May 2002

G&D's (George & Davis / George & Danver) is an Oxford tradition of the best kind. Started up in Little Clarendon Street by George and his dog 10 years ago, the new branch opened opposite Christchurch in November 2001. The dog may have changed, but the tradition hasn't: if you are looking for ice cream between the hours of 8am and 12 midnight, G&D's is where it's at. Freshly made (with Jersey cream from a local dairy and no artificial ingredients) in the mysterious and presumably heavenly basement of the Little Clarendon Street shop, the selection of flavours ranges from dime bar crunch, mars mania and super chocolate to mango sorbet, after eight and crunchie bar. There are also regular new flavour experiments (eg. Guinness!!) according to customers' suggestions. Collect 30 signatures in the G&D's flavour petition folder, and your idea will be tried out.

G&D's ethos is reflected by its cheery, light, open decor. The staff are friendly and smiley, the stereo plays a range of standard student favourites, and there are constant competitions and fun giveaways. Win ice cream by providing the correct answer to the Question of the Week on the board at Little Clarendon Street, or by bringing in some kind of cow artifact on Wednesday night. Tuesdays at St Aldate's is Silly Hat Night, and Mondays will be Hoop Night (win a ½ litre of ice cream by getting the cow through the basketball hoop) when the management find a way to fix the hoop so as to avoid bombarding the customers with a shower of bovines. A different newspaper is provided each day at both branches, and the Beano and Dandy are also available. Buy a coffee before 10am and get another free; get endless free refills after 10am when you buy coffee with your food; make up an ice cream shake of your choice; put smarties on your ice cream... the fun never stops. Ahem.

As for foods other than the creamy and iced kind, G&D's do a mean line in bagels and pizza bagels, which at around the £3 mark are enough for a small meal. (You can even put ice cream in your bagel if you are really obsessive.) The cakes on offer are good, and ice-cream-free smoothies are available. Back to the ice cream: G&D's will supply college balls by arrangement, and they provide the trendy Branca on Walton Street with their delicious raspberry sorbet. At £1.25 a pop for a little pot brimming with creamy goodness (!), value is excellent. Try the Kenya AA coffee and the pistachio flavour, and the B52 ice-cream milkshake - a meal in itself, and the cheapest cocktail in town.

Su Jordan & Liz Buckle