INDIO, Calif. – I scream, you scream, just about everyone screams for premium ice cream. “Lique” (pronounced “Lick”) is the newest addition to the lineup of six eateries inside Fantasy Springs Resort Casino. It features a menu filled with 16 ice cream flavors – many that rotate depending on the season, specialty sundaes, milkshakes, burgers and hot dogs, and low-fat frozen yogurt on the lighter side.

Waffle cones are made-to-order and dipped in chocolate and chopped nuts at the patron’s request. If one feels adventurous, he or she can design their own sundae from an unending combination of toppings and flavors. The interior of Lique matches the mouthwatering treats served from the ice cream case. The Cabazon Band of Mission Indians’ Tribal Council envisioned the restaurant as a modern and cool spot for customers to enjoy a small indulgence, though they wanted to maintain the feel of a 1950s malt shop.

The result – a candy colored eatery that puts the emphasis on fun and food. Lique is open seven days a week, Sunday through Thursday from 10 a.m. – midnight, Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. – 3 a.m. Lique is Fantasy Springs Resort Casino’s sixth dining outlet. For more information, call (800) 827-2946.

Fantasy Springs hired nearly 30 people to work full-time at Lique. These positions include ice cream servers, cashiers, and cooks and kitchen staff. To make their jobs and the look of the restaurant even more fun, the staff wears black and white checkered fedora hats, shirts and aprons printed by Desert ARC, a local organization committed to enhancing the quality of life for people with developmental disabilities.

From start to finish, construction of the outlet took slightly more than a month and was primarily done by the resort’s engineering staff. Once the initial design of the room was completed by the interior designers, resort executives and the Cabazon Band of Mission Indians Tribal Council, the Fantasy Springs engineers drew up blueprints and brought in the heavy machinery. A total of 30 engineering crew members put more than 3,000 man hours into the project and completed the ice cream shop ahead of schedule. The building of the shop also helped pump money back into the area’s economy as several local vendors were utilized for kitchen equipment and flooring.

“Every design and building element used was an environmentally responsible choice,” said Robert Cipillone of Andrea Piacentini Design, Inc. The paint used has low volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and the tile has no releasable elements. Executive Chef Freddy Rieger designed the menu and included suggestions for sundaes from the Cabazon Indians Tribal Council.