romyisagirl: Novotel Manila's Ice N Cream Shop is Now Open for Scooping!

Summer just became sweeter with the opening of the newest ice cream shop in town. I was running errands near Araneta Center last week and I dropped by Novotel to cool my heels. Their latest offering, Ice N Cream, opened on April 16 and has been serving treats to cater to your sweet cravings.

Located on the ground floor of Novotel Manila Araneta Center, Ice N Cream is an ice cream lover's heaven. They created 18 flavors using no artificial ingredients or stabilizers. Just pure, creamy goodness. Diabetics are covered too with their sugar-free options. Ice N Cream also partnered with Carmen's Best, and there are 8 flavors of Carmen's Best ice cream to choose from.

Scrolling through my Facebook feed, I found out about their search for iScreamers, who will be the shop's ambassadors for a whole year. I sent in my entry and received a message saying I was one of the semi-finalists and won two (2) free scoops of ice cream. So after my errands one afternoon last week, I went to check the shop out and claimed my reward!

The Ice N Cream shop employees were very helpful in making me decide which flavors to try. I wanted one scoop of Leche de Almond for sure, but I wanted another flavor that will go nicely with it. Leche de Almond is a leche flan-flavored ice cream with crunchy almond florentine chips in the mix. I always go for rich and creamy flavors as these are what comfort food tastes like for me.

I ended up pairing it with Oh Honey Honey, a calamansi-flavored ice cream sweetened with Tagaytay honey. This flavor is one of their two sugar-free options, the other one being Yo Berry Yo!

Ice N Cream uses natural and stabilizer-free ingredients. Just look at that calamansi rind on the left!

Leche de Almond is my kind of flavor, going up there with my other top comfort foods, ube jam and bread pudding. It's sweet, milky, and rich, the florentine chips adding the right amount of crunch. Oh Honey Honey is the perfect answer to this summer's heat, its tangy flavor refreshing my taste buds.

Each scoop costs Php100-120, depending on the flavors. Aside from Leche de Almond, other Philippine flavors include Purple Dream (ube langka), Green with Envy (avocado), and Smell Me, Taste Me, Love Me (durian). They also have classic flavors such as Our Vanilla (vanilla), Wake Me Up Before You Go Go! (cafe latte), Choco Goes Nuts (choco peanut), and a flavor I'm going back for, It Matcha-a Been Love (matcha).

For those who want their ice cream with a little kick, they also offer three alcoholic flavors: Tijuana Surprise (cucumber dalandan tequila), Papa Don Preach (rum raisin), and Kirsch Me (black forest).

For a more refreshing option, they also have sorbets like Cocoyeah (coconut), Passionista (passion fruit), Wazzup Soursop (guyabano), Breezy Berry (mixed berries with mint), and Mango Tango (mango).

Carmen's Best Ice Cream Flavors: Salted Caramel, Strawberry, Madagascar Vanilla, He's Not Worth It, Coffee Almond Fudge, Pistachio, Brazilian Coffee, Malted Milk, Green Tea, Hokey Pokey, Butter Pecan, and Dark Chocolate.

Their creative names are a mouthful, but so are the flavors bursting from each scoop. You can also add your choice of decadent toppings (red velvet crumble and belgian waffle, anyone) or sticky sauces (eggnog and giandujas chocolate sound mighty interesting).

For Php25 each, you can add toppings to your sweet concoctions!

I can't wait to try the other flavors with Jay in tow! If we go with our friends, we can share the Le Mont Gourmand (999), Ice N Cream's signature bowl of 15 scoops of ice cream and sherbets with macarons, nuts, mixed berry coulis, chocolate sauce, and whipped cream. I'm getting excited just at the thought of it!

Ice N Cream also offers baked goods like breads, cakes, cookies, macarons, and pastries. I'm eyeing those ube ensaymadas for my next visit!