The Ice Cream Bar

Over two years in the making, The Ice Cream Bar is aiming to do for 1890s soda fountains what the mixology movement has done for the same era's cocktails. Much of the menu will be unfamiliar to the modern sweet tooth, from lactarts (flavored soda with extinct lactart, which imparts a drying quality) to old-school milkshakes (shaken combinations of milk, syrup, egg yolk, and ice-- if you want a modern shake, ask for a frappe). The flavored syrups in the drinks, however, are decidedly modern, from chocolate hellfire to chai to roasted pineapple and pink peppercorn. Also on offer are housemade ice creams like pistachio and butterscotch, handcrafted cookies and marshmallows, and a few savory offerings, like grilled cheese and hot dogs. A forthcoming liquor license promises spiked milkshakes and beer floats. The gorgeous, Deco-inspired space is highlighted by an original 1930s marble counter, and the soda jerks are attired in paper caps and white aprons, just like the days of yore.