When you’re in the mood to treat yourself this summer, there’s only one solution—ice cream.
Lavish Lady is one of the rolled ice cream selections on the menu at Flavors on the Promenade in Rockford. The recipe is exquisitely decadent featuring a lavender and lemon ice cream base with a lemon cookie addition and topped with lavender sprinkles and drizzle. It’s just one of the specialty ice cream selections at the new restaurant offering rolled ice cream, crepes and coffee.
The new business is certainly sweet on the Rockford area—so much so that it has an original mural inside that’s dedicated to the town’s attractions and was designed by a local high school student.
“You’ll see the dam, the bowling alley, the White Pine Trail and our ice cream rolls and crepes,” said owner Gillian Traboulay, as she describes the interior’s friendly, neighborhood atmosphere with colorfully painted walls, white-washed brick and playful artwork.
The cheery eatery with adjacent patio space is bound to be a favored hangout in the downtown scene and Gillian’s husband, Roger, says it best, “An ice cream place has to be a happy place and Gillian wants to serve up yumminess.”
While the couple has traveled all over the world, it was the international flavors they wanted to bring to the Rockford community with their made from scratch ingredients including fresh fruit and exciting flavors.
The rolled ice cream starts as a liquid on a cold slab with controls to keep ingredients at the perfect temperature where it is thoroughly mixed and made into rolls. The result is noticeably creamy with intense flavor.
When it comes to traditional rolled ice cream, top sellers are the cookie dough flavored I Doughn’t Care, O’Reo Grande featuring Oreo cookies, and kids like the Unicorn Dreams choice for obvious reasons (magical ingredients include cotton candy, a marshmallow horn, rainbow candy and sprinkles).
If that seems tame, guests can peruse a more unique menu featuring Hawaiian Sunset with pineapple and coconut flavors and the minty T’Was Mint to Be selection and every bowl is topped with freshly made whipped cream.
Rolled ice cream isn’t the only thing on the menu. Sweet and savory crepes were added along with Grand Roaster’s Specialty Coffee and hot beverages such as hot chocolate, matcha latte, spiced chai latte and hot soups for the colder months.
The brunch crowd favoring something sweet might enjoy Bananas Foster, Lemon, or the Lumberjack crepe featuring cookie butter, bacon and maple syrup. There are plenty of savory crepe choices representing Greek, Italian, Thai, Cuban and American tastes, which is almost like giving your mouth a passport to flavors around the world.
“Gillian and I fell in love with West Michigan. We’ve lived in Florida and are originally from the Caribbean,” said Roger Traboulay. “We admire how hardworking and kind people are from Rockford and many have helped and encouraged us along the way.”
Flavors on the Promenade is located at 8 East Bridge Street. Ring the store up for hours of operation at 616-884-0964.
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