Everything is Swell at Swensen's
Let's face it. The world isn't getting any less warm. With global warming and all that greenhouse effect, we're in for hotter times. And being in a tropical country makes it more painfully scorching. The only thing that's uplifting about the polar ice caps melting, is that ice cream treats taste way better.
I'm a fan of gelato, the so-called "healthier" version of ice cream, claiming to have less calories and all. But sometimes, on a seething summer day, indulging on the more sinful variety gives more gustatory pleasure. And Swensen's has it all.
When a sign is in pastel colors, it has to be good.
We dropped by on a humid afternoon and quickly browsed through the colorful menu. Everything looked nice and swell, from the towering sundaes to the long banana splits. I settled for an enchanting chocolate sundae, while she opted for the more colorful kind.
Chewy Chocky Fancy, P135
Choosing flavors is a bit tricky. Mix the wrong flavors and you'll end up forcing yourself to eat your failed creation. The servers will actually let you have a small bit of the flavor you want, so you can get the best out of the experience. For a hardcore chocolate lover like me, I went all the way. I opted for the Chew Chocky Fancy sundae, with a scoop of Rocky Road and a hefty serving of Midnight Brownies. The Rocky Road was less milkier than our local brands, with the marshmallows and nuts adding a contrast in texture. On the other hand, I loved the Midnight Brownies since it was darker, more refined, and subtly bitter. It blended well with the sweeter parts of the sundae, topped off with generous whipped cream, a dash of choco chips, and chocolate dipped wafer. The chocolate glazed cherry was the crowning glory.
American Tower, P145
Flying the colors proudly!
The American tower, as the name suggests, comes complete with its mini star-spangled banner sitting victoriously on top of this wonderful creation. She picked Cookies 'n Cream for the base, add a scoop of the Midnight brownie, a few slices of bananas, crowned with a liberal amount of whipped cream. A dash of chocolate candy sprinkles and almonds, a Swensen's wafer, and a bright red cherry on top adds on to the pretty sight. There also was a light drizzle of strawberry syrup right smack in the middle. The flavors were bursting with delight, no doubt.
Our one-two punch
It's almost regretful to devour these masterful scoops of art, but, we just had to indulge. And we finished both in no time. My only complaint was that the ice cream melted a bit faster than usual (was it the heat?). It would have been better if the scoops were served more solidly frozen (so we could take pictures of them longer haha!). By the time we were ready to decimate these two, the base scoops were already too soft. Still, the flavors were there, but the experience would be longer-lasting if I could just eat this in slow-motion, savoring each bite and absorbing each part.
Swensen's menu is filled to the brim with a myriad of colorful flavors. What's nice is that you are not constrained by the menu. It's up to you to mix and match. Or if you're the boring type, just order what's on the board. Whatever your choice is, it's a guarantee that all is swell at Swensen's. Sometimes, go healthy with gelato. Other times, indulge. Once in a while.
Swensen's Ice Cream and Sundae
Ground Floor, SM Mall of Asia, South Wing
Manila Bay Reclamation Area, Pasay City
Written by Jones
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