The Choco Taco Is Discontinued, But Its Legacy Lives on at South Bay Ice Cream Shop Rocko’s | Eater SF

"I fell for Lori Phillips' reimagining of the Choco Taco: at Rocko’s Ice Cream Tacos in Santa Clara she handcrafts intact, texturally satisfying waffle-cone tacos filled with velvety ice cream, flash-frozen with liquid nitrogen, then dipped in chocolate or peanut butter and topped with crunchy additions. What began as a 2012 passion project while she was pursuing a Ph.D. in immunology—she even used liquid nitrogen from her lab—grew from farmers markets and a truck into a brick-and-mortar near Santa Clara University in 2018. The spunky shop, plastered with dog imagery as an ode to her pup Rocko, offers 18 flavors (nine year-round, nine rotating), four dip choices, freshly baked regular or “teeny” shells, and recommended combos like “The Founder” (espresso ice cream, dark chocolate dip, almond pieces) and “The Youngster” (cookies-and-cream ice cream, milk chocolate coating, sprinkles); cookies-and-cream combinations are the most commonly ordered. Phillips emphasizes higher-quality, locally sourced organic ingredients—from Full Belly Farm produce, Straus dairy, and Berkeley’s TCHO chocolate—uses a sturdier waffle cone so it won’t get soggy, and provides three vegan flavors at a time plus a vegan, gluten-free shell so the nostalgic yet elevated treat appeals to customers of all ages." - Cathy Park