Fentons Creamery Strawberry Sorbet: Before I left the East Bay, I wanted to try the ice cream at Fentons Creamery, an Oakland institution that opened its doors back in 1894. It's a classic family-friendly diner, like what you would imagine Friendly's was like before it became a national franchise. The ice cream flavors are, for the most part, traditional Americana, with flavors like heath bar, cookies 'n cream, and rocky road. Sitting down with my cup of raspberry sorbet, I overheard another patron, cone-in-hand, reprimanding his partner for contributing to "landfill" with her plastic spoon. As I dug into the icy and very sweet sorbet with my own spoon, I felt a sudden sense of sadness at leaving this highly-opinionated, crunchy community, only to realize that I am in fact just joining another one just like it. To be honest, the sorbet was not that good, mostly due to the inconsistent texture, but abiding by the bylaws of California cuisine, it probably consisted of just two ingredients: fresh strawberries and simple syrup. For those who are more likely to order vanilla and chocolate than ube and pandan, Fentons Creamery will continue to be a classic neighborhood spot – as it should be. 2.5/5.0

oakland sf icecream fentonscreamery strawberry sorbet 2.5