Creative Coolers

I guess we can all agree that the heat in Manila has been really unbearable lately. With temperatures soaring, everyone’s thoughts turn to halo-halo, shakes, ice cream and cold drinks to cool down.

I was watching Kapuso Mo Jessica Soho last week to catch the segment on Outbreak Manila and saw their feature on summer coolers – which included Crocodile Egg ice cream from Davao and Tilapia ice cream from Nueva Ecija – two ice creams I have just added to my “must-try” weird food list. Here are a few other creative coolers which I’ve come across during recent trips. Beat the the heat with these weird finds:

SILI, PILI & MALUNGGAY ICE CREAM

Where found: First Colonial Grill, Legazpi, Albay

Though the sili ice cream looks really good, after the novelty wears off, it’s a bit hard to snack on. Sili ice cream tastes like creamy vanilla ice cream mixed with spicy pimiento spread. Meanwhile, malunggay ice cream tastes like a bitter salad was left in the freezer for a while. Of the three, the pili ice cream is the best – delectable, light and creamy, with little chunks of caramelized pili nuts, reminiscent of almonds. All three are worth trying for first-timers, but the pili ice cream is the clear winner. The ice creams cost P79.00 per scoop at First Colonial Grill.

MANGO BEER

Where found: Bagasbas Lighthouse, Daet, Camarines Norte

While lemon and apple flavored beer (which I am drinking right now as I write) is sold popularly by San Miguel, the first time I came across a mango-flavored beer was in Catherine’s Restaurant, the in-house resto of Bagasbas Lighthouse in Daet, Camarines Norte. It’s actually San Miguel draft beer with a generous dose of mango syrup, making the drink a strange blend of sweet and bitter flavors. This beer is best drunk with lots of ice and an appetizer while lounging by the swimming pool. Mango beer costs P60.00 per mug.

KAMIAS SHAKE

Where found: Camalig Restaurant, Pampanga

Though the kamias (tropical fruit) is naturally sour, the kamias shake actually tasted pretty good. It seemed to have hints of mint which balanced the kamias flavor, though the drink was a bit chunky and kept getting stuck in the straw. The drink is served in Camalig Restaurant in Pampanga, the fruits of which are just picked from a tree growing in the restaurant’s courtyard. The shake went very well with the savory meal of pasta and pizza served in the famous Pampanga restaurant.

CURRY LASSI

Where found: Swagat Indian Restaurant, Makati

A lassi is a yogurt-based drink commonly sold in India. Curry lassi tastes exactly like it sounds – icy sour yogurt drink topped with spicy curry powder. The drink is not for everybody. In fact, only a handful of people would probably enjoy this. If you’re not the adventurous type, I recommend you stick to the strawberry lassi instead, which is sweet, creamy, and delicious.

COFFEE HALO-HALO

Where found: Chicco de Caffe branches (coffee chain from Davao)

I haven’t tried Coffee Halo-Halo yet, but I saw this advertisement while having Durian Coffee at the Chicco de Caffe branch in Robinson’s Galleria a while back. I imagine it to be like a coffee jelly drink with assorted fruits. Another poster in the coffee shop also advertised some summer coolers including Durian Caramel and Peach Cucumber yogurt drinks, which I have yet to try.

How about you, what’s the most creative cooler you’ve tried? Please do share them in the comments section! 🙂