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I can't say that I've had frozen custard in too many places but my favorite is Abbott's in the Rochester, NY area. I was there for a summer internship a few years ago and was constantly craving it.

baked in red hook has a lovely malted milk cupcake. super moist cake, not too big and light, butter cream frosting. yum!

I've had astoundingly good ones at Los Primos on Grand St. near Graham Ave. in Williamsburg. It can be inconsistent, but when it's on, it's on. And, at $3.75, you can afford a clunker every once in a while.

Hello everybody.
I live 50 meters (ops that's 170 feet) away from the first Grom gelateria that was opened in 2003. The success here is really astonishing and, even if Turin is quite small and has 2 groms, the line from April to September forces you to wait 20 minutes.
The specialty for this month here is Cioccolato Bianco (White Chocolate) and I hope you have tasted it because it's heaven.
I've noticed some of you complain about prices but I can tell you that Grom prices are little over the average also here. For a big cone (not the extra size that doesn't exist in Italian stores) it's 4 dollars. Don't be scrooge or too careful about your waist line and add the whipped cream too (if available). It's incredibile!
Given that there are many gelaterias in Turin, there is a challenghe among the competitors and for example Grom hasn't the best Stracciatella flavour or Pistacchio for this city.
I am really honored by the fact you appreciated the (although pricey) Grom gelato because it means you are really good judges. The Grom project is really impressive because they have followed the Italian way of running business, which is based only on Quality and Simpleness. And yes you pay the premium price for that.
Be aware Illy and Lavazza are going to export the real Italian cafeteria model abroad so that you will taste something better than the bad copy of Italian cafés. That's Starbucks.

For smoked fish, I prefer Barney Greengrass to Russ & Daughters.....in the mid 80's on Amsterdam.

I agree with you, Jack. Cibao's Cuban is solid. I can't believe Cibao hasn't been forced out by the landlord.

Gem Spa's egg creams were still good as of a year ago, although I agree that drinking it from a take-away cup somehow detracts from the experience. Although they're not the very best I've ever had, they're good enough that I'm always sure to stop for one if I happen to be in the neighborhood.

I got an egg cream at Eisenberg's once and didn't like it--but I love that place otherwise and I'm willing to give 'em the benefit of the doubt and try again next time I'm there. I'll have to try one at Sarge's sometime, too.

I've been making egg creams at home for some time now and I actually prefer mine to any I've been able to buy in recent years. A soda siphon is essential, you can't get it frothy enough using store-bought seltzer. In a 16-oz. glass, I use about 4 oz. of milk and roughly 3 TBL of Kosher-for-Passover U-Bet. (Vary amounts depending on your taste). I add the milk, then the spoon, spritz in the seltzer forcefully till the foam almost reaches the top of the glass, add syrup, follow with one more quick spritz of seltzer, then stir with an up-down paddling motion (keeping the spoon at the bottom of the glass).

Honestly, I think part of the reason most egg creams seem like a letdown (to a greater or lesser extent) is because it's more than just a soft drink, it's a totem of a New York that doesn't really exist anymore. Maybe the disappointment we feel is something more than what seltzer, syrup and milk can fix.

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It was excellent!
THANKS!
And I saw others eating their Summer Peach custards with a dreamy far-away look in their eyes...
Oh the line was not bad at all

After work today, while waiting for some Korean fried chicken at Bonbon, I stopped by Soda Shop for an egg cream. The soda girl grabbed a cup and disappeared off into the back and returned, having filled it half-way with milk. Three pumps of vanilla syrup later, I thought we were off to a pretty good start. Then she hit the seltzer tap- which dripped out a pathetic stream of barely fizzy soda water. I didn't say anything. There was a bit of froth at the top, and she seemed to be satisfied with her creation, so I figured this must be how they make them here. I took a sip and my tongue confirmed what was visually obvious, the egg cream just wasn't fizzy enough. The flavor was good- not too sweet, and full of vanilla goodness. I missed the beautiful head of cream that can be found in the little plastic cup egg creams served at that newspaper stand on Avenue A, reported in Ed's orginal book, New York Eats. Very disappointing. By the way, the fried chicken at Bonbon is NOTHING to go out of your way for. The "spicy" sauce chicken strips tasted more like Frank's Red Hot sauce than anything remotely Asian. The batter was light and crispy, but I was hoping for a more interesting flavor- very boring indeed.

Sammy's Roumanian makes the best I've had in New York. Seltzer from a gas bottle, icy cold milk (important!) and U-bet from a glass jar -a rarity these days. They are also excellent at mixing, creating a huge head.

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