Although I don’t live that close to a Publix Super Market anymore, a few times a month I have to work in an area where I drive right past one. I usually drop in on the way home and pick up their most interesting looking, limited edition ice cream. Flavors like Caramel Coast Getaway and Deep Dish Apple Pie have both performed well in the past, but this time the brightly colored carton of Coconut Road caught my attention. Publix claims this oddly decorated creation as a dream of indulgence and features premium coconut ice cream, chocolate coated praline coconut, swirls of chocolate almond fudge and dulce de leche caramel. I’ve never really understood where the inspiration comes for any of the strange looking artwork on the outside of their containers and this one continues to keep me guessing. Hopefully this half-gallon of coconut, chocolate and caramel can live up to the high standards of some of their other offerings.
Much like the exterior design, the very specific, long list of ingredients also seems to lack any real direction; but my recent interest in coconut ice creams keeps me excited. Coconut Road contains 190 calories per serving, and like many of their other options, is on the higher end for a generic frozen dessert. The first layer shows plenty of promise by putting all the ingredients on full display as they ripple through the lightly colored ice cream. Following my first bite, this base is thick enough to be considered a premium, but the sweet coconut and vanilla flavoring lacks the complexity of some other coconut creations I’ve covered. Although the swirls and mix-ins are small for the most part, they remain consistent and each bite is full of all three additions: chocolate-coated praline coconut, swirls of almond fudge and dulce de leche caramel.
The cocoa-covered praline coconut candies add a crunchy texture to every single bite and provides a certain richness thanks to the chocolate and butter involved. Once the coating has melted away, the familiar feel of coconut pulp is left behind. These praline bits come accompanied by two swirls, and although I didn’t pick up on the almond flavoring, the chocolate variety adds a nice contrast to the coconut ice cream. This is overshadowed significantly by the dulce de leche swirl though. The golden ribbons add a sweet, buttery aspect that rounds out an accurate impersonation of a Samoas Girl Scout cookie. Despite brands like Breyer’s and Edy’s trying this concept previously, Coconut Road does a much better job. Unfortunately, the crunchy, sticky ice cream still lacks enough depth to escalate this above an average rating.
Where I Found It: Publix
Grade: C
