On the eve of Independence Day, I finally decided to take the drive down to Fountain Valley to see for myself what this new craze was all about, this new hype that had everyone posting on Instagram and showing off to friends for months now, ever since the place first opened in February--I wanted to see what the big deal was with Afters, an ice cream shop.
Many places have been hyped by the teenage population, such as Creamistry, another ice cream shop that most have forgotten by now, or Popbar, the up-and-coming popsicle place that has people flocking down to Anaheim. The fact of the matter is that these places became famous because of a clever and innovative idea, but many of them are nowhere near amazing and probably aren’t worth the five dollars for a small serving of ice cream.
At the counter, I ordered a glazed milky bun stuffed with cookie monster ice cream (a unique flavor that combined different cookie flavors), which cost me $5, and a single scoop of Jasmine tea ice cream, which cost me another $3.50. These were two of the flavors that were specially made at Afters--another reason why people think the place is so cool and unique.
After enjoying my ice cream for a few minutes, I decided that the Jasmine tea indeed had a unique flavor that can’t be found in regular store-bought ice cream, and that the milky bun offered a cool and refreshing taste to the donut.
Was each bite savory? No, not quite. Would I go here again? Only if someone dragged me and paid for me.
So while Afters is not bad, it really does not have the wow factor that would compel me to take the four-mile drive from Garden Grove and pay the $5 for something that was enjoyable but not amazing. Afters is a place that one can visit from time to time, perhaps to spoil a visiting relative or take the parents out and have them pay. But if you really just want ice cream? Go to Rite-Aid for some good old Thrifty.