Yes, its finally here. The end of 2016? Nah, its a review of Ice Cream Jubilee! You’ve seen my Facebook collages, you’ve seen my incessant tweets, you know how much I love this ice cream shop. It is my favorite place on the planet (yes Creighton friends, better than eCreamery!!!). Get ready for a sappy and emotional review featuring tons mediocre iPhone photography of my ice cream. We’re going to end 2016 on a beautiful note here at aditi eats.
Ice Cream Jubilee is a (you guessed it!) an ice cream shop in Washington D.C. Victoria Lai is a Chinese American lawyer who moved to D.C. to accept her dream job as a presidential appointee at the Department of Homeland Security. On weeknights and weekends she was living out her creative side by making ice cream, a passion rooted in her love for ice cream as a child. Ultimately, she turned her side hobby into a full-fledged ice cream shop, with the first location at Navy Yard.
Clearly, this is a combination of my favorite things: lady power, ice cream, Asian American representation, ice cream, feminism, and ice cream.
I first went to ICJ in June of 2015. My new intern friends and I were in the mood for ice cream, and we took a walk to this place. I was instantly in love. I got a punch card that day, and by the end of my two months I had been there 10 times – and got a free 2-scoop waffle cone at the end of the summer.
What compels people to keep visiting are the inventive and well-executed flavors. Their lineup is far from boring and caters to a variety of tastes and preferences. They’re in the sweet spot of being palatable for basically everyone. They have your basic vanillas, chocolates, and mint chips, the creative sorbets like passionfruit guava, and boozy flavors like Gin and Tonic and Banana Bourbon Carmel. There is something for everyone.
*Drum roll please*…..Behold…..my top 5 ICJ flavors!
- Passionfruit Guava Sorbet: Yes I know, its not an ice cream. But its really the best sorbet ever invented.
- Coconut Lychee Lime: Hands down, the best summer flavor. So refreshing with the right balance of sweet and icy.
- Thai Iced Tea: Tastes just link the yummy drink. They steep the leaves directly into the cream, the flavor is on point.
- Banana Bourbon Caramel: Ripe bananas, a (hint) of bourbon, and a ribbon of caramel. Satisfies any craving.
- Salty Apple Cinnamon: I’m a sucker for any apple flavor, especially one that has apple bits and is even remotely reminiscent of pie.
Every friend I have taken to ICJ loves it. Either that, or they’re just lying to make me happy, either way, its fine. My test for new friendships: if you can’t find something at ICJ that you like, especially after sampling some flavors, we can’t be friends. I don’t trust you ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
The service is consistently great. The staff is always happy, upbeat, and very patient with patrons who like to try every flavor before making a decision. Aka me. For my birthday, I bought two pints of ICJ ice cream and stuck candles in them – they even tweeted Happy Birthday to me!
My favorite is to go to ICJ at night. A few steps outside and behind the shop is the waterfront of the Anacostia river and part of Yard park. In the summer, it is beautiful to sit outside and enjoy your ice cream with the breeze of the river and the reflection of the lights on the water.
ICJ’s location at Water Street was so successful, they opened up a new location on T and 14th, near the bustling U St area. I’ve tried out this location as well, its a bit smaller and lacks the beautiful view, but its located in a great area to gain new customers.
At the end of the day, Ice cream makes me happy, and Ice Cream Jubilee has consistently made me happy. There’s something to be said for a restaurant that makes you feel good, whether it be the atmosphere, the service, or the people you’re with, it has been special for me to visit D.C. and feel at home in such a busy city. *cue tears* I’ve made so many happy memories with friends and family at Ice Cream Jubilee, and I hope to do so for years to come.
The Bottom Line
Literally this is my favorite place on earth.
Cone Rating: 5 Cones!!! 
Price: $ (Under 5$)
Locations: Navy Yard and U St
On the Internet: ICJ Website, Twitter, and Yelp page
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