Summertime food: The Balboa Bar

This is a what came first...

the chicken or the egg 

or

the banana or the bar 

 Almost everybody who comes to Southern California for a visit 

usually ends up spending an afternoon strolling down the sunny streets 

of Balboa Island

Well it should be sunny but it's June, 

so we typically never see the sun during "June Gloom"

Ahh who cares about sun...lets eat!

  No visit would be complete without a treat like an ice cream....

 or maybe a frozen banana

 first stop

"Dads" 

 "Dads" has been around since the 60s and claims 

that they were the first to sell the frozen banana

 "Dads" is really cute and kitschy and sells donuts and cookies 

and bread sandwiches....?

They sure seem to know their bananas though

 They also sell the  Balboa bar which locals say 

was invented here in the early 50s

 A balboa bar is a square vanilla ice cream bar 

dipped in chocolate 

and then rolled into your favorite topping,

 like nuts or sprinkles

 But right down the street from "Dads"

 is "Sugar and Spice"

 "Sugar and Spice" claims to have invented 

both the Balboa Bar and the frozen banana too

 Well that's some serious bragging rights...

Two wonderful treats invented right here on little old Balboa?

Who would think this up...putting a banana in the freezer 

and then dipping it in chocolate?

 Sugar and Spice is really cute too 

 Sugar and spice has a few more toppings than dads

Hmmm....which one  

 I love happy dancing desserts...don't you?

 I think I'm heading back to "Dads"

and I know I'm not in the mood for a banana

 I want a big giant Balboa Bar please...

 And could you please roll that around in the butter brickle 

then put it back in the chocolate for an extra swim?

 I haven't had one of these for years...

but yummy good stuff like this never goes out of style

Hopefully this post didn't make you too hungry....

Stop by soon and enjoy a summertime treat!

I'll be sitting here in front of "Dads"

enjoying a little piece of history

~kelley~