Stocked with doughnut-size warm cookies and fresh batches of nitrogen ice cream, the Davie-based dessert shop Phenomenom is now open in south Miami-Dade.
"Pinecrest is a special location for us," owner Chuck Woodard says. "Not only did I grow up there, but my family has been in the community for 50 years."
You might be familiar with 26-year-old Woodard, best known for conceptualizing Chill-N Nitrogen Ice Cream and opening the brand's first location in Pinecrest in 2012 with a few college friends. In 2014, he sold his ownership interest to launch Phenomenom Nitrogen Ice Cream & Bake Shop, which debuted in 2016. He expanded to Boca Raton, followed by the opening of a cookies-only Phenomenom in Miami Beach this past March.
In Pinecrest, the colorful, 1,000-square-foot store makes nitrogen ice cream in real time. Cream is frozen to -320 degrees Fahrenheit and served seconds later, which helps it maintain a smooth texture. Flavors include Nutella, dulce de leche, cake batter, mint, peanut butter, and strawberry. Top it with M&M's, peanut butter cups, marshmallows, Cinnamon Toast Crunch, pretzels, or other add-ons. Prices start at $5.
Phenomenom's cookies ($4 each), baked in-house daily, have a distinctly moist and gooey texture and a soft center. Choose from flavors such as chocolate chip, M&M's Oreo, s'mores, half-and-half, and sugar sprinkles.
Combine ice cream and cookies in cookie sundaes or sandwiches, or opt for a waffle cone. There's also milk and cookies, which includes a cookie with a large cup of milk for dunking. As you nosh, sip a drink from the espresso menu, filled with Americanos, macchiatos, cappuccinos, iced coffee, and cold brews.
"The decision to sell cookies in addition to ice cream was the best decision that Phenomenom has ever made," Woodard says. "It gave us product diversity."
"I want to continue to create something that will be around in ten years," he says, "and defy the 'fad' label thrown around by the critics."
In the coming year, Woodard plans to open Phenomenom shops across the state, including Gainesville and Winter Park near Orlando.
"Beyond Florida, I am actively looking in Atlanta and Dallas," he says. "The timing has to be right, and a lot of things have to line up logistically in order for us to be successful out of state."
Aside from ice cream and cookies, Woodard dreams about opening a swanky nightlife-hybrid concept.
"A crossover between a restaurant and nightclub," he says. "Much more intimate than what Miami currently has to offer. I can’t reveal too many details, but I have been conceptualizing the idea for years and will execute once the timing is right."
Phenomenom Pinecrest. 11401 S. Dixie Hwy., Pinecrest; 754-216-3478; phenomenom320.com. Sunday through Thursday noon to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday noon to 11 p.m.