Soft serve ice cream has emerged as a popular choice to combat the summer heat in New York City, making its way from being a childhood treat to a staple on high-end dessert menus. Chefs like Ayesha Nurdjaja from Shukette are elevating soft serve by creating unique flavors like tahini topped with halva floss and pomegranate, appealing to adult palates. The popularity of soft serve has increased as restaurants seek ways to stay financially viable, with many establishments opting to include it on their dessert menus instead of having a dedicated pastry department.
The trend of using soft serve as a dessert option has become more common in restaurants like Laser Wolf, where customers can enjoy brown-sugar soft serve with burnt date molasses and peanut butter puffs. Unlike traditional pastries, soft serve requires less effort from chefs during service, making it a convenient and profitable choice for eateries. The simplicity of soft serve allows diners to have a light and refreshing dessert after a meal, satisfying their sweet tooth without feeling weighed down.
In New York City, other establishments are offering unique soft serve flavors, such as Yakult probiotic soft serve at Kimika and egg-tart soft serve at Milu. Even high-end restaurants like Cote Korean Steakhouse are incorporating soft serve into their prix-fixe menus, with options like vanilla soft serve drizzled with soy sauce caramel. The trend is not limited to New York City but is also seen in other cities like Washington, DC, where pastry chef Alex Levin serves miso, honey, and black truffle soft serve at Nama Ko.
Soft serve’s popularity can be attributed to its comforting and satisfying nature, as noted by chef Ayesha Nurdjaja, who sees 90% of diners at Shukette sticking around for dessert. Alongside tahini soft serve, Shukette offers unique options like Orange Kush, a mandarin sorbet with dates, chocolate, and sea salt. Nurdjaja appreciates the simplicity and accessibility of soft serve, providing customers with a delightful and unpretentious dining experience. The trend of using soft serve as a dessert option not only reflects changing consumer preferences but also allows restaurants to streamline their operations and attract a wider range of diners.
