Combining local produce: Chiayi’s popular trendy ice shop — fruit ice for under NT$50

Text and photos byOrange Dog Loves Candy

Aside from memories of Chiayi’s chicken rice and square crackers, there are actually quite a few nostalgic ice shops from the olden days in Chiayi, such as Yongfeng Ice Parlor in Puzi and Ma|於盎蚴鞘星?暮７纾?永系胤阶苣芡诰虻嚼鲜贝?纳?罴且洌?还?馄??樯艿牡故且患蚁嗟笔芑队?男滦吮?辍敬蛎ū??摇浚?涫邓敌乱膊凰阈隆＜/p>

The shop owner mentioned they’ve been open for over a year, but I found quite a lot of online articles about them — proof of their popularity. Even when I tried to get a taxi here and told the driver the address, he didn’t know where it was, but when I said “Damao,” he knew the direction right away XD

“Damao” is the old name for Minxiong in Chiayi. The ice parlor is named after Damao in hopes of integrating local Minxiong agricultural products. Due to the soil characteristics and climate, Minxiong is very suitable for growing pineapples. Golden Diamond and Milk pineapples are two of its specialties. Thus, naming it Damao and using the packaging of an ice parlor to design ice products that incorporate Minxiong’s produce helps connect with local identity and promote agriculture. In truth, Taiwan has many great local ingredients, but they often cost more than imported goods due to higher production costs — yet their quality is much better. Also, located at the prominent intersection of Zhongshan Road and Minguo Road, it’s hard not to notice this place. (Actually, I had noticed Damao Ice Parlor before when I came here with a friend to eat at the Wang RJ steakhouse across the street.)

It’s just the right season now as the weather starts heating up — perfect for enjoying ice treats. Come check it out (though the strawberry season is over). The whole shop features mainly wooden decor. It’s not very big, but there are still quite a few seats. Though called an ice parlor, its style isn’t the classic nostalgic retro vibe, plus it has a cute logo (a combination of pineapple and cat).

The overall atmosphere should really appeal to younger folks, though the age range of customers actually surprised me — it’s quite widespread. The open seating area has no air conditioning, but eating ice while it’s warm actually feels even more refreshing. (It’s said weekends get very crowded, so weekdays are recommended if possible; waiting for a seat in the heat can be tough.)

Even the business cards are designed super adorably. Their length is just right to take home and use as a bookmark without looking out of place. They feature cute cat designs, though I’m not sure how many people still read physical books these days.

The kitchen is semi-open, so you can see the entire preparation process and all the ingredients being used. The kitchen is also kept very clean. Typically, places selling fruits or sweet soups that don’t maintain good hygiene will have that slight sour smell as soon as you walk in. But Damao has been open for a year and still maintains a fresh and comfortable vibe like a new shop.

Aside from pineapple-related items, they also offer ice drinks and desserts made with other seasonal fruits, like strawberries and mangoes, which are super popular when in season. But even after those seasons end, there are plenty of regular sweet treats available. The most popular item, of course, is the bubble tea snowflake ice — from drinking to eating, bubble tea is truly an evergreen favorite.

And for a shop like this, I think the pricing is pretty reasonable. Only the strawberry and mango ice items go up to around NT$100. About 90% of the items here are budget-friendly or come in under NT$100. Such approachable prices are no wonder why it’s so popular. On the day I visited, it was unfortunate that neither the strawberry nor mango seasons had started yet. During this in-between period, I’ll introduce a few of their regular desserts.

【Popular Signature │ Sun-Moon Bubble Tea Snowflake Ice │ NT$85】
The tricky part about making snowflake ice is that you first need to freeze the bubble tea into an ice block before you can shave it. Damao uses Assam black tea to make their bubble tea, and the tea flavor is really good. The most unique part is that they even chill the bowl in advance — by keeping the serving bowl cold, the snowflake ice melts more slowly and feels even more refreshing. Plus, there's a scoop of vanilla ice cream and tapioca pearls (I put the straw in myself XD). It tastes just like real bubble tea, especially since the tapioca pearls are chewy and soft — exactly my favorite texture. The flavor of the ice is also rich; no wonder this Taiwanese specialty can gain international fame. Made into ice, it’s still delicious and never gets old.

【Signature │ Small Farmer’s Uji Matcha Snowflake Ice │ NT$80】
Matcha is undoubtedly one of the hottest desserts right now — a rather interesting phenomenon. Actually, not just in Taiwan, but in Hong Kong too, any matcha product tends to attract attention. However, this one is called “Small Farmer’s” because it actually uses Nantou matcha powder, whose quality is close to that of authentic matcha. If it were real Uji matcha, it would probably cost more than this price. I think the richness is actually quite good and it’s not overly sweet. The homemade red beans are plump, soft, and delicious. There’s also a scoop of vanilla ice cream. I think it’s nice, but between the two snowflake ices, I actually prefer the bubble tea one.

【Retro Nostalgic │ Damao Fruit Ice │ NT$45】
At just NT$50 and change, this is an absolute steal. The portion of ice isn’t small either. The signature pineapple is, of course, included, but aside from sliced pineapple, the homemade honey pineapple on top is even tastier. It’s made from Golden Diamond pineapples grown in Minxiong, Chiayi. The Golden Diamond variety has a more distinct and rich sweet-tart flavor and aroma, making it perfect for making old-school honey pineapple sauce. There’s no need to add any unnatural chemical fruit jam. You get the taste of natural fruit, the coolness of simple shaved ice, and the nostalgic flavor of old-school honey pineapple ice — a great choice for something retro.

【Freshly Squeezed Juice │ Watermelon Milk │ NT$45 │ Avocado Milk │ NT$50】
Served in adorable ‘light bulb glass bottles’ — though they’re custom-sized, bigger than any light bulb bottles I’ve used before. The pink one is watermelon milk (I initially thought it was strawberry), and the pink color is quite pretty. It has a light watermelon flavor. As for avocado, it’s a fruit I’ve always been hesitant to try (same with durian), so I was a bit resistant at first, but it turned out surprisingly good. The ratio of milk is probably a bit higher, along with some honey and a touch of sugar, which makes the avocado flavor disappear entirely. The shop must have made it really well — this was my first time finishing an avocado-based drink.

Nowadays, there are more and more shops combining cultural creativity with local farm produce, but many of them aren’t very affordable. Pricing acceptance varies by person, but even before stepping into Damao Ice Parlor, I expected the prices might not be very wallet-friendly. However, it turned out to be completely different from what I imagined. Aside from the affordable prices, the quality of the ice products is also top-notch. No wonder it’s so popular here. If you love ice treats, don’t miss it. Sharing my simple thoughts with everyone.

Damao Ice Parlor, Chiayi Baseball Stadium │ East District
Address: No. 76, Zhongshan Road, East District, Chiayi City
Phone: 05-2755222
Business Hours: 10:00 AM – 10:00 PM
Tip: There are several roadside parking spaces nearby

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