Taipei’s Hottest Trendy Ice Cream Boutique – “Mermaid’s Tear” Actually Tastes Like Tears

▲ The July-launched “Mermaid’s Tear” (left) has surpassed the sales of the popular “Whiskey Honey” (center) and the summer-limited “Ivan Fresh Mango” (right). (Photo / Reporter Long Yi)

Intern Reporter Long Yi / Taipei Reporting

Located near Taipei Metro Zhongxiao Dunhua StationMilk Beard Fresh Milk Soft Serve Ice Cream Specialty Storerecently relocated to a larger storefront and introduced the super dreamy new product “Mermaid’s Tear.” Its main flavor is a rich milky aroma combined with Miyako Island snow salt, offering a sweet-and-salty taste that feels like tasting a mermaid’s tear. This romantic and fantastical experience has become a hit on Instagram.

This small shop prides itself on using only pure fresh milk, with no artificial flavorings or colorings. The rich milky aroma and completely natural ingredients are even more special becausethe owner is not only passionate but also highly individualistic. To date, she has developed over 50 flavors of ice cream, rotating just four daily based on her mood, in limited quantities and time slots – so you might not always get your favorite flavor.

Owner Joyce said she has always loved ice cream and couldn’t forget the delicious fresh milk soft serves she tried in Japan. With her passion for ice cream and those fond memories, she opened the store on June 22, 2013. With no business-savvy friends to consult, she had to figure things out on her own, spending about three months learning how to make ice cream and preparing for the opening.

Joyce said she initially only knew how to make two basic flavors – milk and mango. But because she enjoys drinking alcohol, she decided to combine spirits with ice cream and launched flavors like Whiskey Honey, Gaoliang Tieguanyin, Honey Apple Beer, Soy Milk Sake, Starfruit Tequila, and Rose Plum Wine. She also mentioned that the concept behind making alcoholic-flavored ice creams is similar to mixing cocktails, so to perfect the flavors, she even visited a champion mixologist’s bar for advice.

▲ “Gaoliang Tieguanyin,” a combination of Kinmen 38% Gaoliang liquor and Tieguanyin tea, has no harsh alcohol taste – the subtle hint of gaoliang is cleverly masked by the rich tea aroma. (Photo / Provided by Milk Beard)）

ETNEWS News Cloud reminds you: Don’t drink and drive, don’t drive after drinking.

▲ The owner’s personal favorite “Tiramisu” flavor is made with mascarpone cheese ice cream, coffee jelly made from the owner’s homemade coffee and rum, topped with Valrhona cocoa powder. (Photo / Provided by Milk Beard)

▲ Seasonal and holiday-limited flavors, such as Halloween (left) and Father’s Day (right). (Photo / Provided by Milk Beard)

The owner is committed to using natural ingredients and real, high-quality materials. Because of this dedication, making strawberry-flavored ice cream has been quite challenging. Since100% strawberry ice cream turns out a light pink color and lacks the usual sweetness of strawberry desserts, some customers don’t believe it’s strawberry-flavored. All fruit-flavored ice creams are made by hand-boiling fruit into jam, concentrating it, and then adding fresh fruit.However, using such natural ingredients increases costs. But Joyce says her desire to share natural food with customers is why she keeps prices as low as possible.

▲ Because strawberries often have more pesticide residue, the owner washes them at least four times with water, once with drinking water, and removes the stems. (Photo / Provided by Milk Beard)

As for creating “Mermaid’s Tear,” it was inspired by seeing blue ice cream in Japan. Unlike the very bright blues in Japan, the owner used natural butterfly pea flowers to create a soft and dreamy light blue, paired with Miyako Island snow salt to evoke the taste of tears. A friend once suggested applying for a patent, but the owner said if others love the flavor and make something similar, she doesn’t see it as a bad thing—in fact, sharing the flavor with more people makes her happy.

▲ “Mermaid’s Tear” features a rich milky aroma with Miyako Island snow salt, offering a sweet-and-salty taste that feels like tasting a mermaid’s tear. (Photo / Reporter Long Yi)

▲ Since starting the business, around 50 different flavors have been sold. The owner teasingly revealed that two new flavors will be launching at the end of August – stay tuned for a taste test. (Photo / Reporter Long Yi)

Milk Beard – Fresh Milk Soft Serve Ice Cream Specialty Store
Address: 9, 1F, No. 201, Section 4, Zhongxiao East Road, Da’an District, Taipei City
Phone: 02 2711 0286
Business Hours: Sunday to Thursday 13:00–22:30
Friday & Saturday 13:00–23:00
Facebook Page:https://www.facebook.com/MilkBeard/