Scooter's Frozen Custard

I know not everyone loves this place as much as I do, but I'm terribly excited. I haven't had much luck finding a good ice cream fix since they closed up for the season, so I plan to be there tomorrow to get my fix of the salty pecan and caramel sundae. A sure sign that spring is about to sproing, even if there is still snow on the ground.

Anybody else planning on making the trip for opening day?

A sure sign that spring is about to sproing, even if there is still snow on the ground.

*ahem* Hell yeah!! I eagerly await my first hot fudge sundae with vanilla custard and strawberries.

I've never been there - where is it? We LOVE custard!

LAM026 wrote:I've never been there - where is it? We LOVE custard!

It's in the Great Neighborhood Restaurantsection. A place you should look to see other recomentdations as well.

OMG! Anybody have a list of this month's flavors yet???

Im going in for a mint concrete with chocolate chips. I'm a simple girl with simple needs.

rachel2025 wrote:OMG! Anybody have a list of this month's flavors yet???

Scooter's web site has 'em for the next two weeks.

Scooter's wrote:Friday, March 2 Chocolate Peanut Butter
Saturday, March 3 Vanilla Caramel Swirl
Sunday, March 4 Black Raspberry Ripple
Monday, March 5 CLOSED MONDAY'S 'TIL MEMORIAL DAY
Tuesday, March 6 Coffee Cognac
Wednesday, March 7 Peppermint Candy
Thursday, March 8 Banana's Foster
Friday, March 9 Dulce de Leche
Saturday, March 10 Chocolate Marshmallow
Sunday, March 11 Peanut Butter Chip
Monday, March 12 CLOSED MONDAY'S 'TIL MEMORIAL DAY
Tuesday, March 13 Cookies and Cream
Wednesday, March 14 French Silk
Thursday, March 15 Mocha Chip

I went on Friday. The atmosphere was convivial, complete with clown noses.

I decided to go all-out and have a Scooter dog and a turtle sundae sans hot fudge. Now, I was hoping that would approximate a sundae they no longer offer, the caramel pecan, but strangely it didn't. I think the pecans are different, they are not salty enough. That's what I crave when I think of Scooter's - the salty nuts and sweet custard - so I'm saddened. I might ask them next time I go about the nuts, and furthermore if they'd consider adding pretzels or somesuch to the mixin menu.

I had a small peanut butter and jelly concrete today but added reese's peanut butter cups and it was delicious. It's normally vanilla custard swirled with black raspberry and peanut butter but I decided it needed some chocolate and the peanut butter cups really took it over the top.

I like the idea of pretzels as an option as well. I like the sweet and salty combo.

OMG! I am dying here! I am 8 months pregnant and just found out I have gestational diabetes and I just read the Scooters website!! DROOL!!!

I can't wait till June to try this place!!

I was just there today myself. I had planned to get a simple, almost monastic vanilla cone, but I found I couldn't resist the concretes. Vanilla with peanut butter cups, practically perfect - next time I add a peanut butter swirl as well.

The place was completely staffed by the teenage help, so I didn't get a chance to pitch my pretzel idea.

Suzy Creamcheese wrote: my pretzel idea.

Chocolate covered pretzels, imo

Scooter's reopened on March 7. I was passing by yesterday and stopped in. They currently have two specials which are somewhat similar to a Shamrock Shake (but far superior). I used to live around Scooter's but never went there. The custard was so good, I remember why I avoided the place. If you have even the slightest hankering for a Shamrock Shake or just some custard-y deliciousness, get over to Scooter's ASAP.

I didn't see this posted elsewhere, but I have heard from a couple places that Scooter's is having trouble with the City? First they were getting serial inspections, then complaints about the dog water bowl, then the outdoor seating. Any idea what is going on?

kafein wrote:I didn't see this posted elsewhere, but I have heard from a couple places that Scooter's is having trouble with the City? First they were getting serial inspections, then complaints about the dog water bowl, then the outdoor seating. Any idea what is going on?

The following is posted on the Scooter's website:

DO NOT BYOC! Translated, that means DO NOT Bring Your Own Chair because the City has forced us to remove our patio chairs, garbage and dog water dish.

The 32nd Ward Alderman at the direction of the Dept. of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection have threatened to serve Scooter's with a Cease and Desist Order even if the public uses the public way to sit on their own chairs.

When we opened six years ago, we had a different Alderman who encouraged us to put chairs out as we did.  We have tried to be a nice neighborhood place where neighbors can meet neighbors on a nice summer evening (and let's be honest, up until now this summer, it's been too cold to sit outside), but the City has singled out our neighborhood shop. We will continue to provide inside seating for now.

DO NOT Bring Your Own Chair.

One friend of Facebook suggested an old fashioned "sit-in". It cannot be on the public way by Scooter's.

We thank you for your support and understanding. Enjoy the Custard now.

