Mike L.
Yelp
Despite how Gunther's is, and probably will always be, my go to ice cream shop in Sacramento, I have to admit it's hard to stay entirely exclusive to them. As much as I like them, it's rough having to endure those long wait times before I can get my hands on my sweet treat, especially whenever the weather starts to warm up. So, in that vein, thank goodness for this Salt & Straw! Even though it would've been nice to try some place unique to Sacramento, I was just happy there was a nearby alternative after seeing the insanely long line outside of Gunther's!
Compared to their Hayes Valley location in SF that I've been to, this Salt & Straw is surprisingly small. Not that any of the others I've seen offer anything in the way of indoor seating either, but this place feels even smaller than any of those (for the record, there is a bunch of seating right outside). Almost immediately after you step inside, you're already at the counter to order. Once you do, it's a short walk to the register to pay and then you're on your way out. Although, you don't really need anything beyond some tasty ice cream to devour. Good thing that, between their menu of classic flavors and seasonal/limited edition offerings, there are plenty of interesting options to choose from!
-- SEA SALT WITH CARAMEL RIBBONS
Despite how much I generally like salted caramel, this didn't do it for me. I don't know if it was the ice cream itself, the sea salt, the caramel ribbons, or all of the above, but this left an odd sort of aftertaste in my mouth. Plus, it was also really, really sweet.
-- SALTED, MALTED, CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE DOUGH
Compared to the Sea Salt with Caramel Ribbons, this felt far more balanced - it had enough sweetness to offset the salted and malted elements yet it wasn't all that sugary. And, of course, it was filled with a fair amount of cookie dough!
-- FRECKLED MINT CHOCOLATE CHIP
Even though I've had this before, I couldn't resist getting it again. Quite simply, it's quite tasty overall, but in particular, I really like how the flavor has a lot of mint in it, but not to the point where it feels like I'm licking a ball of toothpaste.
Across all three of the flavors (and the ones I've tried before), the complexion of the ice cream itself has always been great. While it's not as good as those that are made in comparatively smaller batches, like Gunther's, the consistency has a nice bit of creaminess to it and it didn't have any ice crystals in them. As far as service goes, it's been pretty solid every time we've been here - the workers are patient and accommodating with customers as they figure out what flavors to get, and there's a good energy among all of them (they all look like they're in college).
While Salt & Straw may be starting to drifting from foodie spot towards chain status, much like Shake Shack, they're still far from the likes of Baskin-Robbins and Coldstone. Besides just being tastier, there's no comparison that the flavors here are both more unique and more interesting, even if the ones I've tried are all of the more "classic" variety. Regardless, I'll definitely be back!