A Delicious Challenge At San Francisco's Ghirardelli

If you thought a trek was challenging, try finishing the Land's End Sundae at the famous Ghirardelli Ice Cream and Chocolate Restaurant in San Francisco.

In the final lap of our six-month-long U.S. tour, we embarked on a memorable Sunday adventure in the enchanting San Francisco Bay Area, Our itinerary included a visit to Muir Redwood Park for a trek, a glimpse of the iconic Golden Gate Bridge, and a sweet stop at Ghirardelli Square. However, our trek at Muir Redwood Park was cut short due to slippery conditions after about a kilometre, forcing us to turn back.

Navigating through the heavy Sunday traffic, we were able to enjoy the breathtaking 1.7-kilometer-long Golden Gate Bridge, while moving, which offered spectacular vistas of the San Francisco skyline, Alcatraz Island, and the Marin Headlands.

Our next destination was Ghirardelli Square, a historic landmark in San Francisco's Fisherman's Wharf neighbourhood. Originally a chocolate factory and the headquarters of the Ghirardelli Chocolate Company, it has transformed into a vibrant shopping and dining hub, boasting various restaurants, shops, and boutiques.

<b><i>Ramana Sista's wife Kamala Sista (left), his brother's wife Tulasi Sista and his brother Rao Sista in front of Ghirardelli Chocolate Shop (Pic credit: Phani Sista)</i></b>

Ramana Sista's wife Kamala Sista (left), his brother's wife Tulasi Sista and his brother Rao Sista in front of Ghirardelli Chocolate Shop (Pic credit: Phani Sista)

Navigating through the narrow streets of San Francisco, particularly en route to iconic spots like Ghirardelli Square, is an adventure in itself. The city's steeply inclined narrow streets and the sluggish pace of traffic can make the journey quite an experience. It took us a whopping 15 minutes to cover just 200 meters! Descending was no less of a challenge. It felt like descending a winding spiral staircase, slowly and cautiously manoeuvring through the blind curves.

Do watch our YouTube video of the famous zigzag drive!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DdWSTL8KkF0

Travel tip: If you plan to visit on the weekend, be prepared for parking challenges. Luckily, the Ghirardelli Ice Cream and Chocolate Restaurant complex offers basement parking for its patrons. After parking, we soaked in the natural beauty of the surroundings, including stunning views of the San Francisco Bay, the Pacific Ocean, and the lush hills and mountains.

Our visit to Ghirardelli wouldn't be complete without indulging in their ice cream delights. My wife, son, and I opted for the World-Famous Hot Fudge Sundae with Vanilla ice cream, adorned with handcrafted hot fudge, cream, diced almonds, a cherry, and a milk chocolate Caramel Square, totalling 970 calories. My brother planned to share with his wife the 'Lands End' Caramel Brown Sundae, featuring a full-sized chocolate brownie, vanilla ice cream, and a generous serving of whipped cream, caramel sauce, chocolate sauce, a cherry, and a large banana, packing a whopping 1750 calories each. My sister-in-law insisted on having a full portion for herself and a cup of drinking chocolate (490 calories), bringing the grand total to 2240 calories.

What we didn’t know was the portion size!

Image courtesy: Ramana Sista

Surprisingly, the 'Land End Sundae' proved to be an 'endless' challenge, and they couldn't even conquer half of the colossal portion. As for us, we valiantly finished our cups, refusing to let such decadence go to waste. What an unforgettable experience, brimming with exceptional entertainment value.

In contrast, at the table next to us was a family of four. Husband and wife ordered the Lands End Sundae and others ordered a cup of ice cream. The husband finished his platter and ordered a strawberry cone. Then he polished off more than half of the Lands End platter that his wife couldn’t consume. We were awestruck.

For those with health-conscious minds, a pro tip: Pair your Lands End Sundae Glutton Ice Cream Platter with a Diet Coke to strike the perfect balance between indulgence and keeping your diet on track!

Do you have a fun travel tale to narrate? Share with us in the comments below or email it to editor@silvertalkies.com

Calling our Members to Write for Us!

Silver Talkies Members get a unique chance to get published with us. We welcome travelogues, family recipes, memoirs, oral history accounts, short stories, poems, humour and personal essays, tips on living well, and if you are a qualified subject matter expert, then your thoughts on your chosen topics as well. Please email us at connect@silvertalkies.com to know more!

About the author

Ramana Sista

Ramana Sista is an octogenarian and retired as the Vice President of a chemical industry. He has worked all over the country and likes to travel. He likes to read and Ayn Rand, Arthur Hailey, Alistair Maclen, Edwin Lefevre and John Grisham are some of the authors gathering dust in his bookshelf. He listens to music across all genres. His favourite singers are his nieces, the famous Carnatic duo, Priya Sisters. He enjoys playing Chess and Bridge as long as he has the upper hand, whether it's the computer set to its lowest level of intelligence or a friend trying to learn the game. As you have guessed by now, he loves subtle humour. Mr Sista is a member of the Silver Talkies Club.