Ruby Jewel

Ruby Jewel is an ice cream shop on North Mississippi Ave. in Portland, Oregon. Lisa Herlinger ("the creator") and Becky Burnett (managing partner) have been serving handmade ice cream and ice cream sandwiches to happy customers since 2007.

Flavors for September 27, 2011

I stopped by in late September for a cool treat -- even though it had been raining that day. Ruby Jewel felt extremely spacious because it didn't have much in it to begin with -- namely just a couple of tables and chairs for customers.

I started by sampling their Caramel with Salted Dark Chocolate, one of their most popular flavors. I really enjoyed that salty-sweet balance, and the ice cream itself was on the softer side, a big positive (who wants to bite into ice cream as hard as a rock?).

Next up was the Honey Lavender, and I immediately christened that as the flavor to get. The sweetness of the honey livened the lavender up nicely without overwhelming the palate. A vibrant, uplifting feeling, if there ever was one.

You can get a cone, a cup, or an ice cream sandwich. On top of that, you can even make your own ice cream sandwich combination. I got one of Ruby Jewel's more popular ice cream sandwiches: honey lavender ice cream sandwiched between two lemon cookies ($4). I opted for a freshly made sandwich instead of the pre-made version. The pre-made sandwich has solid ice cream, and I prefer the soft, velvety ice cream any day.

Honey Lavender Ice Cream Sandwich with Lemon Cookies (Ruby Jewel)

The lemon cookies provided enough structural support to hold the soft ice cream inside. The mild lemony flavor complemented the honey lavender ice cream very well. For about four minutes, I waged war with time on eating this ice cream sandwich; I didn't want my lovely midday dessert to fully melt or get on my clothes. I guess if there's anything to nitpick on, I'd want more original flavors to choose from.

As I paid for my order, I noticed Ruby Jewel's "Wall of Fame." When I inquired about it, I was told it was just a place for people to put their pictures up...no challenges or anything of that sort.

A "Wall of Fame" in Ruby Jewel's?

Ruby Jewel sells all their ice cream flavors by the pint, and you can even find their ice cream sandwiches throughout the United States...that's right folks, it's not just limited to Oregon! But because they just have one scoop shop (in Oregon), I'm calling this a local establishment.

Get a few pints of Ruby Jewel ice cream, or get some ice cream sandwiches (bottom)

To me, it doesn't matter if it's a hot summer day or a dreary winter night. Ruby Jewel is an excellent place to go for a great scoop of ice cream. But don't pass up their killer ice cream sandwiches, either! 8.25/10