Photo credit: Carmen Muñoz Graham

Pictured is the interior of Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams’ Highland Park location. The parlor features a wide variety of ice cream flavors, ranging from wildberry lavender to Texas sheet cake.

Ice cream is a constant in my life. From reveling in a comforting pint of mint chocolate chip on a bad day to enjoying a cone of rocky road on a sunny day at the beach, its versatility and reliability make it my favorite dessert of all time.

As a self-designated ice cream connoisseur, I have familiarized myself with the vast array of parlors across Los Angeles. Out of the many I’ve tried, there is one that has never failed to amaze me: Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams. Founded by Jeni Britton-Bauer in Columbus, Ohio, the business has expanded to 90 scoop shops in over 15 states, as well as supplying their ice creams to around 3,000 grocery stores. In Los Angeles, they have locations in Beverly Hills, Highland Park and Venice, among others.

Upon entering their Highland Park shop, I was instantly hit with the scent of sweet ice cream. From the vast array of colorful pennant banners to the ice cream-themed posters covering the walls, the interior felt very inviting. Employees behind the counter greeting me with genuine, bright smiles made me all the more ecstatic for what was about to be yet another delicious trip to Jeni’s.

When it comes to ice cream, choosing a flavor can often be a challenging decision. Luckily, Jeni’s half scoops allow customers to mix and match flavors. Their menu includes a standard, signature and study size, with standard being the smallest and study being the largest. I decided on the standard size with two half scoops.

As my eyes flitted across the lineup of flavors along the serving counter, I decided to fall back on one of Jeni’s more well-known flavors: brambleberry crisp. The flavor features a mix of fruity jam and crunchy oats on a creamy vanilla base.

I selected key lime pie as my second half scoop, one of their seasonal spring flavors. This combination was the perfect way to blend a classic Jeni’s flavor with something newer that I hadn’t tried before.

The only downside to Jeni’s is the price. Their smallest size is $8.15, and their largest is $11.15. While very expensive, the cost is not as absurd as it may seem when you know the experience you are in for.

With limited seating available in the shop itself, I sat down at a white marble table. The chair I was sitting on faced the parlor’s panoramic window, giving me the perfect view to watch the liveliness of Figueroa Street as I indulged in my sweet treat.

I cannot deal with the messiness of a cone, so that leaves me to resort to a cup. The addition of the waffle cone chip completed the experience of the dessert.

The first bite of the brambleberry crisp was explosive, and it felt like taking a bite of an actual bramble crumble — only a lot colder and creamier. The jam and oat streusel combined with regular vanilla ice cream made for an amazing burst of flavor. I would recognize Jeni’s distinctively smooth, clean base anywhere.

The key lime pie flavor had a tartness that was unmatched; I would go so far as to say I prefer it over the actual pie. The swirls of graham crackers mixed in added so much texture and uniqueness, leaving me loving the freshness and originality of the flavor.

One thing I appreciate about Jeni’s is how incredibly smooth their flavors are. Their ice creams are free of synthetic dyes and preservatives, using high-quality dairy sourced from family farms. This allows for flavors with buttercream-like textures that are hard to find anywhere else, which could be why the prices are higher.

Jeni’s has, and will, remain a cherished dessert spot in my book. No matter what you are looking for, their luxuriously silky ice cream is sure to satisfy your taste buds with its bold assortment of flavors. If you are ever looking for a spontaneous sweet treat to enjoy on any occasion, look no further than Jeni’s.