Icy Philippine dessert halo-halo gets fancier to woo fans

Purveyors of halo-halo, the iconic frosty dessert in the Philippines, are growing creative and designing their offerings with Instagram in mind.

Halo-halo, which means “mix-mix” in Tagalog, is a hodgepodge packed with various flavors and textures from shaved ice and tropical fruits to jellies and sweetened beans. The treat, whose origin is said to trace to Japanese shaved ice kakigori, is found all over Manila from fast-food chains and restaurants to dedicated shops.

As an introduction to a classic halo-halo, this reporter visited an outlet of Chowking, a Chinese fast-food chain run by local restaurant giant Jollibee Foods. Chowking’s halo-halo includes familiar ingredients and flavors that many Filipinos grew up enjoying, a manager said.

SuperSangkap halo-halo, 95 pesos ($1.70) for a medium size, is a concoction of various add-ins including flan, tapioca pearls, ice cream made from ube purple yam and condensed milk. The proper way to eat this summer treat is to stir everything up with a tall spoon.

With the rise of food delivery apps, more people are enjoying halo-halo at their homes and workplaces. Restaurants and stores are getting innovative as they seek to one-up others.

Chowking’s halo-halo includes familiar ingredients for Filipinos such as flan, tapioca pearls and ice cream made from ube purple yam. (Photo by Yuki Fujita)

Popular among TikTok users is Bebang HaloHalo’s store that opened in August inside large shopping center SM Megamall. During this reporter’s visit on a weekday, it took half an hour to receive the dessert.

The store has only a few seats and mostly specializes in takeout orders. Some young customers took photos of the shop while waiting.

“I tried six different stores, and this was the best, so I brought my coworkers this time,” said a woman visiting from the U.K. on a business trip.

The secret to Bebang’s popularity undoubtedly lies in how its products showcase colorful presentation, with some emphasizing the hues of fruit mix-ins such as strawberries and cantaloupes.

Bebang opened a halo-halo store in August at SM Megamall in the Metro Manila area. (Photo by Yuki Fujita)

Bebang’s “Presidential” halo-halo, with a price tag of 178 pesos, comes with layers of ingredients from ube jam and banana to nata de coco gel. The “Royal” edition, costing 498 pesos, is covered with edible 24-karat gold leaf.

Bebang ensures its halo-halos taste as good as they look, and uses frozen milk instead of regular ice to prevent its treats from becoming watered down.

One restaurant is bucking the trend of “the more, the better,” and pursuing simplicity. Razon’s halo-halo — 160 pesos for the regular size — features no particular toppings other than flan, and its brown-based appearance can hardly be called colorful.

Yet this recipe from the Pampanga region, known as the culinary capital of the Philippines, leaves one satisfied with the natural sweetness of milk syrup and banana.

AMN | Reporters | Source from YUKI FUJITA