Ah, Valentine’s Day. One can already taste the sweetness. The guys and gals are frantically searching for a date and/or gift. Restaurants are joyously penning in reservations and hiking up the menu prices in anticipation of the most romantic day of the year.
         Then it comes, and everything goes wrong. From the mismatched shirt and tie to the two-hour wait at the highly overrated restaurant to the midmeal spinach stuck between the teeth, your carefully planned romantic rendezvous has transformed into a two-hour long awkward and bitter date from–well, you know. But before you launch into that should-have-just-stayed-home-and-played-video-games mentality, keep in mind that there is still hope. You can still (maybe) score that highly anticipated good night kiss if you remember the two most heavenly words imaginable. Are you ready? You better write this down.
         Ice cream.
         Yes, ice cream–Mitchell’s Ice Cream, to be more specific. If you ask me, it is the true quintessential San Francisco treat. It is the creamiest, tastiest, most satisfying concoction ever to be mounted on a cone. Those who have been to Mitchell’s, a small but bustling ice cream shop located near SF’s Mission District, certainly count their blessings every day for being so fortunate as to live in such close vicinity to this delectable and unique oasis of frozen frivolity. For those of you who haven’t heard of it, what planet are you from? Did you grow up in a bomb shelter? Drop everything and go there now! It should be a crime to deprive yourself of such a convenient and palpable luxury.
         In additional to Mitchell’s satisfying variety of standard flavors to choose from, like good ol’ rocky road, vanilla bean, mocha fudge, and New York cherry, you can also try some of their seasonal creations, like peach (summer), pumpkin (fall and winter), and egg nog (winter). Those looking to watch their figures can make a selection from a list of sorbets. They also have a variety of tropical flavors, like ube, ginger, and macapuno.
         You can have your ice cream on a cone, in a cup, dipped in chocolate, or topped with a variety of gooey toppings. If you’ve got a mean appetite and a serious sweet tooth, I strongly recommend, my favorite, the ultimate indulgence-the three-scoop banana split.
         I stopped in last week and tried the new dulce de leche-a.k.a. caramel-and the words of Pooh’s friend Tigger came to mind when I described the experience: “absotively posolutely splenderifous!” Other winners are Chicago cheesecake, thin mint, green tea, and for those who enjoy the thought of getting tipsy but don’t particularly want to end up dancing on a table with microphone in hand on karaoke night at a bar, I strongly recommend Kahlua mocha cream.
         Eat Mitchell’s on Valentine’s Day. Eat it on a sweltering hot day, a chilly day, in the morning or at night. Don’t let the long line discourage you, either. It’s well worth the wait.
         Your date will thank you, and so will your tummy.