By Samantha Sanchez
Staff Writer
Smitten Ice Cream leaves ice cream lovers exactly as the name promises after tasting their delectable frozen treats. Their ice cream’s smooth, creamy consistency is like no other and satisfaction is 100% guaranteed.
The authenticity of Smitten Ice Cream is what makes it the best ice cream shop in the South Bay. Founder Robyn Sue Fisher made it her personal goal to eliminate “unpronounceable” items from the ingredients list of ice cream and bring ice cream “closer to the cow” rather than farther away.
Liquid nitrogen has been used in making ice cream for decades, but Fisher knew that in order to make this classic dessert even better, she needed to eliminate ice crystal formation in the ice cream caused by the nitrogen. She first came up with the idea for Smitten in 2006 and together with an engineer she worked to created Brrr™, a machine that would make ice crystals as small as possible because of the way it mixes.
In 2009, Smitten began as a street car vendor in the streets of San Francisco, CA. In 2011, the first Smitten Ice Cream shop opened in Hayes Valley, CA. Today, Smitten Ice Cream has six different locations, including one at The Point in El Segundo which opened mid-December. The atmosphere of the small shop takes on the appearance of a surf shack, molding well with The Point’s new, modern look. It’s surrounded by plenty of outdoor seating, complete with fireplaces, fountains, and a relaxed feel.
Ordering at Smitten is simple because of it’s high-tech set up where customers order off of iPads. This set up has been used in other shops such as However, customers still interact with Smitten’s workers, or “Brrristas™” and receive recommendations on what the best flavors are and what the best toppings are for those flavors. Having a modern set up makes the ordering process quick and easy, and also helps add to the clean, pristine look of the shop.
Smitten’s unique principles carry over to its flavor menu. Flavors include Earl Grey with Milk Chocolate Chips and Cookie Dough with Pretzels & Chocolate Chips, with January’s seasonal flavor of Blood Orange with Pistachio Cookies. Smitten adds twists to classic flavors like cookie dough and chocolate, making them even better than imaginable, and their one-of-a-kind flavors like earl grey make Smitten stand out from all other ice cream chains.
Also available are “pairings,” such as all natural rainbow sprinkles, brown sugar caramel, and organic whipped cream. There are not a lot of available flavors which is not favorable for picky eaters. However, the selection of pairings is plentiful, which creates an ice cream experience like no other where customers can mix and match pairings to create the sundae of their dreams.
The Brrristas™ make the ice cream right in front of you, so customers get to see Brrr™ in action. The workers are lively, clearly enjoying their job, and making it their personal duty to give customers not only the best ice cream, but also the best experience.
Since the ice cream is made-to-order, it takes about five minutes to the prepare the ice cream, however this small wait is more than worth it. Smitten works to achieve its ultimate goal of “making as many people as smitten as possible,” and is definitely successful in doing so due to its quality ingredients and taste.
While the ice cream may be considered a little pricey ($5 small, $6 medium, and $7 large), the high quality and craftsmanship makes the extra couple dollars worth every delicious bite. All ingredients are hand-picked and made fresh daily, so customers know they are paying for the best ice cream money can buy.
Smitten is located at The Point in El Segundo, one of its six locations, including Hayes Valley. It is operational Monday thru Thursday from 12-10 pm, Friday 12-11pm, Saturday 11am-11pm, and Sunday 11am-10pm.
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