Rita's Italian Ice

DIAS PREDANI

4.0

Ritas is another US based brand that has been brought to the Philippines. It's first branch was located just almost at the entrance of V-Mall at Greenhills where it used to have endless queue before. Upto now, there's still alot of people having their Rita's Ice custard.This is my first time to have to try their ice cream. For me, it's just another ice cream store, but after I tried it, i understood why people crave for it. It's the texture and lightness of it.The Premium Fudge brownie ala mode is for the die hard chocolate fan! Soft served ice cream (custard base) topped generously with fudgy chocolate brownies plus chocolate sauce. It was super addicting! Chocolate lovers beware.My personal favorite is the Halo Halo Gelati! Ube Italian ice (smoother granita) laced with langka, macapuno, and red beans topped with Vanilla custard. Childhood favorite! It's just close to my heart to have ube ice cream over a halo-halo. Affogato. Hot shot of espresso poured over vanilla custard. I like how they pour it infront of you and at the same time, even after it is mixed together. You can still taste the nutty, roasted flavors of the coffee that was sweetend by the custard. It doesn't overpower each other.Rita's may look like 'just an another ice cream store' for some (like me), but they serve good frozen dessert. They revolutionized a smoother granita (Italian ice) and freshly churned ice cream custard in a soft serve machine. Its the combination of both worlds that gave it a niche in the industry. I'm really excited for the future flavors they are going to offer.#TheFoodCrawlers #OngsFoodprints #TheLostDiego

Ventayen John Miko

4.0

Thinking this was just another over-hyped US-franchised ice cream stores sprouting the Metro. Even when my curiosity piqued with so many people lining up in their store in UP Town Center, I was too cynical to try.Good thing I was dead wrong. Trying Rita’s for the first time in Greenhills last Saturday, made me realized that Rita’s is not just one of those usual ice cream stores.Rita’s Frozen Custard seems to elevate soft-served ice cream to a different level with its thick, smooth creamy texture with just a soft light sweetness that cannot be found elsewhere.Some of their treats we were able to try:1. Premium Fudge Brownie Ala Mode (P180) – A heaven in a cup for chocolate and brownie lover like me. The combination of thick vanilla frozen custard with generous amount of brownie cubes (that were warmed before putting in the cup for that soft fudgy texture) and sweet chocolate fudge drizzle provides a perfect balance of sweet, creamy, fudgy texture and chocolate-y flavor.2. Regular Halo-Halo Gelati (P150) – It is fun to consume, with Frozen Vanilla Custard on top and buttom layer and Italian Ice halo-halo in the middle with ube halaya, langka, macapuno strips & red beans. I like how the Italian ice feels like a very fine flavored snow, I would love it if it had more of the langka, macapuno and beans inside to break its texture. 3. Regular Ube Cheesecake Ice (P100) – Also a Filipino twist on a classic dessert, with ube halaya mixed in ube ice.4. Regular Passion Fruit Misto Shake (P160) – Fruity yet creamy. You can really taste the Passion Fruit flavor in it with good balance of creaminess from the liquid Vanilla Custard.5. Regular Watermelon Frozen Drink and Cantaloupe Frozen Drink (P120) – Their icy drinks are smooth, without big chunks of ice that you get in others, which made it more thirst-quenching. I bit usual as flavor is mainly from syrup but prefer the watermelon flavor. 6. Affogato (P185) – Really, really good! Their frozen Vanilla Custard blends well the fresh shot of espresso. I can really the buzz of their espresso after eating a few spoonful of it. A fun alternative for those who need to stay awake and alert. 7. Aside from the above ice cream and drink treat, they also offer ice cream cakes which they called “Frozen Custard Cakes”. We were able to try their Mango Gelati Cake (Mango Italian Ice and Frozen Vanilla Custard topped with rainbow sprinkles) and Cookies & Cream Custard Cake (layer of cookies and cream Italian Ice and Frozen Vanilla Custard topped with Oreo pieces). But what’s great about their Frozen Custard Cakes is you can customize it to your liking. You can choose from their different flavors of Italian Ice, Frozen Custard and Toppings to make the cake as unique as you. One whole cake cost only P 1350.00 including a nice box with reusable ice packs. You just need to order one day ahead.Looking forward to go back again to be able to try what other flavors and combinations they can come up with. As Rita’s brings frozen dessert to a new dimension of its own, challenging the perceptions and surprising jaded palates of what an ice cream still could be.