cake, oozing with our signature hot fudge, baked in a mug, and topped with our delicious vanilla ice cream and real whipped cream). Unfortunately, Julia's dessert was the only one that fell short. While she enjoyed it, it wasn't outstanding. She found the brownie cake to be a little dry and decided that Chili's restaurant makes a better molten lava cake. Still, hers came with ice cream and whipped cream, so it wasn't a total loss...she'll just be sticking with one of her others options next time!
...and there will be a next time! All three of us were interested in many of the menu offerings and I'll definitely be back for an ice cream martini sometime! Another Twelve in Ten challenge down, another great St. Louis find.
One Year Ago: Toasted Coconut Banana Cream Pie (which I need to make again and take better pictures of, SO good!)
