Ube is the latest trend? OK, if Yelp says so! I can't say I was familiar with the Magnolia brand prior to moving to Las Vegas, and ube ice cream was a new flavor to me about 8 years ago when a coworker stashed a tub of the purple stuff in our ice cream chest at work and told me to try it. I was intrigued enough to seek out an Asian market on Spring Mountain Road and see what other unfamiliar flavors I'd find in the freezer. I was still confused as to what a halohalo actually was, but I just had to buy the corn and cheese ice cream. It may have been Magnolia brand, but I'll never know.
I ended up inside Seafood City soon after Magnolia's grand opening. It was after a mediocre dinner at a new east side restaurant and I was in search of something to get the taste of unclean fryer oil my mouth. I knew halo-halo would do the trick, but few of the toppings on display really appealed to me. The man working at the counter invited us to sample the variety of tropical ice cream flavors and the bright green buko pandan was love at first bite. I didn't care for the cashew langka, but there were plenty of interesting options to choose from.
I ordered two scoops and it was a very large serving. The ice cream was so rich and creamy, and boldly flavored. I also enjoyed the texture, because all the little bits of fruit and fiber indicate that they use fresh ingredients- not processed. With a cone for my husband and a cup for our daughter, the tab was under $10.