Who would’ve thought a simple ice treat in New York would be an inspiration for a dream project here in Cebu?
Ten years ago, the owners discovered this ice treat when their kids started buying it. Since then, it has become the family’s favorite after-school snacks because it brings good old memories back home. True enough, nostalgia is what drove the owners to make a huge step and bring the ice treat here in Cebu. So in the last quarter of 2019, they started building the production plant/flagship store. They even shipped the raw materials from Philadelphia in time for the kick-off of operations in Sinulog 2020.
However, all the plans to launch the product came to a halt due to the pandemic which caused the global lockdown. Two years was a blurry standstill for the owners which caused a lot of anxieties for them. In spite of the setbacks, they waited patiently to finally launch their ice treat to the Cebuanos.
Just when the global restrictions slowly eased up, Odette happened. Their scheduled grand opening in Sinulog 2022 was snuffed out from the plan.
The typhoon totally ripped the façade of their plant and flagship store but still, the owners didn’t lose their hopes to launch their product. The Ice Monkee Team’s persistence was bigger than any calamity and pandemic combined. They decided to open kiosks and pop-up stores instead while rebuilding their flagship store.
The first Ice Monkees pop-up store finally opened last June 18, 2022.
IS ICE MONKEES AN ICE CREAM?
Ice Monkees is a sweet frozen treat made with fruit juices or food flavorings. It is similar to sorbet and snow cones. What makes it different is it does not contain dairy or any egg ingredients. So, this can be enjoyed by those who are lactose intolerant.
Just a little trivia, the Italian ice first became popular in Philadelphia and South Jersey area when the immigrants from Italy brought the ice treat to the United States.
ICE MONKEES IS FUN AND COLORFUL TO EAT!
The Italian ice comes with nine flavors: orange, cotton candy, strawberry, lemon, blue raspberry, cherry, sour apple, pineapple, and mango. You can also combine two or more flavors by choosing from the cosmic combo flavors: Blue Dream (Blue Raspberry and Cotton Candy), Dyno Sour (Sour Apple), Fireball (Cherry Orange and hints of Lemon), Mr. Chazberry (Cherry and Blue Raspberry with hints of Strawberry), Pineapple Express (Pineapple, Lemon and Orange), and Strawberry Candy (Strawberry and Cotton Candy).
So far, I already have five top pick flavors. I enjoyed the solo flavors of cotton candy and blue raspberry. For combo flavors: Orange-Pineapple, Cotton Candy-Strawberry, and Cotton Candy-Blue Raspberry.
I’m excited to try more and combine more flavors in my next visit.
HUGE SERVINGS
It comes in three different sizes with adorably cute names: Mini Tarsier (2 scoops) for Php99, Medium Chimp (3 scoops) for Php149, and Monster Gorilla (5 scoops) for Php199.
When I dropped by Ice Monkees the day before its grand opening, I did not expect that their mini tarsiers were huge! With Ice Monkees, you totally get value for your money which is a good thing. It’s rare nowadays to enjoy something delicious for such an affordable price.
COOL AND LAIDBACK POP-UP STORE
Definitely, the Ice Monkees pop-up store brings you back to your childhood memories. I love what they did with the picnic tables. They painted it with vibrant colors to match the umbrellas. The colorful outdoor picnic set-up simply showed how bubbly and fun Ice Monkees is. The pop-up store is a perfect spot for family and friends to hang out on a laidback afternoon.
The Ice Monkees may be selling ice cold treats but their team serves their guests with a lot of warmth. With all smiles, they help you choose which combo is perfect for your preference. They don’t even rush you if you’re not sure what flavor to choose. I appreciate that in a staff. Cool thumbs-up, Ice Monkee Team.
RARE TREAT IN EVERY SCOOP
I didn’t understand at first what they meant about checking their spoon until I got my order. The color of their spoon changed from pink to purple! I realized their spoons change color when they are exposed to cold temperature. They change back to their original color when they warm back up. Crazy, right? I had a lot fun dipping into my ice treat because it’s not everyday you get to see such treat.
Why not try it for yourself and visit their pop-up store today and dig in for an ultimate ice candy experience! Definitely, it’s a must-try since Ice Monkees is the first and only Italian ice in Cebu. It sure is a refreshing snack to munch on. By the way, they’re having a Buy One-Take One Happy Hour from 6PM to 7PM daily.
So, drop by their pop-up store located in Escario Central and look for those colored picnic tables and the bright yellow counter. They are open from 2PM to 10PM daily.
For more updates, follow their Facebook page, Ice Monkees.
COOL UPDATE!
The Ice Monkees Loyal-Tee Card is already out! Enjoy loads of freebies on your 5th, 10th, 15th visit and get a cool shirt on your 20th visit!
PHOTOS FROM THE GRAND OPENING LAST JUNE 18, 2022
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