One warm summer night in Nice, France after a relaxing day of sunbathing, I stumbled upon a charming gelato stand, surrounded by a horde of eager locals. It was the creamiest, most pungent, and most flavorful gelato I had ever tasted. Juicy flavors like rose and lychee bursted smoothly in my mouth as I savored every sweet, fragrant bite. The mouth-watering essence of rose and lychee that I tasted that night have haunted me for years. Ever since, I have been on a search for the perfect ice cream or gelato and have been disappointed almost every time. I longed for the velvety texture, and perfect flavor of the sweet frosty treat I had in Nice.

 When Ici opened up a few months ago in Berkeley, California, I knew I had to try it. The ice cream shop was opened in August by former Chez Panisse pastry chef Mary Canales. The décor of the shop is feminine, adorable, and inviting. Warm pastels and sweet glass trays covered with home made cookies and candies adorn the shop. Daily ice cream flavors written in cursive are framed and hung with ribbon on the walls. The old fashioned glass case whimsically displays daily scoops of ice cream, ice cream bars, and sorbet bombs. Imaginative flavors such as rose, purple grape, black mission fig, caramel and ginger are just a few of their daily changing flavor options.

 I tried a lemon ice cream sandwich with ginger snap cookies. It had the perfect amount of refreshing, tangy lemon to compliment the sweet, gingery cookies. The caramel ice cream is wonderful paired with one of their buttery cardamom cookies. The ice cream here is flawlessly sweetened, perfectly textured, and wonderfully flavored. With every bite you get a complete taste of the freshness of the fruit and the absolute essence of the flavor.

 The portions are small and the prices are a bit on the expensive side at $3.50 for a scoop and $4.25 for a sandwich, but it is well worth it. Ici also has a selection of coffee drinks, fruit sodas, and other treats to tantalize your taste buds.