I was wondering when the day would come…and apparently it happened two weeks ago. Yes, I’m talking about the day that shaved snow finally came to Valencia! Cool Head Shaved Ice quietly opened up near Valencia High School (Viking Pride!) in the same shopping center as CycleUp and Eggs n Things. Don’t be confused by the name, this isn’t like Shave It or Hawaiian style with syrups. This is a different texture.
I couldn’t find the right words to describe the feeling of eating melt in your mouth snowy ice cream, so I did some research. I’ll refer you to this excerpt from an article by Bon Appetit (which explains it much better than I ever could):
Inspired by Taiwanese shaved ice and occupying some divine middle-ground between ice cream and ices, shaved snow is feathery, sweet, creamy, and ice-cold. Yet it tastes like eating clouds, because it all dissolves in your mouth almost instantly.
Basically.
In all fairness, they sell more than shaved snow. They also have milk tea, boba, crepes, smoothies, and paninis! There’s something for everyone, and it all falls in line with their philosophy for opening this shop.
This place is owned by the nicest couple, who are parents to three kids that are active in sports. And for that reason they were inspired to open up a small business where they could have a safe place for kids to hang out, study, and eat after school. They really aim to provide a safe welcoming environment for everyone, providing free wifi, and even some board games located behind the counter that can be checked out by anyone, not just kids! They have plenty of tables, a high bar with seating, and even a comfortable sofa to lounge on.
Did I mention they have coconuts?
Fresh coconuts are available for only $3.99!
Inspired by the crepes they saw throughout their travels in Japan, they adapted the style for the shop. Pictured below is the fruity crepe, which was full of kiwi, strawberry, mango, vanilla ice cream, and fruity pebbles. Different, but I loved it! You can also design your own crepe, all for $6.65. They really wanted to make this a dessert shop, so you will not be seeing any savory crepes on the menu. The crepes are handed to you in a cone that you simply bite into.
And now, the moment of truth! The shaved snow. I wish I could show you the sheets of snow under the strawberries, but you’ll just have to experience the texture for yourself.
Mango shaved snow, perfectly icy sheets, topped with mango chunks. A mango lover’s dream. You can add a topping like condensed milk, chocolate, or strawberry syrup, but I skipped that last option.
You basically do the following:
Pick Your Flavor
Pick Your Topping
Pick Your Syrup
Enjoy.
If you are new to the world of shaved snow, welcome. This might be your new favorite after school treat. For those of you that have longed for shaved snow in town, join me in supporting this local business! It is so nice to have a new dessert option close to home!
Their goal is to be an asset to the community by helping local schools with fundraisers, having specials after football games, and just being a safe place to hang out. They’ll be open later during the summer, and I can totally see this being the new hangout spot.
I liked Cool Head. I can definitely see myself stopping by often and trying more of their flavors. As always, be patient because they are a new business. Let’s go welcome them to the neighborhood!
27560 Newhall Ranch Rd #307 (to the right of CycleUp) in Valencia.
661-702-1880
http://www.coolheadshavedice.com
