Me Likey "Mikey"

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FIRST OF ALL, WHO DOESN'T like ice cream?! Year-round—and especially in the hotter, waning days of summer—the very thought of ice cream gives anyone excited chills of nostalgia from the earliest of childhood. Maybe of all of the common-held "comfort foods", ice cream is the one that is the most universally treasured and shared, largely due to the fond memories and it evokes—whether it be of a large celebration, or quality time spent with a special loved one such as a parent or paramour.

Michael "Mikey" Cole is successfully rekindling those remembrances at his modest recently opened ice cream shop, Mikey Likes It, located down on/in the Lower East Side/East Village/Alphabet City, already enjoying heaps of positive attention (and high praise from the likes of the VILLAGE VOICE and great day and nighttime crowds of newly planted Millenials, neighborhood families, and long-time locals.

Happy Young Customer

Mikey himself is a native of the Lower East Side, and of a city that still had nothing but character and personality, before the big corporations starting squeezing neighbor businesses out of their real estate to pop up more clone chain banks, convenience stores, and coffee shops. He now represents a return to the support of a local businessperson, and of the businessperson who supports the community, taking time out of his very busy schedule to mentor young children in entrepreneurship and community service.

Primarily, of course, his time and efforts are spent creating and hand-making from his premium gourmet ice creams with modern-day flavors, though making them all from scratch with fresh ingredients, no preservatives, and with coveted secret recipes—the traditional way.

His fun-titled flavors run the gamut of excellently executed staple flavors—Ice Ice Baby (Madagascan, Mexican and Tahitian vanilla beans), Chocolate Thunder (Quadruple chocolate including Belgian, Swiss milk and dark chocolate)—to some highly creative new ones, which include Cool Runnings (double coconut ice cream with dark chocolate shavings and toasted almonds), and their extremely popular Souther Hospitality (pecan pie ice cream with pralined pecans and pecan pie crumbs).

The day I finally visited they were sold out of the Southern Hospitality, as well as the Pretty in Pink (strawberry ice cream, strawberries macerated in balsamic vinegar, fresh cracked black pepper), the flavor my good friend and fellow foodie Steve knew would hook me. Lucky for me Mikey had a few other available flavors that equally piqued my interest. I opted to enjoy two of them in a Daddy Mac—a whole (made-to-order) waffle ice cream sandwich—choosing a scoop of Mint Condition (fresh mint ice cream with triple chocolate fudge brownies) and a scoop of Jack & Jill (chunky peanut butter ice cream with strawberry preserves) with salted caramel. And might I add what an awesome treat it was to have it presented to me by gentlemen dressed for that "old school" vibe, in white aprons, paper hats, and bow ties. How could I not like that?

Daddy Mac Waffle Ice Cream Sandwich

Mac Daddy Waffle Ice Cream Sandwich

Mikey has great skill and know-how when it comes to his particular craft. These ice creams were incredible! Like all excellent foods, these ice creams have a great start, middle, and finish. Patiently churned and properly set and chilled, they exhibited silky smooth creaminess. The flavors of both—of all actually, as I was allowed to sample them beforehand—were fully rendered and smartly balanced. And, unlike most ice creams, the use of fresh ingredients delivers a bonus of aromatics as the custard melts inside the mouth, only heightening the flavor of each spoonful. So enamored and impressed I was by this dessert that a couple decided to order a Daddy Mac themselves just from me reactions from enjoying mine.

Daddy Mac Waffle Ice Cream Sandwich

So, New York City has a native son, opening a business in the neighborhood of his origin, giving back to the community, inspiring local youth, making a great and delicious product that inspires the fondest of memories while impressing us with creativity, bringing together in one great ideology the happiness of our youth with the promise of our future. They even play the best of 70s, 80s, and 90s music in-shop.

I mean, what's not to like—or love (in my case)?!

Bun Apple Tea!

KACNYC

Kerry Alaric Cheeseboro