(mallardicecream.com) – Bellingham, Washington (Downtown)

How I heard of this place: When Bellingham’s first (from what I remember) local, freshly, hand-made ice cream spot graced the downtown streets, Mallard quickly became a well-known and remembered name! For over a decade, I have been enjoying their creative flavors and abundant taste…Enough to fill more than my share of punch cards.

Type of cuisine: Home-made, hand-crafted, local, organic and sustainable, creamy ice cream.

“Here at Mallard we hand craft ice cream with an emphasis on fresh, local, organic ingredients. What we do is deceptively simple, and while we do our best to stick to the basics, we encourage you to look around and see how we turn something simple into something blatantly superior.”

Ambiance: The new & improved setting is large and open, spacious with high ceilings and a garage-door laced with windows, warehouse style at the front (which can be opened during the warm summer days). Retro plastic furnishings in whites and reds, stainless steel counter tops and tables grace the space.

Games and local papers can be found at the front of the establishment to entertain customers as they enjoy their sweet, creamy treats. Pints are also available in the freezer for purchase (as are special-order pints, with your flavor of choice packed up while you wait). Set in the midst of a college town, Mallard has a young and vibrant vibe and creates an air of tasty comfort for patrons, old and young, happy or down, locals or guests.

What I ordered: Having a full punch card, I shared it with my friend and visitor to Bellingham, who was offered two scoops ($4.38) in a waffle cone ($0.35). He selected the Meyer Lemon ice cream, after a quick sample sealed the deal. The young lady behind the counter suggested Super Chocolate as a perfect combination, and he jumped on the offer! I sampled the coconut almond chocolate chunk, thinking it might be the winner of the free pint voucher I held in my hands, but we both felt it less exciting than compared to the other two flavors we were devouring.

On a return visit, Saturday, 1 November 2014: With ice cream fiend cousins in town, Mallard was a must! I sampled a handful of this season’s flavors, including a favorite Super Chocolate (a dark Belgian), Apple Pie, Mint Cheesecake, Coconut Chocolate Chunk with Almonds, Coconut Lime, SHC Cinnamon Crazy Now with Cookies, Sour Cream, Frankincense (a licorice, mint, Middle Eastern spice), Mint Oreo, Cookies & Cream, Olive Oil, and the non-dairy Cardamom Coconut Ice.  And that was a tough narrowed-down sampling!

What I loved: I loved the Super Chocolate most of the three flavors we tried on this visit. The Meyer Lemon was sweet and tart, creamy and decadent, but there was just something special about the dark, rich, creamy Super Chocolate.

Why I loved it: I love that the free cone from the punch card allows one to splurge with two scoops and a waffle cone! I love that the flavors at Mallard’s are creative, inspired and always fun to sample! I love the location, proximity to other shops and eateries, and a perfect stop while strolling downtown Bellingham.

Cost: High ($3-$5 for each scoop, plus)