Dining Out: Cone Palace (Kokomo, IN)

 

Sixty years old and still going strong!

Exterior: 4/5

The iconic part of the facade faces the road; this is what you see from the parking lot.

They have outdoor seating, but I can't say the view is very scenic.

Cone Palace has a pretty primo location at the intersection of 931 and Center Road. It's definitely on the edge of town, but being on the way to Indy definitely has its perks. They've kept the facade of the building nicely updated, although some fencing or shrubbery around the outdoor seating area would be helpful - right now it kind of feels like you're just eating in the middle of the parking lot. At lunchtime and dinnertime, and sometimes late at night, the drive-thru line is all the way around the building and out onto the road. I don't know what a good solution for that is, but it's both a traffic inconvenience and a testament to the popularity of the restaurant.

Ambience: 3/5

It was hard to get a shot of the counter because the place is always swamped.

We were out celebrating my 5YO's last day of school

When things are already as cheap as they are at Cone Palace, this is a heck of a deal

There's nothing special going on with the decor inside of Cone Palace, but since it seems like a significant portion of their business is drive-thru I doubt that's hurting them any. (There were multiple other tables filled with folks while we were there, though, and we were having an early dinner.) Everything is clean and the dining area is done in pleasant neutral tones. The emphasis is utility, not comfort. The building as a whole is a little cramped, both because the tables are close together and because the area around the counter is often swarming with people. I don't know if there's room for them to expand within their lot, but if there is there's definitely demand for more space. 

Variety: 4/5 

Grilled Tenderloin

Chicken Bites

Red Velvet Soft Serve Dipped Cone

Cone Palace is here to serve you ice cream and savory greasy goodness, and their menu offers no pretense otherwise. They have burgers, dogs, and other sandwiches and a number of concoctions made with a base of soft serve. They have your standard vanilla and chocolate flavors, but they also feature more interesting flavors that change every week. (The week of our visit there was Red Velvet and also Pina Colada.) I did enjoy that they had not only a breaded pork tenderloin sandwich, the compulsory Hoosier staple, but also an unbreaded grilled version. I ordered the latter and it was really good - the meat was nicely cooked and the sandwich was dressed well. Their selection is a nice balance of ol' reliable favorites and a few standouts to keep you on your toes.

Quality: 4/5 

Breaded Tenderloin

Cheesy Jalapeno Tots

I loved that I could get a Diet Coke with a shot of sugar-free vanilla syrup

I wasn't bowled over by everything we tried, but some of the offerings were really, really good. I got a big, refreshing Diet drink (with crushed ice!). I really enjoyed my grilled tenderloin and my parents really enjoyed their breaded ones. My 1YO wasn't thrilled with the seasoning on the chicken bites but I thought it was much nicer than just plain breading. The real standout for me was my order of cheesy jalapeno tots with a thing of ranch to dip them in. They were really flavorful - delicious stuff. Now, we did have some underwhelming moments, like the French fries, which were just unseasoned crinkles, and honestly my red velvet soft serve didn't have me swooning like I thought it would. But I should note that my mom, who prefers her food on the bland side, really enjoyed the fries, and the ice cream was nice even if it didn't knock my socks off. And all of it, even the amazing stuff, is nutso cheap. I couldn't believe how little I paid to feed myself and the two kids.

Kid-Friendly: 4/5

Did I mention that there's ice cream?

And they sell boxes of some of their treats to take home!

One of the reasons we came here to celebrate my kid's last day of school was that he absolutely adores Cone Palace. He comes at least once a week, usually after Ninja Class. He always just wants a small chocolate soft serve in a cup with sprinkles, and they always deliver exactly what he's looking for. Now, bringing two kids was a little trickier, partly because of the cramped seating area. They did have high chairs, but we opted to just put the 1YO in a regular seat so we wouldn't be crowding out other diners trying to move tables around. But pretty much everything on the menu is exactly what a picky American kid is looking for, and it's easy to bribe them to eat their real food by promising ice cream at the end of the meal. 

Would Eat Again?: Green Light

I mean, my kid would not accept a future without meals at Cone Palace, so I really don't have the option not to eat there. But even if that weren't in the picture, it's fun food with locally owned appeal and gosh those prices are attractive. The fact that it's open later than a lot of the ice cream places - and also open all year round - helps as well. Now, is this the best ice cream in Kokomo? Not by a long shot. Will I eat it again? Yep. I have no problem joining the throng that's willing to totally block Center Road to get them some tenderloin sandwiches and soft serve.