Last week, we shared that there is a new local ice cream cart making its debut in C-U. The Dash was at Urbana’s Market at the Square last weekend (find future locations on Facebook), and I had the pleasure of trying a few flavors.
Flavors change for each outing; last weekend’s flavors were these ones:
I tried the chai; it was spiced and flavorful — really, quite nice. But I settled on two other flavors for scoops: sundae morning and strawberry rhubarb.
The texture of the ice cream is creamy and smooth; there’s no premature melting. The strawberry rhubarb had a rich ribbon of preserves/jam running through it. It was sweet and fruity. The sundae morning is maple ice cream with bacon and chocolate covered waffle cone pieces. Maple-flavored items can be truly awful, but this maple ice cream was fantastic; it wasn’t too sweet or overpowering. The bacon offered a little crunch and salt, with the chocolate waffle cone offering more crunch and, obviously, chocolate bittersweetness. This combination of flavors is tried and true, and well executed by Emily Schacht (owner and ice cream chef).
Scoops are $5 each, and you can see from the photo that they’re not exactly the most generous. At $5 per scoop, The Dash is pricier than Grovestone ($4.50 small) and Red Bicycle ($3 single scoop). The scoops seem more like a financial splurge than a caloric one. NitroCup and The Dash were working together last weekend to offer $1 scoops to add to a cup of coffee; the disparity in price and quantity seemed odd.
Pricing aside, The Dash is offering the most unique, interesting, and (in my opinion, of course) exciting ice cream flavors in C-U. Previous flavors include smoked mint, sweet corn, rosemary, and s’mores stout. There’s a gaping hole in the area for this type of gourmet ice cream, with flower flavors and quirky combos. (Can I get some rose chocolate, please?) I’m looking forward to trying more flavors, and seeing what Schacht comes up with next.
Follow The Dash on Facebook for locations and flavors.
Photos by Jessica Hammie