Beat the Heat: Rita's Italian Ice

With Manila’s scorching heat, it was not surprising that Rita’s was a hit when it came to Manila two years ago. I still remember the long queue just to get your frozen custard fix. I have to admit, I tried my best not to give in to the craze but eventually found myself lining up a few months later (since it opened its first branch in Greenhills) and was delighted by Rita’s Gelati or a combination of Italian ice and frozen custard. Fast forward to 2016, Rita’s is still getting a lot of attention with its wide array of flavors and combinations to choose from. And I had an opportunity to sample a bunch of Rita’s bestselling items a few Saturdays ago.

Hello, Rita’s Italian Ice!

I dropped by Rita’s U.P. Town Center branch on a sunny Saturday afternoon and was warmly greeted by its Marketing Officer Angela who treated us to a refreshing afternoon snack.

We first sampled Italian Ice in cotton candy, green apple, sugar-free dragon fruit, mango and kiwi-strawberry flavors. All are light in flavor and quite refreshing. I enjoyed kiwi-strawberry best as its slight tangy taste helped cleanse the palate. R on the other hand loved the bestselling flavor cotton candy. Well, he is pretty biased with anything cotton candy. 

Available in three sizes, regular (PHP100), large (PHP125) and quart (PHP250), you can indulge depending on the tummy space left after lunch or dinner. 

We tried the Frozen Custards (PHP145, regular cup/cone | PHP180, large cup/cone | PHP190, sundae with two toppings, whipped cream and cherry) next and sampled vanilla, chocolate, coffee and butter pecan. 

All were very rich in flavor. Thicker and richer compared to your usual ice cream because of egg yolks, these custards would delight those who prefer smoother and creamier textures. 

I’m biased with coffee as I’m a caffeine junkie. But Rita’s chocolate is a safe option to go with especially if you have kids with you. 

We also tried Rita’s Gelati (PHP150, regular | PHP180, large), one of its popular ice and custard combination. Angela chose a combination of Strawberry and Lemonade for our Italian ice and topped it with Chocolate and Vanilla custard. 

Though it had a nice contrast of flavors, it may be a bit too overwhelming for some foodies. R for one thought that there were just too many things going on per spoonful. I liked it though as I found the battle of tangy and sweet flavors interesting. But if you are not very adventurous with your sweets, it is best to just stick with one custard and Italian ice flavor. 

I’ve never tried Misto or Rita’s shake version (PHP160, regular | PHP180, large) before and I am so glad that Angela introduced it to us. We sampled Mocha Ice and Choco Custard during our visit and R loved it. It was rich in flavor yet not overwhelming that it’ll make you gag for water. It is perfect to battle the heat waves! 

Last served to us was Blendini (PHP170, regular | PHP190, all custard) or a thicker version of Misto as it includes one topping of your choice. 

Angela made us try Mango ice with Vanilla custard and Walnuts. It reminded me of the delightful mixed sundae of a famous fast food chain but this one is richer and creamier because of the custard. If you are light eaters, one regular cup could be shared by two foodies. (And if you’re on a date, it’ll make it a bit more romantic too!)

Fun Fact: Did you know that Rita’s Italian Ice offers 79 ice flavors? Yes, SEVENTY-NINE. They do not offer all at the same time though in one branch. But this is a good reason for you to keep on visiting Rita’s!

Rita’s Italian Ice is located at Second Floor, U.P. Town Center, Diliman, Quezon City.