This week on the tour I visited Nielsen’s Frozen Custard in Bountiful.
As the name suggests, Nielsen’s famous dessert is technically custard — which, other than using egg yolk for a thicker texture, uses all the same ingredients as ice cream, according to Spoon University — but the company is a well-known Utah original since it first opened in Crossroads Plaza in Salt Lake City in 1981, according to the company’s Facebook page.
Nielsen’s menu includes multiple ways to eat the custard. Vanilla and chocolate cones are available, with a third cone flavor also available that changes daily. F.C. Toppers include one mix-in, and Concretes are larger and utilize multiple mix-ins to create more than 40 different suggested options, or you can make your own. Most of the flavors and mix-ins are pretty standard, such as caramel, chocolate, cookie dough and strawberry, but many of the suggestions provide many unique options, including caramel pineapple and bumbleberry brownie.
We gave Nielsen's Frozen Custard a 3 out of 4 scoops.
The employee behind the counter said there are so many to choose from that it’s hard to say which is most popular, but her favorite is caramel Oreo. I opted to get a classic vanilla cone and also took the employee up on her suggestion of a caramel Oreo Concrete.
The caramel Oreo Concrete was creamy and had plenty of Oreo bits without going overboard. While the custard itself tasted more rich than plain vanilla, it didn’t have a defined caramel taste to it.
Other than melting a bit in the 100-degree weather (but can you really blame it?), the vanilla cone was perfect. The custard had a smooth texture more akin to soft serve but had more of the authentic vanilla flavor you’d expect from traditional hard ice cream.
The portions of the Concrete are generous, so if you’re looking for a smaller treat, it would be best to go with a cone or a F.C. Topper, but that does limit flavor options.
Guests can eat their custard inside the diner-like atmosphere or can purchase their treat from a walk-up window and eat it outside. If you plan to eat it inside, however, be advised that the custard machines are very noisy. A drive-thru is also available.
For anyone who has frequented the Bountiful location through the years, the store recently started accepting credit and debit cards in November, so you no longer have to worry about remembering to bring cash.
There are several other Nielsen’s Frozen Custard locations in Utah, but some are franchises or partially owned by the original Nielsen family, according to an employee at the Bountiful store, so only the Nielsen’s in Bountiful and South Jordan have the same menus.
Location: 570 W. 2600 South, Bountiful
How much: Prices start at $1.99 for a single cone, $2.92 for a single scoop F.C. Topper and $5.56 for a basic Concrete
Scoop score: 3 out of 4 scoops
Email: wwilde@deseretnews.com