It seems like all of the buzz lately has been all about frozen yogurt places like Spoonlickers and Pump House, but sometimes just plain old ice cream can be tastier, and more exciting, than that cliche frozen yogurt shop with a toppings bar. A delicious example is Coldstone in Celebration Cinema North. Coldstone expertly weaves a traditional ice cream shop feel with an innovative approach that adds some flair and excitement to the often overplayed world of ice cream.

Right when I walked in, I could tell that I had made the right choice in my dessert choice for the night, just because of the numerous bowls of toppings laid before me, the aroma of chocolate ice cream in the air, and the friendly face that stood behind the counter. I wasn’t too hungry, so I ordered a “like it” size (another cool thing about Coldstone: they ditch the standard small. medium, and large, and instead opt for “like it,” “love it,” and “gotta have it.”) Next came an deliciously difficult choice, my ice cream selection. I vacillated between chocolate and cookies in cream, but I had to stick with old faithful and went with chocolate ice cream. For the toppings, my head was almost spinning looking at the wide array of options, and I eventually chose oreos and cookie dough. We made our way to our small table, which was one of three in the cramped space. There were other Coldstone customers eating out at the tables in the movie theater lobby, which provides a necessary escape from the close quarters of the Coldstone space itself.

I have to say that I ate the entire thing in probably thirty seconds. I had been craving some chocolate, and it really hit the spot. It was delicious, and I was a little proud of my above average topping selection, which added to the enjoyment.

Coldstone definitely flies under the radar because of its funky location in the movie theater, but I would strongly suggest checking it out next time you catch a movie or hit Buffalo Wild Wings around the corner. The combination of innovative topping choices and classic ice cream flavor cannot be beat, even by a fancy yogurt machine and a bar of fat free toppings.