Here's the scoop: Jaxson's is about to turn 50, and fans are still lining up out the door of this beloved Dania Beach landmark for gi-normous scoops and sundaes.

You know a place is serious about its ice cream when its signature sundae, The Kitchen Sink, is a registered trademark. Before there was a Cold Stone or a Maggie Moo's, Monroe Udell, now 78, was creating his own ice-cream recipes, tossing in items like peppermint candy, cookie dough and even Pop Rocks.

The list of flavors now stretches to 50 or more, though Udell says the biggest seller (and his favorite) remains vanilla. ''It goes with everything,'' he says.

Udell opened Jaxson's in November 1956 in a space about half its current size and is now serving fourth-generation fans. With neon lights and red-and-white signs, Jaxson's is a beacon on U.S. 1 and a bright spot in a lackluster strip shopping center.

Jaxson's remains fun -- and full of surprises. When I brought my young nephews on a recent visit, we first encountered a dog sporting a kerchief sitting atop a motorcycle parked just outside. Then there were the kiddie rides and an artist named David drawing caricatures -- and we still weren't in the door.

Inside, kids of all ages love the popcorn machine and bins of yesteryear treats like rock candy and wax bottles. Jaxson's looks like a cross between a general store and an old-time ice cream parlor, plastered with license plates and memorabilia, squeezing in rustic wooden tables, a player piano and an upright (there's a live pianist on weekends).

While Jaxson's is known for its oversize desserts, the restaurant also serves lunch and dinner. The meals are basic, but better than you'd expect at an ice-cream eatery.

We tend to skip starters to leave room for dessert, but if fried foods are your thing, there are onion rings, Cajun fries and fried mozzarella sticks. A good lunch option is a cup of soup or salad with a half-sandwich for $7.25.

In the summer, we like Jaxson's entree-size salads -- like everything else here, they're big. The Mediterranean is crisp and fresh, with lots of feta cheese, stuffed grape leaves, pepperoncinis and Kalamata olives on a festive plate of greens with a light vinaigrette dressing. You can add a scoop of chicken or tuna salad or grilled chicken; same goes for the house and Caesar salads.

Main plates range from an over-the-top, ''mile''-long, all-beef hot dog with chili, sauerkraut and fries to ``The Uncommonly Healthy Jaxson's Platter'' with a grilled chicken breast or chopped steak, mixed steamed veggies and a tossed salad.

My husband was happy with his deli-quality, hot corned beef sandwich, though it's so hefty it's hard to eat. I added Swiss cheese and sliced mushrooms to a good and juicy half-pound char-grilled burger served on a toasted bun (add a side of tasty sweet potato french fries).

The main event is, of course, dessert. We shared a hot fudge banana split that's pure decadence. I felt like I gained 10 pounds just looking at it, but it's soooo good: a choice of three ice-cream flavors, topped with a heap of whipped cream and extra hot fudge.

The Cherry Bonbon brings scrumptious burgundy cherries, and ''Chocolate Suicide'' will kill any diet with its chocolate ice cream, brownies, hot fudge and chocolate chips. The kids' meal includes a small sundae.

I have to go back this summer with three hearty souls to try the Kitchen Sink -- only for four or more at $10.45 per person, with whatever flavors and toppings you want accompanied by sparklers and sirens.

After nearly five decades, it's sweet to find Jaxson's still turning out heavenly confections and happy memories.