Bites Nearby: Rita's Italian Ice

Usually, when I go to a restaurant, I like to change up my order. Sometimes I’ll get something I’ve had before, but I prefer to pay for a dish that will be something new.

However, when it comes to fast food and coffee runs (I maybe do too much of both), I hardly ever change my order. At Dunkin, it’s always a bottle of water and a muffin. At Wendy’s, a spicy chicken sandwich. At Subway, a six-inch turkey breast. If I’m feeling wild, I might opt for a different kind of bread.

And at , I always, always get either a mango ice or mint chocolate chip Misto.

However, as much as I love both my mango and my Misto, it’s been getting harder to ignore the new flavors and combinations that Rita’s has. It probably doesn’t help that, at any point between May and September, there’s bound to be a line of people in front of you trying to make the same commitment to a new flavor. Those lines mean more time second-guessing your order and dreaming up new favorite combinations.

If you’re like me, and you haven’t been able to commit to trying any new flavors for fear of leaving your old ones in the dust, check out my review below. I’ll give you the scoop (pun fully intended) on some of Rita’s newest flavors.

The Dishes: One Nilla wafer Blendini, one small cup each of Juicy Pear, Mango Peach and Butterscotch Krimpet ice.

What’s on the Plate: For this week’s Bites, it was more what was in the cup than on the plate. My Blendini had small bits of Nilla wafers sprinkled on top and blended into Rita’s vanilla custard. The rest of my sweet samples were strictly ice.

How’s it Taste: I’ve never been a huge fan of the Blendini, simply because I’ve always preferred to pledge my allegiance to Italian ice whenever I stop at Rita’s. But this week, when I was standing in line trying to decide between Juicy Pear and Green Apple, the list of Blendini mix-ins caught my eye. Reese’s Pieces, Heath Bar, M&Ms, Oreo bits, Nilla wafers…you can only resist the temptation for so long. My Nilla wafer/vanilla custard combo was sweeter than my usual ice treats, but not too sweet for me to finish, which I did in record time. Plus, the cookie/custard ratio was equal, meaning all the good stuff wasn’t just on top; the wafers were mixed in, too. It’s safe to say it won’t be my last foray into Blendini territory. Overall grade: A+

Rita’s has a revolving door of Italian ice flavors, and each year there’s usually a buzz worthy  flavor that everyone just HAS to try. Last year, I heard a lot of hype about Swedish fish. One of this year’s newest flavors and biggest hits is Juicy Pear, one of the three ices I picked up. It definitely wouldn’t have been my first choice, but I found myself halfway finished with my small cup before I even put the spoon down. Overall grade: A

As I mentioned before, my absolutely favorite Italian ice flavor is mango, so when I saw that sugar-free Mango Peach was a flavor option, I was curious to try it out. The idea of Mango Peach is intriguing, but I wasn’t sure how I felt about sugar-free. Still, in an effort to try and eat a balanced dessert, I tried it out. Although the consistency of the ice was a little less smooth than its sugary freezer mates, I thought the flavor held its own. Overall grade: B+

 I’m not really a big fan of flavors that are supposed to resemble other types of candy or desserts. It probably sounds weird, but what it basically means is that I don’t like gum that’s flavored like a specific dessert and I wasn’t a huge fan of Rita’s Swedish Fish flavor last year. So this year, when I saw a Tastykake Butterscotch Krimpet flavor on Rita’s flavor board, I was hesitant. Luckily, I took a leap of faith. Although it’s definitely one of the sweetest flavors Rita’s offers, it’s definitely worth a try. Overall grade: A

Eat This Because: ‘Tis the season!

The Tab: For three small ices and a small Blendini, my total was a mere $9. Talk about a cheap snack idea!

Etc: Seriously, go for the Blendini. But try strawberry custard with Nilla wafers. I’ve heard that’s the best combination they’ve got.