Monday, March 29, 2010

Restaurant Review: The Sno-Cone Wagon Outside Unclaimed Carpet

I think in my next life I'm going to be not a food critic again, but the operator of a sno-cone wagon. Today's visit to the sno-cone wagon that can be found on the sidewalk in front of Unclaimed Carpet convinced me of that. For one thing, the profits must be phenomenal! I mean, basically you're selling frozen water with syrup poured on it. So a sno-cone wagon may be in my future. And how often can you say that!After wandering in a stupor through the aisles and aisles of Unclaimed Carpet, numbed by the smell of carpet padding and dizzied by the carpet rolls that towered above me, I was in the mood for lunch. And what better way to satisfy your appetite than a sno-cone?First, let me describe the cart. This stainless-steel sno-cone wagon draws in the eye like a Venus Fly-Trap. The white powder finish, combined with the charming bicycle wheels, made me feel that I had been transported to a childhood beach. It was 1974 again, AM radio had gone completely insane, and 7up ads were everywhere. The perfect day for a sno-cone!After being magnetized by the wagon, I next spoke with the owner/operator of the wagon, "Mr. Phelps." "What are you having?" he asked. Let me tell you, the variety of sno-cone flavors is phenomenal. After looking through a thick binder of plastic sheets listing the thousands of flavors, I finally settled on Lime.How shall I describe the sno-cone? Oddly, it isn't precisely a cone. And it isn't literally made of snow. But, as they say, it is what it is. While the ice was a bit occluded, and I suspected the water was not fresh from a spring but perhaps had gushed from a garden hose, I did find the Lime syrup to be piquant and intriguing. In fact, I bought a jug of it to bring home with me. I think I'll pour a glass of it right now!Overall, my visit to the Sno-Cone wagon was exactly what it needed to be. Though it may not have been the finest sno-cone I've ever had, the Lime cone was cold, syrupy, and solid. The service, as performed by the indefatigable Mr. Phelps, was exemplary. All in all, a good experience, especially after the confusion and exhaustion of shopping at Unclaimed Carpet. And so I award the Sno-Cone wagon Three Ice Shavers!

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