MoMo & Coco

The Hallyu Dessert Wave: Korean ice cream at Sundaes Best (NYC)

A cultural lesson through ice cream. 

 

Our experience

As we previewed in our Mid-Year NYC Dessert Trends News update, if 2022 was the year that saw the emergence of South-East Asian specialty dessert spots, this year of 2023 may just be the year that ushers in a similar East Asian wave.  In NYC, there are countless ice cream spots, but aside from Chinatown Ice Cream Factory (and delivery-only Sundae Service), there aren’t really any others that feature a strong repertoire of Asian flavours. Newly opened at the start of summer, Sundaes Best showcases traditional Korean flavours like no other ice cream spot in the city.

When we first visited in early June, the store was mostly empty, and we had the opportunity to chat with the owner and taste-test what must have been the entire ice cream counter of 20+ flavours. But as NYC reaches peak summer humidity, word has clearly gotten out, and you can now expect a bit of a wait to get your ice cream. You have the option of 2 flavours for about $7, or 3 flavours for about $9. Toppings depend on the ice cream selected, and have generally been a slightly salty crisp, rice cracker or puffs for contrast. If Sundaes Best ever offers a tasting plate of multiple flavours, you can bet that we will be first in line. 🙂

 

There are both ice cream and sorbets available at Sundaes Best. Ice creams are more subtle in flavour profile when compared to the sorbets — of the many on offer, don’t miss the earthy milky tones of misugaru, the roasted rice taste in the nurunji, the nutty ingeolmi with little mochi, and the addictive honey butter. By contrast, the sorbets at Sundaes Best possess more vividly energetic flavours. We have repeatedly ordered the eyewateringly tart calamansi, the punchy thai basil pineapple, the cinnamon-infused soojungwwa, and the just-a-little-sweet white peach, maesil and prickly pear. In a short time, Sundaes Best has become one of our favourite ice cream spots in the city, and we cannot recommend it enough. 🙂

Dessert adventure checklist

  1. ☑ Dessert destination: Sundaes Best, 315 th Avenue, Koreatown, Manhattan.
  2. ☑ Budget: $.
  3. ☑ Sweet irresistibles: Ice cream and sorbets.
  4. ☑ Must-eat: Misugaru, nurunji, and calamansi are probably our top 3 repeat-order flavours.
  5. ☑ The short and sweet story: A cultural lesson through ice cream. 

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