April 7’s opening of Universal Studios’ The Wizarding World of Harry Potter was more about magical entertainment than food. But it is the duty of The Sauce to mention that the new mega-attraction features several eateries including Three Broomsticks (offering such British classics as bangers & mash; shepherd’s pie; beef, lamb and Guinness stew; and sticky toffee pudding). There’s also Hog’s Head Pub, offering specialty beers. Throughout the park expect plenty of Butterbeer, a sweet, kid-friendly beverage featured in the Harry Potter books. Online recipes abound, but all seem to include some combination of butter, sugar, cream, vanilla and soda.

And if you are not quite ready to make a pilgrimage to Wizarding World, you can still get a little Butterbeer magic at Studio City’s Local Ice. This mom & pop ice cream parlor recently took top honors in our teen taste-off for the best scoops in the Valley with its specialty flavor Minty Mash.

For the moment, Minty Mash is no longer on Local Ice’s ever-changing menu, but Butterbeer ice cream is. Like the sign says, it’s “magically delicious.”

The Sauce tried this fluffy, butterscotch-y vanilla flavor atop a scoop of one of the regular menu flavors, Cookie Monster—a delightful variation on the usual cookies-and-cream because it incorporates soft, spongy vanilla cookies instead of broken Oreos into the chocolate-y concoction. The effect is a bit like a tiramisu sans the espresso.

The Sauce dubs this combo The Buttermonster. Try one while you can.

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