Sameh Wadi Opening Ice Cream Shop: Milkjam

How to pick a Minnesotan out of a wintry crowd: we're the ones ordering the ice cream. Now, Sameh Wadi, the chef and owner of Saffron, World Street Kitchen and author of The New Mediterranean Table has given us another reason to look forward to our longest season. That is when he will open the doors to a new ice cream shop right next to the Lyn/Lake location of WSK.

Stephanie March of Mpls./St. Paul magazine got the literal scoop. Wadi says that the shop will be the fulfillment of a life-long dream for the lactose-intolerant chef. (Seems like an unlikely dream for a cream-averse person, but he's a man unafraid of seeming contradictory.) The creative flavors teased included an all-natural pistachio, burnt milk, smoked marshmallow and more. There will also be other confections like ice cream sandwiches, sundaes and milkshakes. Plus, there will be vegan varieties.

The dream became reality when the retail space next to WSK became available. Demolition has begun and a late fall opening is predicted. Until then, there is the puffed wild rice adorned soft serve with which to bide our time.