A Not-So-Sweet Treat

Rick Moonen, executive chef of the seafood eatery Restaurant RM in Las Vegas's Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino, lives for ice cream. Chocolate, however, he feels is overplayed. And vanilla? It's kind of . . . vanilla.

"Some people say 'yuck' and 'gross,' but other people love it," says chef Rick Moonen.

Moonen favors flavors with a little more bite: fava bean . . . spring pea . . . Thai basil . . . jalapeño.

And forget rainbow sprinkles: He dips his sea-urchin ice cream into caviar.

Moonen is a big believer in nonsweet ice creams. Why? Well, for one thing, it's a food that can make people appreciate flavors in completely new ways.

"Everyone knows the taste of black pepper, but when people taste it in ice cream, they can't figure out the flavor- it's familiar but different," he says. "I have the time of my life watching people try to guess what it is."

Usually, he'll give people a taste of a savory ice cream as a premeal amuse bouche.

"Sure, some people will say 'yuck' and 'gross,' when they try my flavors," he continues. "But other people love it."

In fact, some love it so much that they leave the restaurant pining for more. Those wanting to try these flavors at home can invest in their own ice cream maker or can blend custom flavors at eCreamery.com. There, you can combine two flavors, two toppings, and your choice of milk to create a custom treat that will be shipped to your door.

Want avocado and espresso ice cream? Cucumber and dill weed? They've done it. Creations often get topped off with cheese or sesame seeds. Sounds gross . . . but hey! It's ice cream! How bad can it be?

Want to experiment? Order the 16 ice cream tasting menu that's offered at Restaurant RM as a dessert option. The flavors rotate, but regulars include black truffle, corn, lobster roe, and tomato. Moonen's even offered foie gras ice cream ("But that was kind of gilding the lily," he says). Often, Moonen tells people that if they can correctly identify all 16 flavors, dessert's on him. "They almost never guess them all," he says. "But I usually buy it anyway, just because it's so much fun watching people try to guess."

Posted on May 15, 2006