One low-key night, I decided to be adventurous. In my life, adventure means trying new, Instagrammable food, so I ended up getting Houston’s new trendy dessert. As I scrolled through my “bookmarked” Instagram photos, desperate for something that caught my eye and captivated my stomach, I came across something that looked like this…
If you’re confused by the photo, it’s pretty much a soft-serve ice cream cone surrounded by a cloud of beautiful, soft, plush cotton candy. Think of it as sugar topped with sugar–photogenic and honestly delicious.
First Impression
When I first walked into this Australian dessert spot, called Aqua S, I was amazed by the brightness of the interior, especially at night. The walls have murals and a large neon sign, the perfect backdrops for a photo of your dessert. Also, it was crowded, even at eleven at night. I waited in line and looked jealously at everyone in front who had already received their orders.
The Soft Serve Flavors
First, let’s talk about the flavors. By eavesdropping, I discovered that Aqua S changes their soft serve flavors every 50 days. On the day I went, the flavors were their classic sea salt (a mainstay of the menu), chocolate, and yuzu, a Japanese citrus. Swirls of the flavors are available too. The toppings were cotton candy, Pop Rocks, and caramel popcorn. I decided to get a sea salt and chocolate swirl in a cone with cotton candy and Pop Rocks. Sugar overload? Yes. Worth it? Definitely.
The Taste
The sea salt ice cream is not for everyone. As the name implies, it is salty instead of classically sweet. The chocolate tasted like a standard, rich chocolate soft serve. Together, they created a perfect marriage of salty and sweet. In my opinion, the Pop Rocks were so fun. I love the way they feel when you eat them, so I think that they were a great addition. The cotton candy was purely for pictures. I could not even finish it, because it created an overbearing sweetness.
Overall, trying Aqua S made my simple night a little bit more exciting. The interior is bright and energizing, and the ice cream is sugary and totally Insta-worthy. I very much enjoyed the vibes, and I felt like a little kid in a candy store when I devoured the soft serve. If your Insta feed needs some upgrading, or you have a major sweet tooth, I would definitely suggest taking a trip to Houston’s Chinatown to try Aqua S.