The Washington Post-A shop selling booze-infused ice cream is opening in Chinatown I tried it
March 2, 2024 5 min 911 words
这篇报道描绘了位于华盛顿特区唐人街的一家新冰淇淋店，以其独特的酒精冰淇淋而引起关注。店内的氛围充满活力，墙上的壁画将国会大厦点缀着彩色糖粒，引人注目。这家店是纽约Tipsy Scoop的分店，专门提供八种含酒精的冰淇淋口味，包括DC特色的Cherry Blossom Old Fashioned，采用Hatozaki Finest Japanese whisky制作。价格方面，每勺售价为$6.50，鸡尾酒和飞行套餐为$16，圣代为$18，一品脱为$16.50。 这个新颖的概念让人眼前一亮，尤其是对那些寻找独特体验的消费者。冰淇淋与酒精的完美结合，为顾客带来了独特的味觉享受。报道中的作者品尝了几款口味，对于这种创新的冰淇淋概念表示赞赏。这种独特的体验，不仅使人在味蕾上得到满足，而且还为消费者提供了一种与传统甜品不同的选择。此外，店主Danielle Hatchett的故事也为这家店增添了一份特别的情感，她的决断和创业精神也让人印象深刻。 总体而言，这家酒精冰淇淋店的开业在当地引起了轰动，将为华盛顿特区的美食文化增添新的亮点，吸引更多顾客前来品味这独特的美味。
2024-02-29T14:52:04.572Z
The ambiance at Tipsy Scoop, a new Chinatown ice cream shop, is intoxicating. Splashes of glittery pink and orange swirl across the acrylic floor. A mural on the wall shows the Capitol building crowned with sprinkles. Tiny cardboard cherry blossoms poke out of perfectly round, pale pink scoops of ice cream.
And, my friends, there is actual booze. In just about every bite.
The shop is D.C.’s first “ice cream barlour,” a franchise of the New York-born Tipsy Scoop, which will open two blocks from Capital One Arena on March 2 and offer eight alcoholic flavors of ice cream and sorbet, including a D.C. signature, Cherry Blossom Old Fashioned, made with Hatozaki Finest Japanese whisky. Other flavors include Cake Batter Vodka Martini, Spiked Mint Chocolate Chip and Vanilla Bean Bourbon.
And, yes, you must be at least 21 to partake in the alcohol-infused scoops, though it will also serve four nonalcoholic flavors.
Like its original New York storefronts, the D.C. location will also offer ice cream cocktails — think a root beer float, but with liquor — as well as regular cocktails, flights, sundaes, takeaway pints and ice cream cakes (though you have to order the cakes at least five days before pickup). One scoop will go for $6.50, with cocktails and flights selling for $16 each, sundaes for $18 and a pint for $16.50. It will also offer beer, wine and hard seltzer in the event you’d like to skip the ice cream altogether.
I got to taste a few of these flavors while chatting with franchise co-owner Danielle Hatchett, who switched between our conversation and moving boxes in preparation for opening day, instructing her employees and troubleshooting the payment system. First up was the D.C. exclusive, Cherry Blossom Old Fashioned — what better way to ring in cherry blossom season? After the initial hit of whisky, I found the flavor somewhat reminiscent of the mixed berry-flavored yogurt tubes my mom would stash in the freezer as a healthier alternative to ice cream. That is to say, it was comfortingly nostalgic with enough of a kick to remind me that I am, in fact, an adult.
Next I tried the towering Tequila Sunrise sundae, which Hatchett expects to be one of her bestsellers. The sundae is stacked with alternating layers of mango margarita and strawberry white sangria sorbets, topped with strawberry syrup, an orange wheel and a smiling sun-shaped lollipop. (Warning: Please don’t let your kids see this towering treat — they will definitely want a bite.)
As I watched the sundae come together, I recalled my experience at Crazy Mason in Alexandria — yet another hulking serving of ice cream I would not be able to finish. Indeed, I made it through only about 1½ scoops of sorbet before I had to tap out, but the flavors were appropriately sunny and sweet, reflecting the tropical drinks they were inspired by.
Hatchett, who had been a bartender (and therefore built my sundae with an expert hand), was already considering opening a bar when she learned about Tipsy Scoop. She had been living in Atlanta, writing a business plan, she says, but worried about high costs and poor profit margins. Then, by algorithmically contrived chance, she watched a TikTok video of someone from Tipsy Scoop’s New York shop emptying a bottle of liquor into a machine, mixing in cream and sugar that was transformed into glossy, glorious, spiked ice cream. She instantly adored the idea.
A few months later, she saw an advertisement that the same New York-based “barlour” was looking to expand to D.C. and searching for franchise owners. Hatchett’s mother, Stacy, who works for the Department of Defense, already had a home in the area. Hatchett enlisted her mother as partner and moved to Maryland in October. Since then, she says, preparations have been moving at light speed.
The mother-daughter team-up proved uniquely challenging. Since August, Stacy has been deployed to the East African nation of Djibouti, meaning the two live in almost opposite time zones. Djibouti is eight hours ahead of D.C., so Danielle says the two can typically speak for only about an hour a day. The complications have meant that Danielle has to make business decisions on her own and tour potential locations solo. Still, the duo found time to work together. “My mom and I are close — we’re like sisters,” says Hatchett. “We have high standards for ourselves. I think it’s perfect because we’re on the same page.”
Tipsy Scoop will host ticketed sundae- and cocktail-making classes, where you can learn how to mix up boozy concoctions. Tickets will be available for purchase through its website and Facebook page. At its Saturday opening, the first 25 people in line will receive a free scoop of ice cream, and the rest of the day will include a host of events and giveaways, including for the 50th and 100th customers.
“I’m expecting a long line,” Hatchett says, smiling.
As for me? Well, I might not have stumbled out tipsy (in fact, I had to go back to work). But I did walk away happy.
Tipsy Scoop, 675 I St. NW. Open Tuesday through Sunday from 2 to 10 p.m.; closed Monday.