If I’m being honest, the one thing I look forward to most about going home for breaks isn’t being back in my hometown, getting a break from classes, or even being able to shower without having to wear flip flops… it’s the food.
No dining hall can ever compare to NYC. So even though it was the middle of winter, I wasn’t about to pass up the chance to try bright purple ice cream when Soft Swerve opened on the Lower East Side during my winter break.
Turns out, the color of the purple ice cream is totally natural – it’s ube-flavored. For anyone who hasn’t heard of ube, it’s a purple yam that’s common in a couple of countries in Asia, including the Philippines.
If you’re skeptical about eating yam-flavored ice cream, you’re not alone. I had no idea what to expect when I took my first bite and was honestly prepared to be slightly grossed out, but luckily it’s as delicious as it looks!
Soft Swerve also offers a couple of other Asian-inspired ice cream flavors, matcha and black sesame, in addition to a classic vanilla. If you want to be really adventurous, you can even swirl two flavors together in either a red cinnamon or black chocolate cone for the ultimate instagram-worthy dessert.
The toppings at Soft Swerve are just as unique and delicious as the ice cream. They include mochi, strawberry syrup, toasted coconut, and even fruity pebbles.
The shop also has some signature sundaes names after city streets in the area, including one called Mott and Mulberry, which combines matcha ice cream with Oreos and chocolate drizzle. This ice cream concoction represents a mixture of flavors from Chinatown (famous for teas like matcha) and Little Italy (known for its chocolate cookies), which meet at the corner of the two streets it’s named for.
Even though it’s new, which means there’s a bit of a wait, Soft Swerve is definitely worth checking out. So next time you’re in NYC and craving something besides the traditional desserts, you know where to go for some sweet purple ice cream!