August boils on, parching throats and inspiring those who harbor a sweet tooth to dip into a little creamy indulgence. If the craving hits and you’re on the Central Coast, you’re in luck, for in the heart of Lompoc you’ll find McConnell’s Ice Cream Café, where staffers dish up a dreamy selection of America’s favorite warm-weather treat.
Opened in December 2003, McConnell’s Ice Cream Café features 24 flavors of the super premium wares made by Santa Barbara’s own McConnell’s Ice Cream Company, recently named by MSN City Guides as among the nation’s top 10 ice cream purveyors. Founded in 1949, the company turns out an amazing product that boasts 17 percent butterfat and nothing but the finest, all-natural ingredients.
The friendly folks at McConnell’s Ice Cream Café provide free samples, which include exotic offerings, such as chocolate raspberry truffle, Turkish coffee, lemon zest, and Bordeaux strawberry, as well as staples like pistachio, vanilla bean, and Swiss chocolate. They also bake waffle bowls and cones fresh daily, making sure the confections sport enough heft to hold the dense ice cream.
Family owned and operated, McConnell’s Ice Cream Café takes the traditional “scoop shop” a giant step farther by offering a full menu of housemade delectables that can be enjoyed either indoors or on the airy patio. From soups and salads to panini sandwiches served hot off the grill, the fare is fresh, filling, and always satisfying.
Allison Marsh, who bought the café in November 2006 after working for the original owners for several years, relies upon her parents, Bob and Barbara Grant, for help in managing the shop. Tireless volunteers, the Grants help keep the café open and running smoothly seven days a week, holidays included.
“Allison works during the week, and we’re the weekend crew,” Barbara explained. “We’re a good blend of skills, and we each have our own thing that we bring to it.
“Allison and I do all the baking and food preparation,” she continued, “and my husband is pretty knowledgeable about the physical plant. He’s the person who sees that all the equipment is working the way it should.”
According to Barbara, Bob also brings an individual flair to the fine art of counter service.
“He entertains the customers while he scoops their ice cream,” she laughed. “He can be a little bit outrageous, but people seem to love it.”
In the evenings, a crew of students hired through the Cabrillo High School work education program come in to clean, chop, and, yes, dip scoops of ice cream from behind the elegantly curved glass case.
Resembling a beautiful display of Italian gelato, the case shares space with a full espresso and smoothie bar, as well as a tempting array of desserts, including Red Vines dipped in chocolate and cupcakes baked from scratch. Also in stock are no-sugar-added ice cream and nonfat frozen yogurt.
Allison and her parents take pride in upholding the food traditions begun by the DiSalvio family, founders of the café, and in serving only top-quality fare. They use the freshest ingredients available and always aim for homemade goodness.
“When we make soup, we go to the market for our inspiration,” Barbara said. “It’s usually kind of spur of the moment. We like mixing all the colors of produce. We use lots of fresh carrots, tomatoes, and things that are colorful, because that’s where good nutrition comes from.
“We even toast our own pumpkin seeds,” she said. “We get into some deep ‘from scratch’ techniques, but we really enjoy it, and we get a lot of great feedback from our customers.”
Many of the recipes come from the files of Lisa DiSalvio, a talented cook who created the sandwiches—including roast beef and green chili, pizza panini, and caprese—as well as the unusual salad dressings, such as chipotle Caesar and balsamic vinaigrette.
“She was quite the gourmet,” Barbara said. “She really put her heart into developing the menu.
“We always say our food is made with love,” she added. “We try to make it as if we were making it for ourselves, which, when you’re a family-owned restaurant, a lot of time the food is for your family, too.”
With the recent launch of the café’s website, ice cream lovers can now check out the latest flavors. See what’s on the menu, and sign up to receive special coupons.
“We love our customers,” Barbara said, “but they love us, too, so we kind of give it back. They seem to like the idea that we’re a family.
“It’s great to see people come in, have a meal together, spend a couple of hours talking and enjoying themselves,” she added. “They know this is a special place.”
K. Reka Badger runs hot and cold. E-mail her at rekabadger@hotmail.com.
This article appears in Aug 13-20, 2009.