Also known as stir-fried ice cream, Thai rolled ice cream is the freshest ice cream preparation available, and it’s becoming popular in the Bay Area.
We visited two shops to compare this unusual style of ice cream. The process starts as liquid sweet milk and is mixed on a specially made, negative 20-degree steel surface right in front of you. They mix in the flavors, fresh fruits, tea, or whatever flavor you desire, and it freezes as they mix and spread it on the cold table.
“The rolled ice cream reminds me of the Thai snow shaved ice, it’s a light flavor.” Susan Luker said, at Freezing Point Creamery in Oakland. Susan Luker continued, “I didn’t eat breakfast so I would have room for this ice cream. I really like it.”
“It’s really creamy and very very cold. The Thai tea flavor seems to be the strongest one, of the ones I’ve tried so far.” Isaac Mirviss said, “It could bother your teeth if they’re sensitive to the cold.”
“There are two distinct flavors,” said Susan Luker, when comparing Icicles rolled ice cream to Freezing Point Creamery, “I think Icicles is more like a frozen yogurt shop, the flavors are very bold, and it tastes more like custard, and they have a lot more toppings you can add on top. Whereas [Freezing Point] had a lighter, and fresher flavor, they also had some options I don’t think you’d find anywhere else, like chrysanthemum.”
Icicles carries a much larger menu, as well as a toppings bar to choose from. Icicles also enjoys keeping their flavors relevant, with puns such as “Bae-sic,” “Cereal Killer,” and “Butterface.”
Freezing Point Creamery has flavor options such as Ube, Thai Tea, chrysanthemum, and Green Tea, along with more traditional fruit flavors like banana, strawberry, and mango. Both shops prepare the specialty rolled ice cream in full view of the customers, allowing you to see the whole process.
“Icicles is more American or Western-style, and Freezing Point just seems more Asian in their options, and also the atmosphere.” Sarina Luker said, after visiting both.
Susan Luker told us, “I usually judge ice cream on their vanilla, you can taste the consistency as well as the flavor and fat content.”
“We should have gotten a vanilla, to test the most basic flavor.” Isaac Mirviss said.
Freezing Point Creamery in Oakland opened about two years ago and maybe the closest option for Chabot students who want to give rolled ice cream a try. They have very fresh, and light flavors. Icicles in Pleasanton could be more familiar for some, as their flavors are more bold and sugary.