The Ice Cream
The price of the ice cream depends on the flavour you pick. Ranging from Rs. 200 – 300 a scoop, they have around 30 – 40 flavours – all with a unique zing to it. We tried five of them – Mango (Rs. 200), Tinkiri (Rs. 200), Raspberry Heaven (Rs. 260), Blueberry Heaven (Rs. 260) and Salted Pani Kaju (Rs. 200).
In this cup, you can see the scoops of Mango and Raspberry Heaven.
Reminiscing the flavours of good old karthakolomban, the Mango one was simply a delight. With a swirl of sourness running through its yellow-coloured, silky-like texture, we enjoyed catching a gentle whiff of half-riped mangoes in it. This one is actually sourer than the one we tried last year, so it's even better now.
What was introduced as a seasonal treat last year, Raspberry Heaven is now a permanent resident on Jolly's menu. Tarty, yet fruity, it's infused with genuine Raspberry jam, which has added so much depth to the flavours going on here.
Standing left, you have the Salted Pani Kaju. This is one of the many examples of how Jolly's excels at Lankanising the Western ice cream flavours.
Pani Kaju is a beloved sweet treat for us Lankans. Roast peanuts, smothered with honey, and frozen, it's a delight to munch on. The Salted Pani Kaju is Jolly's take on the Salted Caramel, and that includes bits of pani kaju, embedded in its buttery texture, with ripples of salt flavour evenly dispersed through it. The crunch added by the pani kadju bits made this even more interesting.
Next to that, you have the Blueberry Heaven. We've been a fan of their Blueberry Heaven since the first time we tried it. Boasting rich notes of natural blueberries, it's the perfect unification of sweet and sour flavours.
This is the Tinkiri, yet another very Lankan ice cream you can get here. It's a very nostalgic flavour too, I must say. Resembling the flavours of those milky 5 rupee ice packets we used to gorge on when we were kids, it's made with Milkmaid.
Service & Ambience
If you happen to drop by during the presence of Fazir (the owner), you are in luck. He'll take you through all the flavours they've got, and help you pick the best flavours that suit your palate. Anyway, at any time, they'd let you sample the flavours before purchasing them, which is quite convenient.
Unfortunately, I don't have a good picture of the ambience, so let me paint a word picture. The interior has this charming blue-white theme going on, giving out some cosy, ice cream parlour vibe. Only indoor seating is available at the moment, but soon enough, there will be outdoor seating too, as well as another space for you to host private sundae parties. How cool is that?
The view here is on par with the deliciousness of the ice cream they serve. The beach strip of Marine Drive comes with beautiful sunsets, and you can catch a glimpse of that as you indulge in your ice cream. Or a breath of sea breeze, if you prefer to sit outside.
Conclusion
Lankanising the Western flavours of ice cream is tricky business, but Jolly's does a hella good job at that. Their takeaway outlets still exist in Dehiwala Arpico and Hi-Life Battaramulla, and you might run into them in future food festivals too. But we are more than happy that they've made their way to a super-central location, while being consistently good at what they do.
