it's shaved, not crushed.
ais kacang, cendol and most "shaved ice" desserts in malaysia start from crushed ice: hard, wet granules. bingsu starts from a chilled liquid base, milk or a flavoured base such as lychee or soybean, which a korean snow-ice machine turns into paper-thin ribbons of snow. the result is a mound of "snow" that is dry to the touch, holds its shape, and melts on the tongue instead of crunching between the teeth. that texture is the point: it is why a good bingsu tastes creamy even though it is mostly ice.
how we make it.
our base liquid is kept chilled and goes into a korean snow-ice machine only when you order, so every bowl of snow is made fresh. nothing is made ahead or held in a display freezer, where snow ice turns to slush within minutes. the fruit is cut the same day and plated in front of you. we use no syrup or fruit concentrate; the sweetness comes from the fruit and the milk. these are two of our three rules: real fruit, never syrup, and shaved milk ice, never crushed. the third is that we are open late, every day.
bingsu vs ais kacang vs cendol
| dessert | ice | base flavour | toppings |
|---|---|---|---|
| bingsu | shaved milk ice, fine ribbons, melts on the tongue | milk, lychee, soybean, coconut | fresh fruit, mochi, ice-cream, sauces |
| ais kacang (abc) | crushed ice | rose syrup, gula melaka, evaporated milk | red beans, sweetcorn, jelly, attap seed |
| cendol | crushed ice in coconut milk | coconut milk, gula melaka | pandan jelly noodles, red beans |
| kakigōri (japan) | shaved water ice, very fine | flavoured syrups | condensed milk, fruit, mochi |
how to eat it.
one bingsu is made for sharing between two or three people. eat from the edges inward so the mound keeps its shape, and mix the fruit into the ice as you go rather than saving it for the end. it is at its best the moment it reaches the table; shaved milk ice begins to soften within ten minutes, so it rewards being eaten promptly.
what's on ours.
our signature is the queen delight, malaysia's first mangosteen bingsu, fresh mangosteen on an original-milk or lychee base, seasonal and limited daily (RM35 at cheras, RM37.90 at central market). the one the food press has debated is the coriander bingsu: fresh coriander, milk ice and peanuts, divisive on paper and surprisingly refreshing in the bowl (RM20 cheras / RM26.90 central market). around them: longan, mango, strawberry, shine muscat, matcha, oolong tea, and this merdeka season, a coconut nasi-lemak-inspired nasi weeee-mak.
where to get bingsu in kuala lumpur.
two outlets. the cheras main branch at residensi majestic maxim, taman bukit cheras, a sit-down cafe with the full 46-item menu, open every day 2:30pm to midnight. and the central market outlet inside slayra foodcourt (m11), pasar seni, a counter with a tighter menu, open daily 10am to 9:30pm, two minutes from pasar seni lrt/mrt, walk-in only.