I'm posting a statement the 32nd Ward office is issuing in response to queries about the Scooter's situation (Full disclosure: the author of this statement is my girlfriend). I can tell you, threats about cease and desist orders and such, have not been made.

"Thank you for your feedback. We are working with Scooter's to help resolve their issue. However, I want to make it clear that the Alderman's office did not make this decision nor would we have the power to do so. The removal order was initiated by a complaint that someone made directly to the Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection. Because the chairs are in the public way, a business would have to have a public way permit which Scooter's does not. There's also the issue that product from their business is being consumed on those chairs, therefore, the DBACP is asking them to get a permit for a sidewalk cafe and having an administrative hearing about it.

Our office understands and recognizes that the nature of their business differs significantly to that of an alcohol/food table service business. Yesterday, I met with Denny Moore, owner of Scooter's, to explore solutions to present to the DBACP so that the business would have what they need while coming into compliance with the city. We also will be present at the hearing to show our support for Scooter's.

Alderman Waguespack believes in the need to support and nurture small businesses in our ward and we will continue to do the best we can to assist Scooter's and their patrons. If you'd like to discuss this with me further, please feel free to contact me."

Elizabeth Gomez
Director of Outreach
32nd Ward Alderman Scott Waguespack
773.248.1330 office
773.248.1360 fax

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dudedude wrote:Can I just say in turn, in a similar fashion, that threats about cease and desist orders and such, have been made?

Sure you can. I'm pretty comfortable taking both assertions in context and making a judgment about the utility and reliability of the information.

dudedude wrote:If a "cease and desist" was not implied (if in fact not threatened), then what could have been the misunderstanding?

Oh my goodness, people have communication misunderstandings all the time! Maybe someone is trying to shoot the messenger?

As the letter points out, an Alderman can't issue a cease and desist order any more than they can issue an outdoor seating permit.

Just because the old alderman said "go ahead, do something you need a permit for without having that permit" doesn't mean they can go ahead and put chairs out and then cry foul when one of the neighbors complains they are blocking the sidewalk.

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dudedude wrote:Scooter's did work to apply for an outdoor seating permit, but were told by the old Alderman that it would not be required.

It is the business's responsibility to do their due diligence. Just because one alderman, 6 years ago, said something was OK doesn't mean that the law hasn't changed. All it takes is one complaint to get your business looked at. Lots of coffee shops have outdoor seating, they get permits. And from what I understand, you have to get a new permit every year, they don't carry over.

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dudedude wrote: As I have said, the city agencies are working with the business to resolve this issue.

dudedude wrote:
[quote=]Scooter's did work to apply for an outdoor seating permit, but were told by the old Alderman that it would not be required.

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dudedude:

I've made explicit my connection to the situation, tenuous as it is. What's yours?

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I attend a fair number of meetings of our neighborhood association, and restaurants come before us for our permission for sidewalk seating all the time as spring approaches. Usually the restaurant owner makes the case to us. We almost always vote yes. We don't have to power to "grant" or "deny" sidewalk seating all by ourselves, but the alderman is guided by our wishes, and that usually means that whichever way we vote is the way things turn out. From this I conclude that there is a procedure for restaurants to get sidewalk seating, and that it is not that difficult, but that it does need to be followed. And this is as it should be.

dudedude wrote:I am not a government employee. I am not in a relationship with any representative of a city office.

I wasn't going to chime in, but I feel I must. I am that government employee of whom you are addressing. Food and drink are a personal passion of mine, hence why I'm on this board. So, I'd like to clarify that I am not speaking as an employee of the Alderman, but as a member of this board. My job at the Alderman's office is to assist and support the businesses in our ward while maintaining balance with the neighborhood. I take a lot of pride in what I do and I take it very seriously. And again, I would like emphasize that we ARE working with Scooter's to help them get through their situation.

On another note, I think it would be more productive for all of us to show support and work together to get this resolved rather than point fingers. If anyone is interested in finding out more about this situation, I'd encourage you to call our office and speak to me directly. I believe my information has been published in this thread.

Lastly,I'd like to let y'all know that I made an mint chocolate chip ice cream last night that would knock your socks off! I'm excited because it was the first time I made an infusion. I'm so cool! LOL!

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dudedude wrote:
It would be helpful to be able to contact you directly if you were to identify yourself by name.

Don't you read?

Elizabeth Gomez
Director of Outreach
32nd Ward Alderman Scott Waguespack
773.248.1330 office
773.248.1360 fax

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dudedude wrote:

stevez wrote:Don't you read?

Often. I'm thankful for your appreciation of my sarcastic irony.

I am only noting that I am not trying to make assumptions based on implied information. I do expect that you are correct, but I would rather have the information relayed explicitly by the person rather than implied.

Again, don't you read?

I'd encourage you to call our office and speak to me directly. I believe my information has been published in this thread.