Furry pink swings, a wall of shimmering pink mermaid scales, retro-style pink pay phones and pink velvet barstools make for an oh-so-Instagrammable moment at Pink Sugar, Santa Rosa’s first Thai rolled ice cream shop.
A steady stream of teens files into the former Yogurt Farms space (1224 Mendocino Ave.), mostly checking out each other but also sneaking videos of the mesmerizing ice cream-making process.
Here’s how it works: Straus organic ice cream mix is poured onto chilled steel plates that almost instantly freeze it. Dual spatulas then chop, pulverize and blend in candy, cookies, fruit or cake before the mixture is spread into a thin layer and scraped into tight, frozen curls. Also known as “stir fried” ice cream, this Southeast Asian invention mimics the chopping and scraping motion of a stir fry.
While the whole thing is more theater than practicality, the selling point is an inexhaustible number of mix-and-match flavor combinations.
To avoid decision fatigue (or ordering overwhelm), check out the menu in advance — it’s long and complicated. Or just take a seat on the swing and ponder options like the Brookie ($13), made with the standard vanilla base, fudge brownies, cookie dough and hot fudge; Cinnamon Toast Crunch ($12) with cinnamon toast cereal and caramel; or Banana Pudding ($13) with fresh bananas, caramel sauce and Nilla Wafers.
Dairy-free oat milk rolled ice cream is also available, along with fluffy mini pancakes (15 for $10) and soft-serve ice cream served in Taiyaki, a sweet fish-shaped cake. Don’t miss the Dubai strawberry cup with kadayif, pistachio, chocolate and fresh berries.
Open 3-10 p.m. Tuesday; 1-10 p.m. Wednesday to Thursday; 2 p.m. to midnight Friday to Saturday and 2-10 p.m. Sunday. 1224 Mendocino Ave., Santa Rosa, Instagram.com/pinksugarcreamery
You can reach Dining Editor Heather Irwin at heather.irwin@pressdemocrat.com. Follow Heather on Instagram @biteclubeats.