Signed Blooms

If you're a Korean drama addict like me or just a fan of Korean food and/or culture, I'm sure you're familiar with this Korean shaved ice dessert called bingsu. 

Originally, this dish began as ice shavings with red bean baste (patbingsu). Now, they served it with any sweet toppings you can think of—from fresh sliced fruits like mangoes and berries to pastries like cheesecake and brownie to nuts to cereal flakes to ice cream! Seriously, the list just go on and on. 

It's really like our own halo-halo where we mixed in whatever ingredients we want to add on, too. The only difference is the ice. Bingsu is served with shaved, finer milky ice that melts in your mouth while halo halo is served with crushed plain ice poured with evaporated milk.

So where to get this summer-perfect dessert?

Cafe Seolhwa

2/F, The Forum, Federacion, BGC, Taguig, 1634 Metro Manila

I had my first bingsu here and it's so heavenly. We ordered the Mango Cheese Bingsu—snow-like shaved milky ice topped with cheesecake bits, mango bites, sliced almonds and vanilla ice cream. I love mangoes. I love cheesecake. I love ice cream. Seriously, all of those in one bowl? I just can't ask for more.

Mango Cheese Bingsu by Cafe Seolhwa

The place is also very fancy and cozy. I'll definitely be back just to relax and have my me-time.

Hobing Korean Dessert Cafe

3rd Floor, Bonifacio Stopover, 31st Street Rizal Dr, Taguig, 1634 Metro Manila

I didn't order the mango bingsu this time (even though I really want to) to try out new flavors. I had the Chocolate Brownie Bingsu. Instead of ice cream, it's generously topped with whipped cream. It's either I like ice cream better or I prefer mango over chocolate that I find the Mango Cheese Bingsu from Cafe Seolhwa better.

Chocolate Brownie Bingsu by Hobing

But like Cafe Seolhwa, this place is nice and even more spacious. They also have big LCD screen that plays Kpop music videos.

Too Far from BGC? You can check out more cafe/restaurants that serve this Korean shaved ice dessert here.