Generous helping of nostalgia topped with sheer brilliance BY MARY PALMER
Glasgow Live
IT genuinely felt like all my Christmases had come at once. Stood in front of the rows of colourful ice cream, nose pressed up against the glass like Garfield, I could barely keep the smile from my face. How to choose … cone or tub … sundae or split? The gleaming red and black counter-tops in Crollas, Byres Road, were almost the same height as myself. I was in ice cream heaven.
Tentatively, I opted to have their brand new Cold Stone Creation. It’s as simple as 3, 2, 1: 3 scoops, 2 toppings, 1 sauce. I choose to stray from their nine set flavours – everything from a Nutty Meringue to Lemon Meringue Pie to After Eight – and picked my own curious combination of flavours. Opting for two heaped scoops of Banoffee and one of Kinder Egg, I could hardly contain my excitement. My friend went for two scoops of the cookies and creme, with a hearty helping of Ferrero Rocher to go with. It’s not normal for two fully grown adults to be this excited.
The range of flavours on offer constantly changes
That wasn’t even the best part. We then bounded round the side of the counter to choose our toppings and sauce. Both of us opted for gummy bears (yes, gummy bears) and toffee. I went for caramel sauce, my friend went for maple syrup. The two of us – grinning like kids in a candy shop, literally – then took our seats and waited for our Cold Stone Creations to join us.
The interior of Crolla’s is pristine. Everything gleams and shines with the ruby red and jet black of a 1950s diner. It’s almost like a nostalgic trip to the seaside … in the middle of Byres Road. The staff are friendly and incredibly helpful, especially as the parlour is so busy. They still manage to take the time to help each customer choose the right flavour combination.
The interior of the parlour is striking black and red with quirky touches
Very quickly, our Cold Stone Creations arrived. Perfectly quiffed heaps of ice cream piled high on a plate for a bargain £5. I knew I had made the right choice. The next few moments were filled with a mixture of complete silence through awe or cries of “You have to try this!”. It was pure indulgence. And I loved every last second. Our ice creams barely melted a drop, despite the length of time it took us to eat them. Every little cube of toffee or frozen gummy bear nestled in amongst the ice cream was a quirky little surprise.
The ice cream itself is second to none. There’s a reason Crolla’s have been in business for over a century. The banoffee is the best thing that happened to me last week. The Ferrero Rocher is every bit as nutty and crunchy as the sweets themselves. I even managed a cheeky sample of their coconut, which I urge every one to try. Topped with a sprinkling of nuts, I imagined myself working my way through a tub of the stuff on a blistering hot summer’s day.
Cookies & Creme with Ferrero Rocher (top) and Banoffee with Kinder Egg (bottom)
Of course, the parlour offers a selection of hot dishes as well. Many of our fellow guests were tucking in to soup, paninis and baked potatoes round about us.
But the real draw is the ice cream … and the experience of getting to feel about five years old again. Magic.
Crolla’s Ice Cream Parlour can be found at 221 Byres Road, Glasgow, G12 8UD. Check out their Facebook page for more information.
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