By DENALI BOLLENS
Staff Writer
Stax Cookie Bar is a brand new ice cream sandwich store at the University Town Center. The cookies are freshly served straight out of Stax’s ovens each day. For those who are looking for healthier options to regular cookies, Stax’s cookies can be impressively made with either organic or gluten-free flour. In addition, Stax offers vegan cookies and non-dairy ice cream for those with diet restrictions. Not only does Stax serve the famous classic cookie flavors such as chocolate chip and snickerdoodle, but it also offers a unique and diverse selection of cookies including sesame green tea, orange pistachio chia, maple bacon, root beer float, oatmeal pecan and gluten-free coconut chocolate chip.
At Stax, customers can customize their own ice cream sandwich by picking from any two cookies and one flavor of ice cream. With over 4,000 combinations to choose from, customization possibilities are difficult but exciting to make. Stax offers a rotating selection of 16 ice cream flavors, including mint and chip, pistachio, cookies and cream, licorice and taro. In addition to offering delicious ice cream sandwiches, Stax also serves signature desserts such as Affogatos, which are expressos over ice cream.
The first time I went to Stax, I ordered a chocolate chip cookie sandwich with cookies and cream ice cream. I was impressed with the freshness of the cookie, but was slightly disappointed with the ice cream itself. The ice cream seemed to have been sitting outside all day; it lacked the thick and creamy texture that other ice creams normally have. The taste of my sandwich itself, however, was unique and more than satisfied my sweet tooth.
Meleeka Akbarpour (Sr.) said, “Though the cookies were delicious, they became soggy when eaten with the ice cream in between. The first few bites of the sandwich were good, but then it started falling apart because the ice cream began to melt.” The regular cookie sandwich sells at $4.05, a reasonable and affordable price considering each customer gets two cookies and ice cream for a standard order.
In regards to my overall experience with the store and customer service in Stax, I enjoyed that the ice cream sandwich shop has a welcoming vibe with friendly workers and bright, interesting décor on the walls. The small and cozy store has had decently long lines due to its recent opening. Many University High School (UHS) students have enjoyed Stax’s desserts during lunch or after school this week, as Stax is conveniently located near UHS.
Sydney Schneider (Sr.) said of her experience in the store, “I love eating my sandwich inside Stax and listening and dancing to the music.”
Though some people might be overwhelmed by the sweetness of the ice cream sandwiches, those who are craving desserts should try the new store for the unique menu and experience.