Lick Honest Ice Creams – Beet With Fresh Mint & Cilatro Lime

Unusual Flavors in Fairly Awesome Places(Austin & San Antonio, TX)

Let me tell you the truth about Lick- so called “honest” Ice Creams… They are an absolute delight. Pretty much the Salt and Straw, or Ice & Vice of Texas, they offer a wide range of unusual rotating flavors, all with a great consistency, at a quantity that is perfectly in line with the quality and price paid. When you go in to eat ice cream here, much like the east and west coast counterparts I mentioned earlier, there is no rush to push people in and out of the store, and they know that with so many unorthodox creations, there’s a good chance you’ll need to try more than one. It’s this, combined with a folksy Texan charm, that really makes you feel like you want to come back, if not to try the new flavors then just to meet these kind individuals again. Lick Honest Ice Creams do have a few locations as of right now in both San Antonio and Austin, but I expect this to change as they continue to grow and expand into a Texas sized titan of ice cream in the near future.

While it does sound like there are four flavors in the cup, it’s really just the two. Beet with Fresh Mint and Cilantro Lime. Let’s dig into these scoops and take an honest look at what these flavors have to offer.

Beet With Fresh Mint & Cilantro Lime

Starting with Beet w/ Fresh Mint

Dirt. If I’m being bluntly honest in a way that Dwight Schrute could respect, the beet part of this beet and fresh mint flavor kinda tastes like dirt. Perhaps a nicer way of putting it would be like those healthy blended juiced drinks you ingest while on a cleanse of some sort. They taste natural and earthy, kind of like vegetables… covered in dirt.

Now if you think that’s too harsh, hold the phone there. I wasn’t finished. After all, this isn’t just beet ice cream alone. This is beets with fresh mint!

The initial taste may have had the dirt/beet taste to it, but it was accented by the slight astringent aroma of fresh mint. This mint isn’t insanely intense to a point where you’ll clear out your sinuses, but is more of a complimenting aroma to the beet taste. Because of the beet’s “earthy” flavor, it actually kind of makes the mint taste more authentic. As if it was just pulled from a garden and then added to a cucumber water or something equally elegant. As unusual as this flavor is, I actually really respect it. The flavor as a whole definitely grows on you, and tastes better with each progressing bite.

Now for the Cilantro Lime

A seemingly normal flavor now (by comparison), the Cilantro Lime was surprisingly the weaker of the two flavors- both in terms of potency, and overall flavor quality. The lime was greatly sweetened to a point where it was barely lime anymore. In fact, it tasted more like a sugary lime Froot Loop. This base is then accented with a herbal cilantro spice? The cilantro was barely present, and instead of a strong seasoning, it’s more of an herbal afterthought. I struggled to taste the cilantro, and was only able to grasp a few notes of it every third bite or so.

This flavor isn’t bad, per se. It’s just that I was hoping for something more delicate or nuanced, and instead got lime candy with the minimal amount of herbs mixed it.

Finally Together

While both were unique in their own ways, I’d have to say they were far better together than separately alone. Partly because of the cilantro lime’s weakness, but also because of the way these two mix together. We’re talking sweetness, lime, mint, herbs, and… dirt? Somehow these elements turned into a highfalutin Mojito! The sugary Froot Loop lime I discussed earlier is no longer a major star to the dish, but is instead a complimenting team player now. The sugar is now downplayed and spread out, in order to give the mint, beets, and lime a small sugary burst. It seriously does remind me of a fancy cocktail in that it hits all the check marks for an $18 drink at a bar/gastropub. Citrus to mask the alcohol (even though there was none here), sugar to balance the citrus, an obligatory vegetable to give it some base, and then an herbal garnish to bring about an aroma that is more smelt than tasted. I am seriously curious to see what this would be like in daiquiri form with a couple rum or tequila shots mixed in.

Altogether, I enjoyed this as much as I would a fancy cocktail, even without the buzzing effects of the alcohol. I genuinely felt like a sommelier as I tried to note each individual ingredient and how all the parts come together as a whole.

Beet with Fresh Mint and Cilantro Lime Conclusions

If I was to ranks the flavors in order from best to least best, it would be:

1. Together. Excellent mix of sweet, light citrus, mint, and earthy beet base.
2. Beet with Fresh Mint. An unusual flavor that grows on you over time.
3. Cilantro Lime. Not what I was expecting with hardly any cilantro, and a sugary lime base that reminded me of Froot Loops.

When going to Lick Honest Ice Creams, I’m sure there will be other unusual and interesting flavors there, but if these two happen to be paired at the same time, I’d say they are definitely worth a try.

Interested in trying this yourself? While there are several locations all over Austin, I’d say go to 1905 Aldrich St Suite 150, Austin, TX 78723 (since that’s the one I at at).

Let Me Know About Unusual Ice Cream Flavor Combinations

As you can see, there is definitely a special spot in my heart and stomach for ice creams that go beyond the normal. If you happen to know of any places that serve unusual flavors like this, OR, if there are unusual combinations you want me to try, please let me know! I would be happy to hear about any unusual combinations from you on my contact page. I hope to hear and try your suggestions soon!