taiwanese/dessert: CHILDHOOD ICE

CHILDHOOD ICE 小時候冰菓室 
No. 39, Lane 51, DaAn Road, Sec. 1
台北市大安區大安路一段51巷39號
(02) 8771-9521

MRT: ZhongXiao/DunHua

website: Childhood Ice's FB page

hours: 1PM - 10PM

$-$$

Kid friendliness: yes for fruit and shaved ice lovers

Visit reviewed: 3/28/2014

Opened for almost one year, this shaved ice shop in the East District has a retro feel complete with a Street Fighter arcade game in the front. My eyes were first drawn to the cans of condensed milk stacked on the tiled counter then to the simple red and white menu above. When I tried to decipher the menu, they pointed me to the photos of their popular bowls taped up on the wall behind me. The decor is simple, but themed- reminders of our youth- with faded movie posters of A Better Tomorrow and hopscotch squares chalk outlines on the cement floor accompanying a few metal tables with colorful stools.

I was here for the strawberry adorned shaved ice I had spied on instagram, with strawberry halves carefully laid out in rows atop a small mountain of shaved ice. Other options include mango (when in season), peanut milk ice, green mung bean milk ice, red bean milk ice and fruit smoothies.

Strawberry shaved ice with condensed milk and panna cotta (NT$200)

The shaved ice was like eating a huge bowl of crunchy, small shards of ice rather than the finer kind that melts in your mouth. The ice itself was flavorless despite being soaked in brown sugar and condensed milk, and because it wasn't powdery, it didn't absorb the sweetness. I also prefer it when the condensed milk touches the ice rather than the fruit, but since the strawberries weren't super sweet, it probably needed the extra boost. If you are the type of person who likes to crunch the ice in their drinks, then you won't mind this kind, but we ended up not finishing half the bowl, and we can usually finish a bowl of shaved ice. If I came back, I would try the smaller matcha strawberry ice available for half the price at NT$100, although the texture of the ice would probably be the same. So I'd probably end up back at my favorite, oldie but goodie Tai Yi Milk King, or at one of the snowflake ice shops instead. 

At least I got in a couple free games of Street Fighter afterwards. Funnnnnn! Definitely reminds me of my childhood.