Ube Shaved Ice: Flavor & Pairings

What does Ube taste like?

Ube shaved ice is nutty, vanilla-sweet — the kind of flavor that makes people close their eyes on the first spoonful. Its violet color comes through beautifully in fluffy hand-shaved snow, so it looks as good as it tastes.

Because our snow is shaved fresh rather than crushed, ube syrup soaks evenly through every ribbon instead of pooling at the bottom. That means the last bite is just as flavorful as the first.

Where Ube comes from

Ube traces back to the Philippines, and it carries a little of that place in every spoonful. Ube is a purple yam prized as much for its color as its flavor.

Part of the fun of a shaved ice menu is that it's a passport — a single counter can hop from a Hawaiian beach to a Taiwanese night market to a desert roadside stand.

Best toppings for ube shaved ice

Our favorite way to serve it is with coconut and toasted milk, which balances the sweetness and adds texture. A few more combinations worth trying:

• Fresh fruit that echoes the flavor, cut into little cubes
• A jelly or boba for a chewy contrast
• A drizzle of condensed milk or coconut cream to round it out
• A tiny sugar blossom on top, because we can't help ourselves

Explore more: Our menu · Make it at home · More Flavors · All locations