Ice Bowl - Original Taiwanese Desserts @ SS2, Petaling Jaya

There's another new "dessert" kid in town - desserts being the latest food fad for now.  Ice Bowl in SS2 has turned this row of shop houses into an even more enticing area.

Entering this less than a week old premise, you get the "Snowflake" outlet feel. Much has been written about Snowflake, so much so, though I have eaten at the outlet in Kota Damansara often - I didn't feel the need to add on to all the accolades this dessert was already getting. From what I can see, the menu at Ice Bowl and Snowflake are almost identical (well, not really...read on).  So, one can't help but to compare Ice Bowl's line up with Snowflake's.  We all know how packed Snowflake can get.  Ice Bowl was packed too and just as noisy but not overspilling at the the order counter (like Snowflake's) when I was there.  Just about two customers lining up each time I checked while I was eating there.  They have the same modus operandi : Order and pay at the counter, take your "beeper" and wait till the initial dormant beeper goes into "techno" mode. Collect your desserts at the pick up counter.

So, we ordered the Grass Jelly series - Set A (RM6.50) which comprise of Taro, Red Bean, Pearl & Grass Jelly (of course).  It was a generous amount of toppings burying the shaved ice beneath.

The red beans were firmer but still soft. Taste wise, it was similar.   So similar that one could say that there was no difference but for one detail.  What we noticed is that Ice Bowl's creamer is definitely thicker and thus gave a richer taste to the overall dessert.  So for me,  Ice Bowl's serving fares better.  Great for me, as this outlet is not only nearer to where I stay but also pleases my taste buds better as compared to Snowflake.

Now, I don't think that Snowflake has this but check this out - Ice Bowl Home made Special Brown Sugar with Shaved Ice (RM6.90) that comes with 4 toppings that we can choose from a wide variety of 14 different types.  Count 'em all : Red Bean, Green Bean, Kidney Bean, Peanuts, Barley, Black Glutinous Rice, Lotus Seed, Pearl, Taro, Taro Balls, Sweet Potato Grass Jelly, Pineapple and this one that was the factor that COMPELLED me to order it ... Caramel Egg Pudding!

The Caramel Egg Pudding was silky smooth firm and tasted okay, which wasn't really the highlight of this dessert as I thought it would be...it was actually the home made brown sugar.  The brown sugar made this shaved ice dessert sweeter than I would like it to be.  However, the more I dug in, the more I got accustomed to the sweetness and this was when the fragrance of the brown sugar stood out. It was lovely ... so, I'll probably ask for a tad less brown sugar the next time I'm here.  However, that's also the reason why this dessert tastes good; the brown sugar.

Well, no more going to Kota Damansara for me.  I'm looking forward to going to Ice Bowl again soon!

Ice Bowl

Jalan SS2/63
(same row as KTZ)
Opens at 1pm till 12 midnight daily
Tel : 03-7874 1088

If you're going to walk on thin ice, you might as well dance

- Old Polish Proverb