COCONUTS HOT SPOT – Summer is here, and you have every excuse to eat your body weight in frozen treats.
Kids and kids at heart, meet shaved snow, a magical dessert that’s somewhere between ice cream and shaved ice — it’s the specialty at Vampire Penguin at the newly-opened Ayala Malls The 30th in Pasig.
Is it like kakigori? Like bingsu? Like shaved ice but fancier? Somewhat.
“Shaved snow is a pre-flavored block ready to be shaved on a cone. Flavor is consistent, and won’t end up leaving the ice to trickle to the bottom,” explained co-owner Leo San Luis.
Vampire Penguin’s treats are fluffier and more flavorful than your typical shaved ice desserts. The texture is similar to melting lace, if you can imagine that.
Vampire Penguin first store opened in Sacramento, California. Leo and his brother Paolo decided to quit their respective jobs in 2013 to focus on building a dessert shop that offers their brushed up version of Taiwanese shaved ice. They now have 8 branches in the US, and their first international branch is right here in the Philippines.
What makes Vampire Penguin stand out? The flavors they offer are really interesting.
“What we try to do with our shaved snow is to ignite a memory of something (the customer) once tasted, reconnect them with something familiar – then, we put our own unique twist on it,” explained Paolo.
They have a unique line of flavors reflecting diversity. For example, they Mexican candy shaved snow – which combines mango flavored ice with fresh fruit, chili powder, and chamoy sauce. And of course, they also have their version of the ever-popular Filipino dessert, Halo-Halo (PHP225/small, PHP250/large).
For those looking for more familiar tastes, Vampire Penguin has flavors like Smoreos (PHP200/small, PHP260/large), Twix (PHP180/small, PHP235/large) and strawberry cheesecake (PHP280/large), which is Vampire Penguin’s bestseller.
For the more adventurous eaters, Vampire Penguin has a do-it-yourself menu, where you can pick a flavor and can add as many toppings as you want. Price starts at PHP125 at regular snow nd PHP145 for premium snow.
Leo said flavors that will excite the Filipino taste buds are still in the works (“Mangoong”, anyone?).Pro tip: They do have a secret menu, you might want to check that out when you visit.
Vampire Penguin. 3/F Ayala Malls The 30th, 30 Meralco Ave, Ortigas, Pasig; Instagram, +632 942-5261.
Photos: supplied
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