Singapore is generous with its steady supply of heat. It's jarring, punishing and brutal at times – and it rarely eases up. While the United States celebrates National Ice Cream Month this July, we're celebrating this icy treat all year round. Why? Because, for goodness' sake, we deserve it!
1. In a cocktail
Order: Escape to Amalfi
Where: The Powder Room (19 Cecil St., 8181-3305)
Jars of Salt
If the humidity has you in a tizzy, head to the cool, dark quarters of The Black Swan's The Powder Room for this refreshing cocktail. Served in a lifted-pinky-worthy classic Champagne glass, Escape to Amalfi is made with Prosecco and vodka and is topped with a scoop of Amalfi lemon sorbet and lemon zest. We don't blame you if you want to dive right into it, Dita Von Teese Style.
2. With mushrooms and tomatoes
Order: Black Forest
Where: Pollen (Gardens by the Bay, #01-09 The Flower Dome, 6604-9988)
Instagram / @jessicakusumamama
Michelin-starred chef, Jason Atherton, is known to push boundaries. But ice cream with roasted tomatoes and shimeji mushrooms? It works surprisingly well in Pollen's interpretation of the classic black forest dessert. This version is an artful composition that also consists of cherry, pandan and amazing JAAL 75% chocolate.
3. On rainbow bread
Order: Ice cream on rainbow bread
Where: Your favourite ice cream uncle
Instagram / @theveryhungrykaterpilla
We are ripple rainbow bread people because, quite frankly, the better the tie-dye effect our sweet treat has, the better – well that's just us. This nostalgic eat is easy to find, cheap (around $1), and comes in many flavours that we're sure you're very familiar with: chocolate chip, durian, sweet corn, red bean, honeydew, and yam. There's one for every day of the week!
4. On bubur pulut hitam
Order: Black Glutinous Rice with Vanilla Ice Cream
Where: Ah Chew Desserts (#01-10/11 Liang Seah Place, 1 Liang Seah St., Tel: 63398198)
Instagram / @eve_csl
Instead of taking the traditional route (served warm and with a swirl of coconut milk), Ah Chew Desserts serves bubur pulut hitam 2.0. This version is served cold and is topped with crispy almond slivers and a scoop of creamy vanilla ice cream.
5. Dipped in chocolate fondue
Order: Fondue
Where: Haagen-Dazs (#03-12/12A/13/13A Wisma Atria, 435 Orchard Rd., 6836-5418 & more)
Instagram / @stephaniiiieee
Three words: hot fudge galore. At Haagen-Dazs, a sizable pot of hot fudge is plated alongside bite-sized spheres of your favourite Haagen-Dazs ice cream, love letters, nuts as well as assorted fruits, mini cakes and cookies. It's great for sharing (but of course you don't have to!) and perfect for those who can't decide if they prefer things hot or cold.
6. On a warm fluffy waffle
Order: Waffle with Ice Cream
Where: Symmetry (#01-01, 9 Jalan Kubor, 6291-9901)
Complete your hipster cafe outing with an order of warm fluffy waffles with vanilla ice cream. It's served with enough accompaniments to make each bite taste distinctly different. There's mixed berries compote, sticky syrup, peanut butter, chocolate hazelnut spread and whipped cream. It's only available during the daytime (lunch and brunch), so there's time to work off those calories in gym later in the day.
Top photo; Symmetry
7. In pie form
Order: Mud Pie
Where: Island Creamery (#01-03 Serene Centre, 10 Jalan Serene, 6468-8859)
Island Creamery
This one is for the chocoholics! Our favourite locally-bred ice cream haunt, Island Creamery, offers the most satisfying creation. The deliciousness begins with crust made of Oreos, then a layer of burnt carmel ice is added, then a layer of cookies and cream ice cream is piled on, then an even thicker layer of chocolate ice cream is placed on top and that calls for even more crushed Oreos. It's finished off with a drizzle of sticky hot fudge. Sign us up for the whole pie!
8. In coffee
Order: Iced Mocha
Where: Jones the Grocer (#01-12 Dempsey Hill, 9 Dempsey Rd., 6476-1512 & more)
Urban Doll
A caffeine-fix, sugar rush and chocolate overload in one? Yes please! The iced mocha at Jones the Grocer is no average cup of Joe. This over-the-top version includes milk, espresso, gooey chocolate sauce and healthy scoop of chocolate ice cream. It's the kind of drink that requires a spoon. Muddle it up to make milkshake of sorts, sip the coffee and eat the ice cream last or let the delicious ice cream slowly infuse into the drink – there are just too many options!
7. In bibimbap?
Order: Frozen Bibimbap
Where: Ding Dong (23 Ann Siang Rd., 6557-0189)
Ding Dong
While it certainly looks like a bowl of bibimbap, we all know that looks can be deceiving. Nope, this is not your favourite Korean dish, it's actually a clever frozen dessert. Chef Ryan Clift has created this sneaky little fella which includes mango sorbet, puffed rice, cucumber meringue, chilli cherry compote and coconut flakes. We finally can get away with having ice cream for dinner!
10. In a Japanese parfait
Order: Matcha and Hoji-cha parfaits with rice-flour dumplings
Where: Nana's Green Tea (#03-80/81/82 Plaza Singapura, 68 Orchard Rd., 66844312)
Nana's Green Tea
Fans of Japanese sweets will love the decadent parfaits at Nana's Green Tea, a popular chain cafe from Tokyo. There are amazing textures and flavours to be found in the matcha parfait with rice-flour dumplings – the gummy kanten jelly, the crispy corn flakes, the fluffy whipped cream, the sticky-sweet mochi and the smooth matcha ice cream. If you're one who favours deeper flavours, try the Hojicha (roasted green tea) parfait.
