Cauldron Ice Cream

Presentation matters. At a point when Orange County was becoming hugely oversaturated with new ice cream concepts – including Afters (stuff it in a donut), Drips (turn it into rolls), and others – Cauldron’s pitch was to use liquid nitrogen to theatrically make and freeze ice cream right in front of customers, serving it as scoops or rose-like flowers. Drizzles of honey, chocolate chips, and other garnishes optionally went on top, while mochi puffy waffles (puffles) could serve as flexible ice cream cones, completing desserts with hugely photogenic shapes. Limited coffee and tea options were also available.

While the nearly 15 ice cream flavors ranged from fine to good, their textures varied from soft to hard seemingly depending on your luck. Then the Irvine location’s service became problematic during the pandemic, leading to lots of complaints, and its eventual closure in 2021. In Orange County, only a Santa Ana location remains open as one of six total Cauldrons across two states, if the concept sounds interesting enough to check out in person.