Home grown brands that are reviving the ice cream sandwich

Walnut praline by Tandy’s Creamery

If you have ever been a student of Mithibai College in Vile Parle, Dheeraj Stores would have been your favourite adda for chai, filter coffee, vada pav and grilled sandwiches. And the owner pandered to our indulgence in the early 2000s - Biki Max by Kwality Walls. This thick, shortbread-encased, creamy vanilla ice-cream slab would sometimes even be our quick lunch, or end-of-day indulgence. As the radius of our experiences extended to the rest of the city, we were introduced to Marine Drive's K Rustom's, the iconic brand (established in 1953) that became the last word on sandwich ice-creams, with its bestsellers like blackcurrant and rum and raisin flavours served from a nondescript space, the antithesis of an ice-cream parlour. Over the last few years though, we felt the sweet notes were a bit off-balance. But its loyal fan base persists.

Raspberry rose

Wafer ice-cream nostalgia trip
We love a good recommendation from foodies, and so, when we spotted Kunal Vijayakar's post on Facebook, introducing readers to a new wafer ice-cream brand, Tandy's Creamery, we had to try it. We ordered five flavours - walnut-praline (Rs 70), OG vanilla bean (Rs 50), king mango (Rs 50), rum n raisin (Rs 60) and raspberry rose (Rs 50). The slabs came with a pack of wafer-thin biscuits that immediately popped open a nostalgia fountain of pre-waffle days. The delivery personnel brought the ice-cream in ice packs, so when he handed us the package, it was firm and didn't melt away. All we had to do was assemble. Ice-cream, like being lost in a kiss, is supposed to stop time. The creamy texture managed the feat effortlessly, and we loved the hide-and-seek of textures through walnut praline, or mushy mango chunks.

Jehan Mehta

Owner Jehan Mehta also packed in a tub of salted caramel craze (Rs 400) with our order. Decadent, thick streams of salted caramel folded in a dulce de leche base made for a heady indulgence. Mehta launched Tandy's Creamery in early 2020. "I returned from London where I graduated in business management. Back home after five years, I wanted to start something of my own," says Mehta, who joined hands with a school friend to set up a 1,000-square feet unit in Prabhadevi, from where orders are managed. "There was a huge void in the sandwich ice-cream market since few home-grown ice-cream makers are offering it. Our ice-creams are gluten-and preservative-free, and we have worked with food technicians and experts to ensure a quality product," says Mehta.

Whatsapp: 9167882639
Log on to: @tandyscreamery on Instagram

Ice-cream in a taco
Last April, Meha Agarwal, who runs a bakery called Big Apple Baking Company in Vile Parle, launched Meemee's ice creams and ice-cream cakes. This year, she launched an ice-cream sandwich line, which she calls Toasties. Hers is a modern take on the good old sandwich.

Meha Agarwal

"I created crunchy waffle tacos to hold my five bestselling flavours, such as Belgian chocolate, brown butter almond and Vietnamese coffee. Meemee's Toasties (Rs 400 for a box of one flavour) makes you slip into rewind mode with a softie in a waffle cone. We loved the nutty toppings on vanilla. The ice-cream was rich and balanced in its sweetness.

Belgian chocolate by Meemee's

The compact box came holding four toasties, packed separately in butter paper. The Belgian chocolate topped with crispy pearls has its dark side with a sweet roundness while the Vietnamese coffee leaves us with the right kick of caffeine. Other flavours to try are brown butter with crunchy biscuit, and coconut that is crafted with a toasted coconut macaroon coating.

Call: 9833015376
Log on to: @meemees.in on Instagram