Toronto's new spot for Hawaiian shaved ice is hidden inside an appliance store
Some of the best restaurants and takeout joints in Toronto are tucked away and hidden out of site - in many cases, unless you're specifically looking for it, it's fairly easy to walk by a hidden gem without realizing it.
Ice Queen, a new spot for Hawaiian shaved ice, is no exception.
Hidden away inside of an unsuspecting appliance store in Leslieville, the pop-up is serving various flavours of shaved ice and ice cream for those lucky enough to spot them as they walk by.
The dessert is made by shaving small amounts of ice from a large block which are then coated in sugar or fruit juice, often topped with creamy syrups like condensed milk or vanilla ice cream.
Versions of this dessert can be found all over the world, notably bingsu in South Korea and kakigori in Japan.
The concept of shaved ice was brought to Hawaii by Japanese immigrants who made kakigori - the Japanese version of shaved ice - and later grew to be its own prominent Hawaiian identity.
Several Hawaiian islands are well known for their shaved ice, like Kauai and Maui which are home to a few specialty shaved ice restaurants.
Some of Ice Queen's shaved ice flavours include pina colada, coconut and banana with endless options for toppings to choose from like cereal, crushed biscoff cookies, sprinkles and marshmallows.
The pop-up also serves Kawartha ice cream and treats for dogs - be sure to bring those fluffy guests in if you stop by!
You can find Ice Queen at 1180 Queen St E, inside of Reggie's Queen East Appliance Centre.
Ice Queen
