Restaurant Watch: 60-Second Ice Cream, Fournee Bakery Opens, Bittersweet Outpost

Smitten Ice Cream, hugely popular in its San Francisco location since opening in Hayes Valley a few years ago, hopes to open a second shop in the former home of the Great Harvest Bread Company at 5800 College Ave., according to Diablo Dish.

Smitten's secret ingredient isn't one of the seasonal foods it uses but a machine — dubbed Brrr — that runs on liquid nitrogen and makes ice cream from scratch in 60 seconds. 

In San Francisco, Smitten offers a limited menu which changes week to week. Vanilla and dark chocolate are always available, while other flavors change with the seasons (this week, strawberry white balsamic and fresh mint chip). Vegan options are available.

The owners are somewhere in the conditional use process with the City of Oakland, so a Rockridge opening is some time away, the Dish article says.

Diablo Dish also reports that Bittersweet, with chocolate-centric locations at 5427 College Ave. and in downtown Oakland, hopes to open its third cafe by the end of June at 1952 University Ave., Berkeley.

Also in Berkeley, but closer, Fournee Bakery opened this week at 2912 Domingo Ave., across the street from the Claremont Hotel in the former Bread Garden space. Offerings include a variety of breads, pastries, cakes, tarts and cookies. Read more about the opening in this Berkeleyside article.