Thursday, August 2, 2012

Jaxson's Ice cream Parlor a SOFLA tradition ... but


Jaxson's Ice Cream Parlor and Restaurant
128 S. Federal Hwy.
Dania, FL 
954-923-4445

By Jane Feehan

It’s been years and years since I last visited the iconic Jaxson’s Ice Cream Parlor and Restaurant. When I heard on national news that their ice cream truck was stolen (and not found as of this writing), I returned.

South Florida fans of Jaxson’s (open since 1956) are a dedicated bunch so what I’m about to say may sound, well … almost blasphemous. Gone was the ice cream parlor ambiance; it was replaced with a roadside tourist trap look with its hanging license plates, silly road signs, a gift shop with barrels of candy, and most telling of all – an automated gypsy fortune teller in a box. This is the stuff of boardwalk amusements and joints between New York and Florida off I-95 beckoning travelers with a host of silly reasons. (For a mere buck, the gypsy spewed out a card that read  I am about to meet a blonde Pisces; I hope it’s a guy.)

That fortune was better than the lunch. A hot chicken sandwich with peppers and onions, though plentiful was just so so. A bar-b-que pork sandwich was tough. We ordered onion rings. Ordinary and obviously out of a freezer bag. We should have skipped sandwiches and ordered sundaes. Watching our waist lines, we bypassed the jumbo ice cream creations ($10 and up) and settled for a bowl each though that is what people love this place for – the humongous sundaes and spectacular toppings.

 It could be said that Jaxson’s excels in presenting ordinary food in extraordinary ways. Onion rings were
delivered on a miniature wire airplane with sides of dip. Even a scoop of ice cream ($6.75) arrives with flair. Ice cream is house made, they say, and there are loads of flavors, but it’s not particularly good. I prefer more butterfat …

With all that said, Jaxon’s is a fun place; kids, even adult ones, enjoy it. A takeout window is available if you’re in a hurry and not interested in the indoor hype. Part of the South Florida experience, Jaxson’s is also a piece of its history. Copyright © 2012. All rights reserved. Jane Feehan.


Tags: Ice cream parlor, South Florida restaurants, giant sundaes,