The Scoop: Scoop DeVille

The deal: An ambitious ice-cream shop that claims to offer customers "every topping you can imagine." Located smack in the middle of Center City, this confectionery opened last May, when a longtime customer of the original Scoop DeVille formed a partnership with its founders.

Details: 1315 Walnut St., 215-988-9992. scoopdevilleicecream.com. Also on Twitter and Facebook.

Hours: 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Sunday through Thursday; till midnight Friday and Saturday.

Inside: "Life's too short . . . eat dessert first." That's the mantra that greets customers as they enter the spacious dining area. Pastel-colored walls and wacky decorations reinforce that philosophy, as do display cases packed with chocolate-covered pretzels, nonpareils and other sweets. And then, of course, there's the ice cream . . .

Decisions, decisions: Scoop DeVille is not for the indecisive. Topping options include everything from gummy bears and sprinkles to bacon bits, sea salt and six types of cookie dough. Choose three "mix-ins" (additional choices, 75 cents each) to be blended with one of 12 flavors of soft-serve or three of frozen yogurt.

What we ate: This intrepid reporter couldn't make up his mind, so he went with one of the shop's suggested blends. "Country Breakfast" combines butter pecan ice cream with maple syrup, bacon bits and Golden Grahams cereal pieces. My dining companion chose "Strawberry Shortcake," vanilla ice cream with strawberries and sugar-cookie dough. "Mine's better," she said, but I'm still partial to breakfast/dessert combinations.

The wait: None on a recent weekday afternoon. The counter staff told us that it gets busy during the usual times - nights and weekends, especially in the height of the summer tourist season.

But wait, there's more: The shop also whips up root-beer floats, milkshakes and ice-cream cakes. And, if you'd rather eat your dessert in the comfort of your home, the shop delivers through GrubHub.