Ice Cream Review: The Dolly Llama - Los Angeles

I'm holding a bubble waffle Dolly's Dream - cookie monster ice cream, chocolate sauce, brownie, strawberries, and whipped cream!

Alpaca Your Bags (and Your Spoon!): A Quirky Ode to Dolly Llama Ice Cream

Is your mouth watering yet? Mine was as I was handed the delicious Dolly Llama “cone” above!

Let's be honest, the ice cream scene is saturated. Every corner boasts artisanal swirls, gourmet toppings, and flavors that sound like they belong in a Michelin-star restaurant (lavender-infused goat cheese with black truffle dust, anyone?). But sometimes, you just want something… different. Something with a touch of whimsy, a sprinkle of fun, and maybe, just maybe, a hint of llama magic. Enter: Dolly Llama Ice Cream.

Now, I know what you're thinking: "Llamas and ice cream? Is this some kind of fever dream?" Fear not, dear reader, for Dolly Llama is not some hallucination brought on by excessive sugar consumption (though that is a distinct possibility after a visit). It's a real, tangible, and utterly delightful ice cream experience that I'm here to wholeheartedly endorse.

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Let’s start with some fun facts of why we at the Sweetest Escapes and Dolly Llama get along… we both love travel and ice cream (but I mean, really, who doesn’t?):

1. Belgium OG Liege waffles served - I’ll explain more later…

2. Hong Kong-style crispy on the outside and soft on the inside Bubble Waffles 

3. The Dolly Llama sent two employees and chefs to Belgium to learn how to craft the perfect OG Liege waffles 

4. The name 'The Dolly Llama' comes from co-founder Samuel Baroux who was in the South of France and met a real-life llama named Dolly and just fell in love with the weirdness of naming a shop after the llama. MY FAVORITE FACT!

Dolly Llama logo - Sherman Oaks location is now closed :(

Why should you ditch the predictable and embrace the llama-licious? Let me break it down:

• The Names are Pure Genius: Forget boring vanilla and mundane chocolate. At Dolly Llama, you're ordering things like "Salted Caramel Swirl," "Cookie Monster," and "Matcha Made in Heaven." Okay, those might sound normal, but they have unique twists. The names on the menu themselves are fun and quirky. It's like they hired a poet laureate of puns to craft their flavor descriptions. It's an experience just reading the menu!

Dolly Llama Menu

More reasons…

• It's an Instagram Dream: Let's be real, we all secretly (or not-so-secretly) love a good photo op. Dolly Llama understands this. Their shops are designed to be utterly charming, often featuring, you guessed it, llama-themed decor. Think pastel colors, quirky artwork, and maybe even a plush llama or two hanging around. Your Instagram feed will thank you.

• The Ice Cream is Actually Amazing: All the quirky branding in the world wouldn't matter if the ice cream wasn't up to snuff. Thankfully, Dolly Llama delivers. They use high-quality ingredients and create unique and delicious flavors. It's not just a gimmick; it's genuinely good ice cream.

• It's a Mood Booster: Walking into Dolly Llama is like entering a tiny pocket of pure joy. The vibrant colors, the playful atmosphere, and the promise of delicious ice cream are guaranteed to put a smile on your face. It's the perfect antidote to a bad day, a mid-afternoon slump, or, let's be honest, any time you just need a little bit of happiness.

Dolly Llama Ice Cream options

How to build a yummy concoction? Well, let’s pick an ice cream base and a cup or cone (always pick the bubble waffle) and then sprinkle toppings to your heart’s content!

Fan that fresh bubble cone! Don’t let the ice cream melt!

Ice Cream Artist at work!

AND TA DAAAAAAAA!

The llama is having an OG Liege waffle with caramel salted ice cream!

The llama above is having an OG Liege waffle with caramel salted ice cream! What the heck is that? The Liège waffle is one of the two main types of waffles that originated in Belgium. Known for its rich sticky texture, its unmatched flavor and caramelized finish are what make it so unique.

My only word of warning: Be prepared for a sugar rush. And maybe a slight obsession with llamas. But hey, there are worse things in life, right?

So, next time you're craving a sweet treat, skip the usual suspects and head straight for Dolly Llama. You won't regret it. Just remember to alpaca your spoon! (I couldn't resist.)

P.S. If you see a real llama wandering around the shop, please alert the authorities. That's probably not supposed to happen.

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Another scoop please!