10 unusual Pinoy ice cream flavors worth trying

MANILA, Philippines- What’s your favorite ice cream flavor?

Chances are you’re thinking of creamy vanilla, rich chocolate, or an array of fruity flavors readily available at a convenience store near you. With the scorching sun beating down on us, this creamy treat is a summer staple.

Flavors like buko pandan, buko salad, mango, lychee, ube and halo-halo are readily available to us in those glorious golden one and half-gallon tubs — one of the perks in living in a country where tropical fruits are aplenty, and companies readily adapt to the sweet tooth most Filipinos have.

But there are unusual, sometimes zany flavors that make you wonder what ice cream manufacturers were thinking — stuff like bleu cheese that probably belongs in an episode of Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern. There are, however, flavors that are out of the ordinary, are distinctly Pinoy, and they’re definitely worth a try. After all, as the bald man himself says — if it looks good, eat it!

Champorado, Tibok-Tibok And Puto Bumbong

Sebastian’s Ice Cream is a chain of artisan ice cream outlets that has steadily been gaining popularity for their yummy and unique frozen delights. Adding to their list of scrumptious ice creams are rather unusual Pinoy favorites that can be put on a cone.

These include the velvety Tibok-Tibok, made from fresh coconut milk and cream that is topped with latik. The original Pinoy dessert comes from Pampanga, and describes the process of cooking a duo of milks into a pudding by which this ice cream is inspired. Then there are the Puto Bumbong ice cream and Champorado ice cream which are basically carbs on a cone — but very yummy carbs.

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Sebastian’s Ice Cream has branches at Alabang Town Center, the Podium, SM North Edsa The Block, TriNoma and SM Mall of Asia.

Malunggay And Salted Egg

Veering away from the sweet side are these unusual concoctions from Butchie’s recipes. No one would ever dream to taint dessert with vegetables, but the malunggay ice cream is a perplexing taste that is both interesting and healthy.

Salted egg or buro is most often eaten on top of bibingka — and this is what Butchie’s version tastes like. Described as cheesy and sweet, it is definitely a different take on kakanin-inspired ice cream.

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Butchie’s Recipe is located at 226 Wilson Street, San Juan, West Greenhills.

Calamansi, Guayabano, Munggo And Avocado

Fruits in Ice Cream or FIC may be quite familiar, since they have a lot of branches in malls and near schools. This scoopery has a lot of Pinoy flavors on their menu, like tsokonut, macapuno and durian, but they have a handful of variants that definitely make you want to take a double take.

First is avocado, which is most often used in guacamole but now finds it’s way into creamy goodness. Next is the munggo ice cream which is actually popular in other Asian countries like South Korea. Then there are calamansi and guayabano sherbets. I definitely haven’t encountered a calamansi ice cream before and if you’re down with a cold, you could probably insist that this doubles as a natural remedy!

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FIC has branches at Power Plant Mall, Robinsons Midtown, Gateway, TriNoma, SM The Block and Market! Market!

Sampaguita

Sampaguita, or the Arabian jasmine, is the national flower of the Philippines and is widely recognized as those little white buds on garlands that are sold by vendors near churches. This dish takes patriotism to a whole new level as Ilustrado Restaurant in Intramuros transforms this humble flower into a rich dessert.

The sampaguita ice cream is a flowery vanilla combination that definitely smells like the real thing. It’s one of the best-kept secrets of the walled city. Just don’t go eating the real flowers when you find yourself craving for more.

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Ilustrado is located at 744 Calle Real del Palacio (Gen. Luna), Intramuros, Manila and has branches at Alabang Town Center, SM Mall of Asia, SM Makati, and Festival Mall.