Its Cold, Fattening but Therapeutic

One food that fits the above description is ICE CREAM!! I have a love-hate relationship with ice cream. I love to eat ice cream but I hate it because it gives me additional sugars and they get stored up in the reserves of my body!

I used to be very happy whenever I drive into Malaysia and get to eat Baskin Robbins ice cream. BR is extinct in Singapore. Ask me the R&R stops (between Singapore and Putrajaya) that has BR for sale on the North-South Expressway, I can tell you where they are. Up towards KL, there is one at an obscure R&R stop (not the Ayer Keroh stop!) just after the Ayer Keroh exit. On the way back, there is one at the Ayer Keroh R&R stop. One time when I was in Malaysia for church camp, I ate 6 scoops of ice cream in 6 days! 2 scoops on the way up, 2 scoops at Mid-Valley Shopping Mall and 2 scoops on the way back. My 2 favourite are Jamoca Almond Fudge and a chocolate flavour (can't remember the name) which has a sticky texture.

In Australia, I also had quite a fair share of ice cream (a.k.a. gelati). In the past, I have heard so much about Passionflower Cafe at Darling Harbour in Sydney but I have never been able to try it. Finally, I got to try it when I was there last August!


W decided on the rose with (I think) camomile flavour while I chose (if I didn't remember wrongly) tiramisu. Sitting outside the cafe, indulging in the cool winter by the harbour enjoying ice cream with waffles... what a relaxing and carefree moment....

Going back a little further back, while I was at Wheelock Place one evening with MH and CL last June, we happen to see a newly opened ice cream counter which were giving out free ice cream! Being typical Singaporeans, we thought we'll join the short queue and get to choose the flavour that we wanted. Haato - I was told, it was the japanese word for heart. Since then, they have opened up 2-3 more counters/cafes in Singapore. On another occasion, I had tried their honey with camomile ice cream. It was a refreshing yet soothing taste.

MH with black sesame, CL with green tea and me with stawberry yoghurt

More recently, I finally was able to visit The Daily Scoop at Sunset Way. I have long heard about this little cafe kept in one corner of Clementi Arcade. One day, a few of us drove there on a public holiday only to find them closed. This time, I brought W there as I took an afternoon day off. Between us, we had 4 scoops to binge on: green tea with red bean, cherry brandy, honey vanilla and coconut ice cream. Of the 4, I prefer honey vanilla and coconut. Green tea was not too bad, but I somehow still prefer the green tea ice cream I made with red bean paste on it. As for cherry brandy, I prefer brandied cherry from Island Creamery.


Anyhow, TDS has quite many flavours available. I think the owners are Christian. On one side of the wall, there was "Today in the town of David, a Saviour has been born to us; He is Christ the Lord. Luke 2:11" And at the side of the counter where plain water was available self-service, copies of Christian tracks were placed beside it for people to pick up, read and keep.

Featuring another ice cream cafe opened by Christians, W brought me to Blue Lotus in Brissy 2 months ago in November. I missed it in my August Brissy trip as this dessert lounge had relocated and W could not find it. This time W specially brought me there... BL really had the feel of a lounge... it doesn't quite look like a dessert place other than the visible ice cream counter. I had thought it was a pub lounge from the outside. (I have no photos of BL)

Coincidentally, my pastor's nephew and his wife T (her cousin owns BL) are working at BL. We had a short chat with T... although the ice cream are not made on its grounds, the variety of ice cream and desserts they offer were difficult to resist! :p I must visit again when I next go Brissy. Then I shall post up photos of the place and its food!

Last but not least, my favourite in Singapore at this moment, will have to be Island Creamery. I like it not because its name is "island" but because I like the flavours they offer and I never get tired of eating them. IC was famous for their Tiger beer sorbet. But I think they have stopped production of that flavour... From a small counter space at Serene Centre, they have expanded to a cafe a few units away from their original spot. Each time I go IC, the cafe is comfortably packed with people and its fans seem to patronise non-stop. On various occasions, I have bumped into doctors from my hospital with their family, my old JC classmates and friends and my church friends...

At IC a few favourites of mine include pulot hitam, kalua latte, reverso and brandied cherry! IC's ice cream are made on the premises, except for the new counter at Great World City. You can easily buy a 500g tub for $8! That's a pretty neat price for homemade ice cream and its cheaper than that from TDS.

Having all said and done, I think I shall attempt to stay off ice cream where possible and only have it as a treat once in a while... I should be shedding off kilos, so *ahem* please don't bring me anywhere near these places!