The shaved ice shop formerly known as Ice Monster (and now known as Yongkang 15) reopened with great fanfare last month — but the dessert landmark already has new competition.
Smoothie King
(思慕昔) recently opened a two-level store just a block away from Yongkang 15 on Yongkang Street. It may lack the hordes of camera-toting tourists, but it offers an air-conditioned alternative and a larger, slightly cheaper menu of icy treats. Items include fruit smoothies (NT$65 for a medium cup, NT$85 for a large cup) and snowflake ices, or creamy frozen milk shaved into paper-thin sheets that melt on the tongue (NT$150). And, of course, there are mounds of shaved ice topped with mango and other fruit (NT$120).
How does Smoothie King’s mango ice compare to the one served by its famous neighbor? The mound of shaved ice is about the same size, but the serving of fruit is smaller than the overflowing toppings at Yongkang 15, where walking away with sticky hands seems designed to be part of the customer experience. The fruit was equally tasty, however, and covered with just enough condensed milk and syrup to keep the ice sweet even after all the toppings were gone. Yongkang 15 is still the best place to take out-of-town visitors after a meal at Din Tai Fung (鼎泰豐), but Smoothie King is good for locals who want to cool off without a crowd.
Address: 9 Yongkang St, Taipei City
(台北市永康街9號). Tel: (02) 2395-8770. On the Net: www.smoothie.com.tw.
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