Oh man, this stuff takes me back to Taiwan.
I know that Italian ice is definitely more well known and mainstream, but I'll let you in on a little secret: Taiwan does it so much better. The one thing I never really liked about Italian ice is that no matter how much flavoring and syrup you add, it always ends up being a bit icy and dense. Take a block of frozen sweetened condensed milk, shave it into a bile frozen fluff, and you're left with a bowl of soft, creamy snow just begging to be eaten. It's called snow ice for a reason
Snow days Shavery is a dessert spot in East Village that is introducing a common Taiwanese dessert to the New York population. I know that snow ice is pretty common in California, but I have yet seen many places offering it on the East Coast.
First let me just say that portions here are massive and it's definitely for sharing. BF and I got the smallest size and even then we were both more than satisfied. There are a couple different flavors on offer from typical ones like sweet milk, green tea, coconut, and black sesame to more "Americanized" ones like NY cheesecake and Yeti tracks. Pick your base, a drizzle, load on the toppings, and you get the the fluffiest bowl of magic and unicorns imaginable.
If you're extremely indecisive like me or just don't know what will go well together, you can decide to get one of their pre-made bowls.
Made in Taiwan // green tea + condensed milk + grass jelly + mochi // 6
The fluff, oh the fluff. The snow here falls in sheets (indicative of good shaving technique), melts slowly, and is just mildly sweet. While the toppings were plentiful and I got some on each bite, the drizzle was extremely skimpy and after the top layer it was all gone. For the price though, I do wish that they had a bigger variety of toppings, especially if they are going to call it "Made in Taiwan." I missin' the sweet beans, jellies, and fruits that are typically found in Taiwanese snow ice.
With its artsy (read: hipster) decor and ample seating, I can see this are a common haunt for NYU students. Or at least, I'ld frequent here if I went to NYU. While the snow ice isn't perfect, Snowdays definitely hits the spot when I'm a bit nostalgic for Asian desserts. Light yet decadent, it really is my type of dessert.
Snowdays Shavery
New York, NY 10003
