Friday, December 17, 2010

Eating Hong Kong: Tong Pak Fu

It's the dead of winter in Hong Kong.  Of course, that means that it's a near balmy 55 degrees.  Perfect temperature for shaved ices.*


I'ved raved before about the Taiwanese "snowflake ice" at Tong Pak Fu:

The "snowflake ice" is created using a special machine that integrates the flavoring right into the ice itself, so that every bite tastes like mango or green tea or chocolate . . . or whichever flavor you choose.  Also, the consistency of the dessert is more like a snowflake and less like ice: it's soft, almost creamy in texture, and very light.  The best part of the dessert is that you get to select any number of delicious "toppings" (well, more accurately, "bottomings," as they sit under the pile of ice).

Since I've got my macro lens with me this time around, I figured I'd take some decent photographs of our favorite flavors of shaved ice there.


My sister had the black sesame snowflake ice, which looks like a muppet but tastes delicious.  And I had the mango snowflake ice, with tapioca balls, chewy jelly bits called "QQ," and fresh mango.

It was so yummy I might have to go back for another today!

* I know it seems weird to be having shaved ice in the middle of "winter," but have you noticed that many of the best ice cream places in the country are in cold regions?  Boston is darn right frigid, but we've got Toscanini's, JP Licks, Emack and Bolio's, etc. etc.  And let's not forgot Ben and Jerry's comes from Vermont.

Are you an iced dessert in the middle of winter kind of person?

7 comments:

Cathleya December 18, 2010 at 12:16 AM  

This is fascinating and I want it. Want.

Black Sesame is one of my fave dessert flavors!!

Anonymous,  December 18, 2010 at 12:48 PM  

This post made me so excited. Since you are from the Los Angeles area, are you familiar with any places that serve this around LA? I will schlep for the real deal!

Try Anything Once Terri December 18, 2010 at 12:50 PM  

Fascinating! I'm sad that we didn't have enough time on our way to Bali to get out and actually see Hong Kong. I totally want to go!

lavenderpug December 20, 2010 at 12:05 PM  

wow, that is so cool. i'm having a craving now (even though i've never had it).

KK December 21, 2010 at 5:35 PM  

omg. how does something that looks so gross make me want to eat it so badly?! tell your sister it's her job to find a place that sells shaved ice like this in LA... :)

Kristie H. December 22, 2010 at 1:54 AM  

@KK There is a place in LA that does that! It's called Class 302 at 1015 S Nogales St Ste 125 Rowland Heights, CA 91748. They run out everyday so you have to get there in the afternoon or right after they open. That's the snowflake ice kind.


But there's also another place that sells shaved snow and uses different flavoring kind of like the snow cones you used to eat from an ice cream truck called Get Shaved. That is Hawaiian shaved ice which is different from the class 302 place but still good. The store is at 9255 Reseda Blvd
Northridge, CA 91324 but they also run a food truck that sells shaved ice that follows the Kogi truck and that goes all over LA so you can look up their schedule online at getshavedice.com.


You have to try both bc they are different types of shaved ice!

Katie December 23, 2010 at 8:21 AM  

I'm drooling at the thought of this! It looks so pretty too....

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