Feel sick of ice cream? Try the tangy yet not cloying classic-style Fengli Ice.

Text & Photos /BearMew Rudy

Feeling a bit overwhelmed by too much ice cream? The traditional classic-style Beimen Fengli Ice is sweet and sour, refreshing and cooling.

The recent ice cream battle among convenience stores has really been quite something—ever since FamilyMart’s milk-flavored ice cream became a hit, 7-Eleven jumped in, and things have only heated up. But FamilyMart’s new matcha flavor and 7-Eleven’s Belgian chocolate both felt a bit cloying and artificial to BearMew. Compared to those, BearMew actually prefers the milk-flavored ice cream from Song Qing (quite the surprise pick!).

In any case, if you, like BearMew, are feeling ice cream fatigue, why not switch it up and try a different kind of ice shop?

This Beimen Fengli Ice opened in April 2012 near BearMew’s place. At the time, the two of them were strolling down the street and were quite skeptical about this shop—situated in the pricey Da’an District, it had a large yard, just a few simple tables and chairs, and served basic frozen desserts. Could such a place really make money?

Yes, at first glance, it looks like your average shaved ice shop. The menu is clearly written on a blackboard, with about five flavors of ice, plus rice cake porridge, peanut soup, and red bean soup—all priced at a flat NT$45.

On a weekend afternoon, there were only about two or three tables of customers inside, but as BearMew came in for ice, more takeout customers kept coming in, so business seemed pretty good.

Besides the signature Fengli Ice (NT$45) and Lychee Ice (NT$45), you can also mix and match—choose one or two flavors from pineapple ice, pickled plum ice, peanut ice, taro ice, mung bean ice, and longan ice.

If you don’t feel like ice, there’s also rice cake porridge, peanut soup, and red bean soup. If something is sold out, it will be marked on the blackboard inside (today, the peanut soup was sold out!).

Once you’ve chosen your flavors, the staff will scoop the ice from a row of freezers—the setup is very simple, with almost no decorations.

Even the appearance of the ice is quite rustic, giving off that childhood vibe of someone driving around selling taro ice.

The texture of this ice is somewhat similar to shaved ice and slush, with lower oiliness, so it melts pretty quickly.

Bear and Mew ordered one serving of the signature Fengli Ice and one serving of Taro & Peanut Ice, each NT$45.

The taro ice has a smoother texture—you can taste the aroma of taro, though not overly strong, reminiscent of the taro ice from childhood~

The peanut ice has a rather unique texture—you can taste the aroma of peanuts or peanut butter, but it’s not as rich or thick as bubble tea-style or soft-style ice, making it a rather refreshing peanut ice.

Compared to the taro and peanut ice, the Fengli Ice is more distinctive—it’s a very classic traditional flavor.

The staff mentioned that when eating it, you can start by tasting the base ice on its own (lightly sweet), then stir everything together so the base and toppings mix well—the sweet and sour flavors become even more pronounced. The essence of Fengli Ice is really that sweet and sour taste, and unlike Western-style ice cream, it doesn’t leave you thirsty afterward. Instead, it’s more refreshing and cooling. If you’re not expecting an overly sweet experience, Fengli Ice is a great choice.

【Beimen Fengli Ice】
Address: No. 9, Lane 33, Alley 216, Section 4, Zhongxiao East Road, Taipei City
Phone: (02) 2711-8862
Business Hours: 12:00 PM – 9:30 PM
Recommendation: Want to try something different from Western-style ice? Must-order the Fengli Ice. The taro and peanut ice are also good, but not as uniquely standout as the Fengli Ice Up！

Author: BearMew Rudy—a food-loving couple who occasionally go wild spending big on food and fun, but generally stick to the principle of “limited money, endless appetite.” Same-name blog《BearMew Eats the World》is being updated simultaneously.