Later on, the day after our brunch at Silver Diner, we pointed the good ole GPS to Philiadelphia, which we were embarrassed to learn was a mere five miles over a bridge from the hotel. We were embarrassed only because on our previous trip to Monster Mania, we neglected to stray too far from Cherry Hill (yes, there was a previous trip).
Adam Richman and Man Vs Food has led us to some pretty great places in the past, namely the HukilauCafe and Helena’s, both while we honeymooned in Hawaii. Given the opportunity to retrace more of his steps while on a little mini-vacation was something that we couldn’t pass up.
The interior of Franklin Fountain
My wife decided that she wanted ice cream and Franklin Fountain was going to hit the spot. Started by some Philly entrepreneurs, the ice cream shop is more like a shoppe, and they say on the website that it is more like 1911 than 2011. It’s true, too… we wondered about how original the place was, as it felt like they merely kept an old place going for the past hundred years. The tin ceilings, marble counters, apothecary-style oak cabinetry, ornate old-timey register and even the uniforms – all the details take you back in time. The flavors sort of do, too, with mostly classic no-frills flavors steeped in history, and even a few local favorites, like teaberry. Other sundries available for purchase, like the candy, postcards, bottled sodas and such enhance the old general store feel. Candy cigarettes! Bubble gum cigars! Licorice pipes! Fun small batch sodas with strange flavors and great-looking labels! Home made chocolates!
The ice cream menu is extensive, but not overwhelming, We opted for their specialty sundae, the Mount Vesuvius, a heap of vanilla bean ice cream, topped with warm chunks of home made brownies, home made hot fudge, home made whipped cream and sprinkled with malt powder. It was plenty for the two of us, as the ice cream isn’t your light and fluffy grocery store variety, but rather a thicker, rich and creamy variety with a smooth consistency. It actually tasted like milk and cream – imagine that! The hot fudge was thick and sticky, The brownie chunks were just plain awesome… fudgey, warm, and pleasantly square. The whipped cream was great, too, and I appreciated the malt powder as well. It added to the old-timey feel and kept everything from becoming too sweet. .
In short, next time we are anywhere near Philly, we will be back to the Fountain for another decadent ice cream selection, whether it be ice cream weather or not.
RI Foodies 