After Delay, ‘Sam’s Fried Ice Cream’ Flagship Opens on Orchard Street This Weekend
The opening of Sam’s Fried Ice Cream on Orchard Street has been delayed another two weeks.
Last month, we noted the arrival of branded signage at 37 Orchard Street, former home of vintage purveyor La Petite Mort. Initial launch had been pegged at April 2, but failed to materialize. Reason given – inspections.
“Sorry for the change, as we still waiting for one permit and inspection,” management explained to fans in a recent Facebook update. “Hopefully this will be our set grand opening date.”
Fried ice cream is a dessert fashioned from a breaded scoop of ice cream that is flash-fried into a crispy treat.
Sam’s Fried Ice Cream began six years ago as a food vendor in Manhattan street fairs. They later expanded to a stall in the Jamaica Market. The space at 37 Orchard Street is the first true standalone brick-and-mortar location for the business, and the Queens outpost won’t survive the expansion.
As previously noted, this area of the Lower East Side/Chinatown is highly competitive for ice cream. Five such establishments operate within a short six-block walk – Celsius, 10Below, Soft Swerve, New Territories, and relative geezer Melt Bakery.