Wanderlust Creamery — Restaurant in Irvine

I've been so ecstatic that Wanderlust finally opened a location in Orange County and that I no longer need to drive through horrible traffic in LA to taste their unique ice cream flavors. How often do you see ice cream flavors such as Japanese Neapolitan (matcha, hojicha and black sesame), Pandan Tres Leches or Ube Malted Crunch? They also have rotating seasonal flavors that you can check out on their Instagram or website. That being said, since it's the first location in Orange County, you bet that the wait time for ice cream can be long. If that's something you will mind, I would try to come visit during off hours.

|| L O C A T I O N / P A R K I N G || -Located in the plaza as Maji Curry, Stacked, Jamba Juice, Trader Joes and more. -Cross Streets are Culver Dr. and Walnut Ave. -Plenty of parking around 6:30pm on Friday night, you could always park near the bank to avoid a lot of in and out traffic within the plaza

|| I C E C R E A M || Single Scoop/Split Single Scoop: $6.50 Tasting Trio: $7.75

I opted for Tasting Trio and got the following flavors: Aussie Pavlova - loved this dairy free ice cream (plant based) containing passionfruit, raspberry and white chocolate. Perfect mixture of fruity and creamy flavors

Lychee and Hibiscus Berry Rose Jam - my favorite in my tasting trio. This was one of the july seasonal flavors that they still had in stock. Slight lychee taste but strong hibiscus flavor.

Spanish Gin & Tonic - Loved the strong gin & tonic flavor but I did wish it was a creamier texture. It did feel a lot more icy than creamy compared to the two other flavors that I had.

**I really wanted to try one of their August seasonal flavors, the Rose and White Peach, but it wasn't until I got to the sampling counter that I realized that it was not up for display. The workers had explained that the flavor was currently being recalled and would be back for purchase the following Monday. I wish there had been a note in the front when you're waiting in line that this flavor is currently unavailable. I would have chosen a backup flavor...

I say with the utmost sincerity that I do not write negative reviews for businesses more so write negative reviews out of spite. However, this particular situation has angered me to the point where I am driven to write this review.

Picture this, me, a mere young girl ravenous on the hunt for a sweet treat to satiate her craving for something on the sweeter side. I imagine the vast array of sweet treat options I have available to choose from, but I know my heart and hunger desires only one - Wander Lust Creamery’s crafted Abuelita Malted Crunch. Fueled by my desire and passion towards this flavor of ice cream, I race towards the establishment.

With $6.20 and a dream entailing me being able to savor the notes of chocolate cinnamon harmony, I enter Wanderlust Creamery. With no time to waste, I express my order to the workers. My ice cream is scooped, and my brain tickles with the excitement of receiving this dopamine in dairy form.

I preface to the worker upfront behind the cashier, “I only have $6.20 in my bank account right now. Can I go to my car to get 30 cents more?”. She eagerly agrees with no refutation. I go outside to my car and pluck out a crisp dollar bill to amend this situation at hand. I enter the establishment once again, and hand her the bill. Her once peppy smile and cheerful tone is replaced with a neutralized demeanor. She tells me, “Sorry we don’t accept cash.”

I was forced to drive 4 minutes away to the Bank of America ATM to deposit a singular bill. Not to mention the crazy intersection outside of that area that had me thinking I was in the hit mobile game “Crossy Road”. I came back and paid for my order, with no fuss being made.

Moral of this very long and descriptive story is please for the love of god and Chocolate Abuelita malted crunch, please please tell me you don’t accept cash in some flashy attention-catching manner or at least before someone runs to her car thinking that she has a chance at fulfilling her...

I didn't like ice cream growing up. It was too cold, hurt my teeth, and wasn't worth the digestive issues, since I'm lactose intolerant. That all changed when I discovered gourmet ice cream in the last couple of years. It's become one of my favourite desserts, and I come prepared with lactase tablets or just deal with the minor side effects.

Wanderlust is a game changer, and the Irvine location is the best! Their ever-evolving menu ensures there are always new tasty combinations to discover. I like how several of the flavours complement each other so well and I enjoy getting a split scoop or trio to sample a few together. The portion size is just right - enough to satisfy but not too much, and the dairy-free selection is amazing! One of the most extensive I've seen anywhere.

Facilities are small but cute and clean, and staff are friendly and offer a few free samples. The line for this location is long, and parking is scarce since it shares the same plaza as Omomo and Trader Joe's, but I've never not found a space. It's well worth the wait and price though for this...