UiUi Bubble Tea: Bowl of Shaved Ice to beat the heat
Dear Food Diary:
Nothing beats the heat like a nice bowl of Taiwanese Shaved Ice. Yeah, I’m talking about these hot humid days, where ice cream melts in your hand. One of my to go places is UiUi Bubble Tea in Chinatown.
They have tons of toppings to choose and if your up for something savory, they’ve got that covered too. I like Taiwanese style popcorn chicken.
For the shaved ice treat, I have my favorite toppings: grass jelly, pudding, 8 treasure mix beans (red bean, green bean, big red bean, pearl barley and some other types of beans), and condense milk (which is a must to any good combo). It also comes with a sugar syrup to sweeten the icy layers below. A whole giant bowl for only $4.50 and they’re very generous with toppings.
You might think beans in your dessert are weird and would rather have them in a burrito, but give them a try. The mixture and texture of them all are actually quite satisfying. I love how the grass jelly is cool, the pudding melts in your mouth, then you get that sweet creamy condensed milk and the beans have so many textures, specially the chewy pearl barley, my favorite ingredient in Chinese soups, both sweet and savory.
My complaint is that their ice actually is coarse as suppose to fluffy snow like texture, which is the way it should be. I haven’t found the perfect one in NY yet, if you know a good place, please pass it along. As for now, I can’t complain ‘cuz their toppings are pretty sweet.
If your not into shaved ice, they also have bubble tea to quench your thirst.
P.S. Chubby’s RATING: 
49 Bayard St
212.566.6833
49 Bayard St
212.566.6833
nice! finally a taiwanese shaved ice place in ctown.
Go to Dumpling Man at 100 St. Marks Pl. between 1st Ave and
Ave A for "snow ice" that is the consistency of, yup, melt-on-your tongue snow. Red Bean and Mango are their only flavors, but each comes with a creamy topping, and the portions are enough to feed 3 or 4, all for under $4. Their dumplings are amazing, too. Best of each that I have had in NY.