Sneak peek: New-to-Kentucky chain Jackhammers brownies, caramel and more into custard
Lexington, do you feel a new chill in the air? No, that isn’t a hint of fall.
It’s Andy’s Frozen Custard, a new ice cream shop, finally opening in Lexington. And we get a sneak peek at what all the fuss is about. The first Kentucky location of the Springfield, Missouri-based dessert chain is opening at 1200 S. Broadway on Aug. 10.
The restaurant announced plans to open in the summer of 2021 but has taken a little longer than expected. Now they are anxious to introduce their special treats to a new audience.
So much so that Andy’s has already began work on a second location on Richmond Road which will open in early 2023. Additional locations also are planned.
So what the heck is frozen custard? What makes it unique and special?
Scott Mygatt, Andy’s spokesman, has a great answer: “I always tell the guests when they come in for the first time that I deeply apologize for ruining ice cream for them forever, because it really is a product that’s on a whole other level.”
What’s the difference between frozen custard and ice cream?
Traditionally, frozen custard like Andy’s is made with eggs, while ice cream isn’t. And it usually doesn’t have a lot of air whipped into it, so it’s dense.
“The big difference between frozen custard and ice cream, which is a question we get asked a lot, is that the frozen custard is a creamier, denser, fresher version of ice cream. We make it fresh throughout the day. The custard you get here is more than an hour old and that’s the big difference between ice cream and a premium product like our custard,” said Brandon Arnold, Andy’s spokesman. “We try to serve it in a fun and friendly way.”
They have proprietary custard-making machines that pump out fresh vanilla and chocolate custard. It’s soft and silky, creamy like soft-serve but thicker. The custard is scooped up into cups and can be blended with a variety of mix-ins or sauces.
The easiest thing to do is get a plain cup of vanilla or chocolate custard to taste the difference, he said.
But what fun is that?
Andy’s Frozen Custard menu
“Our top seller is probably something we call the BootDaddy concrete,” Arnold said. “It’s got vanilla frozen custard with Oreos, caramel and hot fudge blended through.”
Another big seller from the menu: The Ozark Turtle Sundae, which is vanilla custard topped with caramel, roasted pecans and a cherry.
They also serve seasonal items such as Key Lime Pie, which has a whole slice of pie, crust and all, mixed into the custard, he said. “It’s one of my personal favorites.”
The menu also includes items such as the James Brownie Funky Jackhammer, made with vanilla custard, peanut butter and brownies, baked in-store. It’s basically a frozen custard “concrete” that is “drilled and filled” with hot fudge.
You can also build your own concretes, shakes, malts and sundaes by customizing with your favorite toppings.
Prices start at $1.99 for a basic scoop on a cone or in a cup and go up to $8.59 for a large James Brownie Funky Jackhammer.
How to eat, order at Andy’s Frozen Custard
▪ There’s no place to sit down inside. In fact, you don’t even go inside to order.
▪ “It’s all drive-thru or we have a patio for walking up and having a treat on the patio,” Arnold said.
▪ The best way to go is to enter the drive-thru off American Avenue and go behind Papi’s Rapido. The order and pickup windows for the drive-thru are behind Andy’s but it’s much easier to enter off American than off Burley Avenue.
▪ You can also get frozen custard in pints and quarts to go.
Andy’s Frozen Custard
Where: 1200 S. Broadway
Hours: 11 a.m. – 11:30 p.m. Sunday - Thursday; 11 a.m. – midnight Friday and Saturday. (After Labor Day, they will close 30 minutes earlier nightly.)
Online: Eatandys.com
