Temperatures are warming here in North Jersey and ice cream cravings are kicking into high gear (though, we won’t pretend our sweet tooth is seasonal). Montclair and its surrounding towns are no strangers to classic creameries: Holsten’s, Mark + Julie’s, and Guerriero Gelato are just a few of the many traditional ice cream shops we’re lucky to have nearby. But there’s a new ice cream shop coming to Bloomfield that’s serving up something different — or should we say, rolling up something different. East Orange resident Kitana James is venturing to open a Thai-style rolled ice cream shop in Bloomfield called Amai Ice Cream. The new spot will take over the currently vacant space at 625 Bloomfield Avenue and is set to open Saturday, May 13th. Read on for what we know about Amai Ice Cream, a Thai-style ice cream shop coming to Bloomfield, New Jersey.
(Photo Credit: Kitana James)
All About Amai Ice Cream
When East Orange resident Kitana James noticed a lack of ice cream options in her neighborhood, she didn’t run to the grocery store to stock up on name-brand options like most of us would’ve done. Instead, she took matters into her own hands, perfecting an ice cream recipe that satisfied her cravings and her creativity.
Read More: A Visit to Holsten’s — The Bloomfield Ice Cream Shop from The Sopranos
Being of Caribbean descent, Kitana drew influence from her family + her people to craft her creamy creations. She told The Montclair Girl that in her home country of St. Lucia, the community “loves liquor,” which inspired her to fuse her own ice cream with liquor. Her family taste-tested and fell in love with the recipe, and in no time, Kitana was hosting pop-up events throughout East Orange. She shared with MG that pop-up customers would frequently ask where her storefront was, which — coupled with the “pure enjoyment” on customers’ faces — inspired Kitana to open up her first brick-and-mortar location.
(Photo Credit: Kitana James)
Per Patch, the Bloomfield Center Alliance shared the news of Amai’s permanent storefront on Facebook, calling the ice cream shop “something new and different.” See the post below.
But Kitana describes Amai as “an experience,” one where customers will see the ingredients used to make their ice cream and watch their dessert be made in front of them, too. Kitana told MG that she uses fresh ingredients whenever she can: including fresh berries and a homemade vanilla extract.
As for the menu, Amai’s options will be unique as it is conceptually. Some highlights are the Cookie Monster (Chips Ahoy, Oreo, Chocolate sauce, and whipped cream), Strawberry Shortcake (strawberries, Teddy Grahams, lemon zest, and cake), and Home Sweet Home (brownie, milk/dark chocolate, and cookies), among others. Kitana plans to roll out a new flavor every month, with seasonal specials for holidays as well.
(Photo Credit: Kitana James)
Amai Ice Cream is set to open at 625 Bloomfield Avenue on Saturday, May 13th. Kitana shared with The Montclair Girl that if there are any setbacks, she will announce updates via her Instagram.
See More: Unique Ice Cream Spots in Hoboken + Jersey City
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