Cookies and Cream, London

After driving around London on a very hot day at the end of May I was in need of something cold and refreshing. My partner made do with an ice lolly as we saw the sights but I wanted something a little more interesting. I came across the Cookies and Cream ice cream parlour quite by chance, after parking in front of it while visiting a local pub that we both wanted to see. It stood out as having a very well maintained frontage compared to other shops and eateries in the immediate area, it was the outside seating that drew me in as I just fancied soaking up some sun before getting back into our hot and stuffy car to head home.

Cookies & Cream not only serves ice cream but also a wide range of cakes, milkshakes and has a special dedicated 'Chocolate Bar' where you can purchase chocolate cheesecakes, milkshakes made from your favourite chocolate variety or choose from a selection of delicious looking chocolate cakes. I immediately wished we'd visited London on a cooler day as I was desperate to sample some of the goodies on offer but it was just too hot for chocolate, I needed ice cream!

There's such a wide variety of ice cream flavours to choose from that it took me ages to make up my mind! I eventually opted for a bright blue Bubblegum flavour in a crispy sugar cone, while my partner went for a delicious looking Espresso ice cream which actually smelled like rich coffee even from a distance! Other flavours I remember seeing were Ferrero Rocher, Pistachio, Coconut and Blackcurrant as well as the more traditional flavours such as Strawberry, Vanilla and Mint Choc Chip - judging by the pots inside the glass fronted freezer I'd say these more basic flavours sell just as well as the more 'out there' ones, which surprised me a little but it just goes to show that a lot of people like the more simple things in life.

After selecting which flavour ice cream you want the next decision is picking your cone; you can choose to have your ice cream served in a small paper bowl or pick from a range of cones, I chose the sugar cone (simply because those are my favourite) but could have gone for a standard wafer cone or a more luxurious chocolate lined sugar cone. They all looked wonderfully fresh and when I ate my ice cream I was surprised by how crunchy the cone remained even though it was so hot that day that the ice cream melted in dribbles all over the cone! After this the choice was very easy for me as I don't like sprinkles or sauces on my ice cream, but if you do the choices are endless - chopped nuts, hundreds and thousands, sugar strands, half a dozen different types of sauce and those are just the ones I can remember! You really do have a decision to make at every turn in this place!

Inside Cookies & Cream felt slightly cramped to me, although this is due to the fact that building itself is very narrow so the long counter is forced to run along one of the long walls in order to have room to house all the goodies. Seating is mainly American style booths, with large tables and well padded benches on either side - as I've already mentioned we decided to sit outside, but spotted a family of six taking up one of the booths so they are certainly spacious enough to accommodate larger parties. There are customer toilets, which are tiny but spotlessly clean with a good supply of toilet paper and good hand washing facilities. The entire building is very clean actually and there appeared to be a dedicated member of staff walking around simply clearing away used bowls and litter as well as wiping the tables and seats down as needed.

My only problem when visiting Cookies & Cream was the fact that the staff didn't all speak English to the level required to be dealing with the public. I eventually got the ice cream I wanted but this was only after several seconds of pointing and repeating myself, admittedly this situation was as frustrating for the gentleman serving me but as the customer I expect to be understood more easily than this - I very nearly got the wrong ice cream because of the language barrier, and that's not good for customer or business. All staff were incredibly polite so I do feel a little churlish mentioning this language issue, but it is an important consideration and one I believe the parlour need to address -particularly as at the time of my visit I overheard another customer having the same problem in being understood while talking to a different member of staff, making me think this is a problem with the staff in general.

As we were leaving my partner decided he couldn't go without sampling a Toblerone milkshake, the ice cream had satisfied my sweet tooth so I declined to join him but had a sip after it had been prepared and was bowled over by both the quality and flavour. The milkshakes are made from soft ice cream and had small chunks of nutty Toblerone dotted through it - it was a mega thick shake, one of those where you have to use a combination of lung power and sucking motion to get it up through the straw! Extremely filling, my partner commented that it was like having dessert in a glass!

Prices were more expensive than I'd expect to pay at home in Birmingham for an ice cream, but on a par with a small ice cream shop we visit in Beddgelert when we're staying in North Wales. Ice creams range in price from around £2.50 to £3.50 (depending on how many scoops, the cone you choose etc...), while you can expect to pay anything up to £4 for a slice of the particularly gooey looking cakes. In total we spent just over £12 during our visit, which I didn't think was extortionate but that's a damned sight more cash to lay out than I'd have thought reasonable for an hour of ice cream yumminess!

I really enjoyed my visit to Cookies & Cream and wouldn't hesitate to go again if I'm in the area. It's a shame they don't serve sandwiches as then you could make a real occasion of it; if their sandwiches were as delicious as their ice cream I'm sure it would quickly become a very popular place for people to eat their lunch! And the ice cream really is delicious; soft, bursting with flavour and oh-so creamy - what more do you want?!

Cookies & Cream
5 Mile End Road
London
E1 4TP