Drop the scoop and pick up a scraper. Thai ice cream is rolling into The Loop. Owner Van Liu opened Snow Factory today, Sept. 22, at 6602 Delmar Blvd., as reported by the Riverfront Times. The shop specializes in made-to-order rolled ice cream and Hong Kong egg waffle cones.
A senior in college, Liu said his heritage and trips to Asia inspired him to bring this concept “to the U.S. for all people to try.” His location in The Loop (the former home of Cheeseology) was ideal thanks to its close proximity to area universities and The Loop’s international community. “It would be great for Asians and Americans,” he said.
Unlike traditional scooped American ice cream, Liu explained that Thai rolled ice cream is made to order on a cold plate. The ice cream base and flavorings are poured onto the pan and stirred with spatulas as it freezes. It is then spread into a thin layer and scraped up, forming delicate rolls.
Snow Factory offers more than a dozen flavors with Asian options like Ujikintoki (matcha ice cream with red bean paste) and Southern Asian Taro, as well as traditional American options like Oreo Wonderland and peanut butter and pretzel. Liu and his team serve the rolled ice cream in cups or in Hong Kong egg waffle cones, which features large “pockets” that create crevices for toppings and melting ice cream.
Snow Factory is open daily from 11:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m.
This article appears in September 2016.