Singapore is generous with its steady supply of heat. It's jarring, punishing and brutal at times – and it rarely eases up. While the United States celebrates National Ice Cream Month this July, we're celebrating this icy treat all year round. Why? Because, for goodness' sake, we deserve it!
1. In a cocktail
Order: Escape to Amalfi
Where: The Powder Room (19 Cecil St., 8181-3305)
Jars of Salt
If the humidity has you in a tizzy, head to the cool, dark quarters of The Black Swan's The Powder Room for this refreshing cocktail. Served in a lifted-pinky-worthy classic Champagne glass, Escape to Amalfi is made with Prosecco and vodka and is topped with a scoop of Amalfi lemon sorbet and lemon zest. We don't blame you if you want to dive right into it, Dita Von Teese Style.
2. With mushrooms and tomatoes
Order: Black Forest
Where: Pollen (Gardens by the Bay, #01-09 The Flower Dome, 6604-9988)
Instagram / @jessicakusumamama
Michelin-starred chef, Jason Atherton, is known to push boundaries. But ice cream with roasted tomatoes and shimeji mushrooms? It works surprisingly well in Pollen's interpretation of the classic black forest dessert. This version is an artful composition that also consists of cherry, pandan and amazing JAAL 75% chocolate.
3. On rainbow bread
Order: Ice cream on rainbow bread
Where: Your favourite ice cream uncle
Instagram / @theveryhungrykaterpilla
We are ripple rainbow bread people because, quite frankly, the better the tie-dye effect our sweet treat has, the better – well that's just us. This nostalgic eat is easy to find, cheap (around $1), and comes in many flavours that we're sure you're very familiar with: chocolate chip, durian, sweet corn, red bean, honeydew, and yam. There's one for every day of the week!
4. On bubur pulut hitam
Order: Black Glutinous Rice with Vanilla Ice Cream
Where: Ah Chew Desserts (#01-10/11 Liang Seah Place, 1 Liang Seah St., Tel: 63398198)
Instagram / @eve_csl
Instead of taking the traditional route (served warm and with a swirl of coconut milk), Ah Chew Desserts serves bubur pulut hitam 2.0. This version is served cold and is topped with crispy almond slivers and a scoop of creamy vanilla ice cream.
5. Dipped in chocolate fondue
Order: Fondue
Where: Haagen-Dazs (#03-12/12A/13/13A Wisma Atria, 435 Orchard Rd., 6836-5418 & more)
Instagram / @stephaniiiieee
Three words: hot fudge galore. At Haagen-Dazs, a sizable pot of hot fudge is plated alongside bite-sized spheres of your favourite Haagen-Dazs ice cream, love letters, nuts as well as assorted fruits, mini cakes and cookies. It's great for sharing (but of course you don't have to!) and perfect for those who can't decide if they prefer things hot or cold.
6. On a warm fluffy waffle
Order: Waffle with Ice Cream
Where: Symmetry (#01-01, 9 Jalan Kubor, 6291-9901)
Complete your hipster cafe outing with an order of warm fluffy waffles with vanilla ice cream. It's served with enough accompaniments to make each bite taste distinctly different. There's mixed berries compote, sticky syrup, peanut butter, chocolate hazelnut spread and whipped cream. It's only available during the daytime (lunch and brunch), so there's time to work off those calories in gym later in the day.
Top photo; Symmetry
7. In pie form
Order: Mud Pie
Where: Island Creamery (#01-03 Serene Centre, 10 Jalan Serene, 6468-8859)
Island Creamery
This one is for the chocoholics! Our favourite locally-bred ice cream haunt, Island Creamery, offers the most satisfying creation. The deliciousness begins with crust made of Oreos, then a layer of burnt carmel ice is added, then a layer of cookies and cream ice cream is piled on, then an even thicker layer of chocolate ice cream is placed on top and that calls for even more crushed Oreos. It's finished off with a drizzle of sticky hot fudge. Sign us up for the whole pie!
8. In coffee
Order: Iced Mocha
Where: Jones the Grocer (#01-12 Dempsey Hill, 9 Dempsey Rd., 6476-1512 & more)
Urban Doll
A caffeine-fix, sugar rush and chocolate overload in one? Yes please! The iced mocha at Jones the Grocer is no average cup of Joe. This over-the-top version includes milk, espresso, gooey chocolate sauce and healthy scoop of chocolate ice cream. It's the kind of drink that requires a spoon. Muddle it up to make milkshake of sorts, sip the coffee and eat the ice cream last or let the delicious ice cream slowly infuse into the drink – there are just too many options!
7. In bibimbap?
Order: Frozen Bibimbap
Where: Ding Dong (23 Ann Siang Rd., 6557-0189)
Ding Dong
While it certainly looks like a bowl of bibimbap, we all know that looks can be deceiving. Nope, this is not your favourite Korean dish, it's actually a clever frozen dessert. Chef Ryan Clift has created this sneaky little fella which includes mango sorbet, puffed rice, cucumber meringue, chilli cherry compote and coconut flakes. We finally can get away with having ice cream for dinner!
10. In a Japanese parfait
Order: Matcha and Hoji-cha parfaits with rice-flour dumplings
Where: Nana's Green Tea (#03-80/81/82 Plaza Singapura, 68 Orchard Rd., 66844312)
Nana's Green Tea
Fans of Japanese sweets will love the decadent parfaits at Nana's Green Tea, a popular chain cafe from Tokyo. There are amazing textures and flavours to be found in the matcha parfait with rice-flour dumplings – the gummy kanten jelly, the crispy corn flakes, the fluffy whipped cream, the sticky-sweet mochi and the smooth matcha ice cream. If you're one who favours deeper flavours, try the Hojicha (roasted green tea) parfait.