In April 2001, Mumbai native Smita Salgaonkar started Neemo’s Exotic Ice Creams in her adopted home, northern Orange County, naming her operation for an amalgam of her daughters’ names. As a way of marketing her product in the Indian-American community of Artesia, aka Little India, she opened this stylish Indian ice cream parlor, named for the valuable spice that seasons several of her flavors.

The entrance to the strip mall that houses Saffron Spot is flanked by twin elephant statues. In India, elephants are considered good luck, especially when their trunks are raised.

Saffron Spot’s vivid interior features molded plastic chairs and an equally contemporary counter. There are also metal tables and chairs out on the sidewalk.

Saffron Spot produces 16 different flavors of ice cream per day, made with ingredients popular in India. The name of each flavor is written in marker on a popsicle stick and placed in every bin of ice cream.

The counterwoman was generous with free samples. I tried spoonfuls of Chikoo, Saffron Silk, Mango, Lychee, Kulfi (sweet milk) and Rajbhog, which sounds like a creature from “Lord of the Rings.” I ordered a small cup ($2.75), which fit two flavors. I had to order at least one saffron-based flavor, and I selected Saffron Silk, featuring “the world’s priciest spice,” rose and pistachios. For my second flavor, I chose Chikoo, aka sapodilla, a fruit similar to a sweet brown-skinned pear. I have happy memories of gorging on fresh chikoo in Singapore, and it’s scarce Stateside, so it was an easy choice. Both flavors were creamy, and it was obvious that top-flight ingredients were utilized.

Allison ordered half portions of mango and Rajbhog – saffron, pistachios, cashews, almonds and cardamom. Mango was one of the few flavors that I’ve seen elsewhere, but it still had highly-concentrated flavor.

Saffron Spot sold plenty of other compelling items, including fresh sugar cane juice; Masala Milk – milk flavored with a blend of saffron, pistachios, almonds and cardamom; and Falooda – noodle sundaes with takmaria (basil seeds) and a choice of kulfi, rose milk or saffron milk ice cream. I will definitely return to partake in those delights.

Related Posts

1. Rajdhani – Artesia, CA – January 27, 2007
2. Surati Farsan Mart – Artesia, CA – March 8, 2008
3. Ashoka the Great – Artesia, CA – July 1, 2006
4. The Spot – New Haven, CT – Saturday, April 19, 2008
5. Mashti Malone’s – Hollywood, CA – February 14, 2008

This entry is filed under California, Ice Cream/Gelato Parlor, Indian, Orange County, Southern California.