Gloved hands pull down on the side lever, and the machine chortles and chokes. A wave of nitrogen gas waterfalls over the edges of the bowl.
At the same time, beaters twirl and spin the liquid as the nitrogen freezes the mixture into perhaps the freshest ice cream you’ve ever had.
In front of you, the ice cream technician delicately drizzles caramel and places a pretzel on top of the concoction. A liquid went in, a frozen dessert came out.
This is the Ice-Cream Lab, the newest dessert boutique addition to Beverly Hills’ growing population of sweet attractions.
Ice-Cream Lab was co-founded in December by UCLA alumnus Joseph Lifschutz as a new kind of ice cream parlor: Liquid nitrogen is used to freeze the cream on the spot for made-to-order creations.
In the midst of chic Beverly Hills, the feel of the shop is distinctly urban. The Lab is a departure from the pristine and upscale shopping destinations that surround it on Santa Monica Boulevard. It’s the prices that remind you that you’re just a stone’s throw away from Rodeo Drive.
Walking in, the color blue invades your senses. It’s a neon electric blue: not comforting but exciting. Lifschutz and his co-founder, Tommy Ngan, designed the concept for the Lab, jumping off of the liquid nitrogen process that makes their ice cream different.
“I wanted to keep the fresh, hip feel and make it unique from Beverly Hills,” Lifschutz said.
The entirety of the left wall is a graffiti mural made by Los Angeles-based artist Man One. It looks to be a mad scientist in his laboratory, underscoring the approach the Lab takes to the ice cream trade.
“I think the older generation likes the store and understands it because it reminds them of the slow-churned ice cream they used to have,” said Seema Vohra, co-owner and creative director.
Of course, while the process might echo old-school techniques, it’s not exactly “slow”-churned: the process is virtually instantaneous, taking about three minutes.
The on the spot process makes the ice cream fresh, but Ice Cream Lab also partners up with local farmers markets to buy all organic, raw, and local ingredients.
Lifschutz graduated from UCLA in 2009 after studying economics and public policy. He said he always knew that he wanted to have his own start-up.
By December, he and his childhood best friend Tommy Ngan had founded the company. Their Beverly Hills location opened in March of this year.
“It was about finding a niche where I felt there weren’t enough players in the space to fill the void. It was an opportunity that presented itself, and I jumped on it,” he said.
So what’s the next opportunity for the business? An Ice-Cream Lab truck, which is planned to launch this summer to serve the thirsty citizens of a sweaty Los Angeles summer.
Written by Joy Jacobson