Don's is a food truck/cart that serves delicious Italian ices. These are real, NY/NJ area Italian ices, made "pre-WWII style" according to Don. Real fruit can be found in each flavor.
I grew up in New Jersey, and had an Italian Ice truck visit my community pool every afternoon in the summer. I've traveled to Hackensack, NJ with my parents, also Jersey natives, for Italian Ice at a little Italian bakery. Suffice to say, I'm an Italian Ice snob in the same way I'm a pizza snob. Rita's is good when the craving hits, but it is clearly a mass-market product.
For connisseurs of italian ice, the quality of the product comes down to (1) the consistency and (2) the flavor. Don's gets an A+ in both categories. Just a little bit slushy by the time you finish, nice small ice crystals that glide off the spoon and in to your mouth. I had the lemon, a classic that (along with cherry) defines the genre. It was like a great freshmade lemonade, with just enough lemon zest and lemon juice to give it a good zip. My better half got a sampler of flavors ... all were good but the blueberry really stood out with an intense blueberry flavor. Next time, I'm thinking I'll go with a mix of lemon and blueberry, and maybe I'll be more adventurous than that, but classics are classics for a reason.
Anyway, $2 gets you a pleated wax paper cup (just like in NJ!) packed full and tall with Italian ice. And Don and his employees are super friendly.
The twitter account is the best way to find Don and his cart, but recent history suggests areas around Duke's East Campus or the Hospitals in the afternoons, and the 9th St. Wachovia (by Bulkogi) in the events, and at the Durham Farmers Market times will be good bets. read more