ICE CREAM in New York: Bad Habit

SADLY, BAD HABIT IS NOW CLOSED.

Kids can always smell out an ice cream shop. The first time I visited Caleta, I was amazed at how many kids tried to drag their parents into the shop from the street.

The things is, this doesn’t look like an ice cream shop. When they first opened, the ice cream shop only operated during limited afternoon hours for pints. Bad Habit was the ice cream brand created by a restaurant couple in their Brooklyn apartment and it operated inside Caleta, their evening tapas bar. The place definitely looked more like a wine bar than a scoop shop

Caleta has since closed and Bad Habit is the main tenant at the shop on Avenue A at the moment. Although it was recently announced that Bad Habit will be closing since the couple are leaving the city and heading west.

This is not the first time I am posting a review of a pretty great East Village spot just weeks before they close.

But for archival purposes and for those who want to try them in the next few weeks, I present my official review.

Their menu is full of unique flavors and I sampled two for scientific research, of course.

Recently I made my own Purple Potato Ice Cream and decided to add marshmallows, which my wife thought was a strange combination,. I felt justified when I saw Bad Habit selling an Ube Ice Cream with Toasted Marshmallows. Great minds.

Their version was silky and smooth with a subtle flavor of smoke and sweetness.

The Mint Straciatella took a second or two to open up but there were nice fresh mint notes and hits of bitter chocolate.

For my full scoop, I went with their Vietnamese Coffee, which was very interesting. What struck me the most was the chewy texture. It reminded me a bit of booza or Turkish ice cream. It was not an unpleasant or icy chewy, but it was a bit gummier than I had anticipated. I didn’t dislike it, although I imagine it was loaded up with emulsifiers.

The coffee flavor was nice and roasted. It did not take long for me to chew the entire thing down.

I highly recommend Bad Habit for adult ice cream lovers and no doubt kids will track it down too. Just be sure to do it before they close for good on July 14.