In regards to the actual place itself, it was very clean, organized, and there were nice little seating areas outside with fire pits to keep warm. The employees were friendly, immediately offered to help, and waited patiently while we thought about our orders. My dad and I each got one scoop of the mint, but I opted for a cone and toasted marshmallow fluff. My mom got the "rocky lane," also with marshmallow fluff on top.
The marshmallow topping and the cone were delicious, and so was my mom's ice cream. They also gave very generous portions which I would normally appreciate, but the the mint . . . it was definitely something. It doesn't really taste like any other mint ice cream I've had. It's not minty, really, it tastes like eating straight pine needles (or, a worse but still fitting comparison, pine-scented cleaning agents). You can also smell that "earthy" smell on the ice cream itself. Honestly, taking a bite of it was like being slapped in the face by a pine tree. Everything else about the experience was good, the mint just sort of spoiled it for me.
Moral of the story: most of our experience was really good, just stay clear of the mint if you're going for that Coldstone mint flavor. If you like eating pine needles then that flavor is for you.
Well, it's Penny ice cream! Delicious. The place in Scott's Valley is fairly new and clean with inside and outside sitting. Lots of parking right there. So much better than the original one downtown Santa Cruz. They did not have an Espresso machine but offered a Verve ice cream. Service was friendly but we had to wait a long time. We will be back.
