At
this point, we should not be surprised by the lines the form out the
door at San Francisco eateries, but somehow, they continue to flummox us.
 |
| Specific Directions Should Not Be Needed in Order to Procure Ice Cream |
The
sad part about our journey to Bi-Rite Creamery is that we passed the place less than an hour and a half
before, but we decided to bypass it in favor of Ike's Place,
considering that we had yet to eat anything but sugar all day. When we
return, prepared to indulge in what is finally our final dessert of this trip, there is a line stretching all the way to the street corner,
complete with barricades and everything.
These San Francisco people really need to find something better to do with their time than wait in line all day.
 |
| Or Really, They Just Need to Learn to Be in a Rush in Order to Do Nothing, Like Us |
We wait in line, grumpily, for about twenty minutes, all in the name of
eating Sam's Sundae, as recommended by Aida Mollenkamp on the SUGAR RUSH
episode of Best Thing I Ever Ate. Vodka had tasted this sundae during
her last visit to San Francisco, and she proclaimed it to be quite
delicious, so if nothing else, at least we know we're not wading through
this crowd of people for a 1 star dish.
 |
| Thank Goodness for Small Favors |
In
front of us in line is a mother and daughter... and their dog. And not a
small, cute, portable dog -- one that is carried in a bag and no one
ever knows is even there (aka Vodka's dog). No. This is a pit
bull. A not exactly well-trained pit bull, being led around by not
exactly well-trained owners. After at first leaving her
no-more-than-nine-year-old daughter in line by herself while she went to
fetch the pit bull from the car, the mother returns with this
misbehaving terror... and proceeds to DRAG IT INTO BI-RITE CREAMERY WITH
HER.
 |
| HEALTH CODE VIOLATION! HEALTH CODE VIOLATION! |
Not
only are there signs posted everywhere that such dog accompaniment is
not allowed in the store, but the mother/daughter duo isn't even trying
to be fast about the process. They are up at the counter TASTING EVERY
FLAVOR OF ICE CREAM, while their dog proceeds to lounge on the Bi-Rite
carpet a solid six feet behind them.
No wonder San Francisco is always in some sort of line. Because NO ONE FOLLOWS THE RULES.
 |
| DO YOU SEE WHAT WE'RE DEALING WITH HERE?! |
The obnoxious mother is confronted by a Bi-Rite Creamery staff member
about the dog being in the shop, when he asks her if it is a service
dog.
"Yes,"
she replies, barely yanking the leash any closer to her body.
We can promise each and every one of you that this dog is NOT a service dog. This woman is a LIAR.
 |
| And One That Needs to Learn That If You're Going to Lie, Do So QUICKLY, Without TASTING EVERY ICE CREAM FLAVOR |
By this point, we are fairly irate, and frankly just flabbergasted, at
the injustice going on in front of us. Ginger forfeits the line to grab
us a place to sit, while Vodka pushes past the Pit Bull Patrol to order
our precious Sam's Sundae.
 |
| Move It Or Lose It, Health Code Violators |
Said sundae consists of chocolate ice
cream, whipped cream, olive oil, and sea salt, which sounds like an odd
combination (and it is), but it somehow works.
 |
| Truth Be Told, We Never Really Met a Sea Salt We Didn't Like |
Vodka asks for two
spoons at the cash register, and with Ginger no where in sight, all but
assures that the Bi-Rite Creamery staff thinks she's lying about having a
"friend" ("Oh sure, you're absolutely not going to eat that all
yourself" --their inner commentary). Vodka hauls the bowl off to our
corner table, and we dive in.
 |
| Vodka's Extra Spoon for Her "Imaginary" Friend, Ginger |
Now,
in theory, we shouldn't like this sundae much -- we're not that into
chocolate ice cream, and Bi-Rite's version is about as chocolatey as you
can get. When it's offset by the oodles of whipped cream, streaks of
olive oil, and sprinkling of sea salt, however, it's surprisingly
tasty.
 |
| Especially Tasty When Our Toes Aren't Being Covered in Dog Slobber |
The proliferation of whipped cream means that we get some in
each bite of ice cream, which is obviously our preference, and the sea
salt is the component that makes the whole thing fairly delicious.
 |
| Pretty Much Give Us a Bowl of Whipped Cream, and We'll Give You a High Star Rating |
Ginger is slightly put off by the floral flavor of the olive oil, but
all in all, we are fairly pleased. Not necessarily pleased enough to ever, ever wait in that kind of
line with America's Worst Dog Owners again, but pleased nonetheless.
 |
| Seriously Bi-Rite? You Have Rules About Napkin Use but Not Dogs LOUNGING IN YOUR STORE |
Ginger
goes back to the counter to fetch the bathroom key (which comes
attached to a GIANT spoon), while Vodka refills her water bottle with the
inexplicably WARM water coming out of the fountain.
 |
| Scalding. The Water Was Scalding. In a WATER FOUNTAIN. We Should Sue |
Is
Bi-Rite Creamery worth a visit if you're doing a drive-by and the place
is empty? Sure. But once it's gone to the dogs? Avoid the place at
all costs.
No comments:
Post a Comment