Yuki Shaved Ice

Where: Yuki Shaved Ice, 1796 N 950 W, Provo

Who Went: Chelsey, Michelle & Ashley

Number of Visits: 1

What We Ordered: Three Smalls - Nectarine and Lime, Avocado with Sweetened Condensed Milk, Strawberry and White Peach

What It Cost: $3.25 each

What We Thought:

I know, I know, it's technically October already but hey, the high for Provo today is almost 80 degrees, so I don't think that going out for some shaved ice is out of the question! People eat frozen yogurt all year long after all, so I thought I'd squeeze this one while the weather is still warm.

I previously wrote a loving review of the classic Hokulia Shave Ice right near BYU, and I still believe that they are my favorite shaved ice spot for traditional taste and cheap prices. However, if you are in the mood to spend a little extra and try something new, Yuki Shaved Ice is producing "artisan" shaved ice right on the corner of Mountain West Burrito.

Originally when I saw this little shop pop up, I rolled my eyes at the term "artisan" - it seems to be such a hot word right now and people are throwing artisan onto everything these days. However, Yuki seemed to live up to their claim, producing flaky delicious ice with made-from-scratch syrups. Yep, their syrups are actually made from real fruit (and some vegetables!), not just a crazy mix of artificial flavorings! They have a range of seasonal syrup flavors, including some exciting types like avocado, beet, and I'm pretty sure I even saw jalapeño there once!

The flavors were very fresh and really tasted like they were really fruit once upon a time. They will offer you sweetened condensed milk for free, or you can pay a little extra to get some vanilla ice cream in the center. I thoroughly enjoyed my nectarine flavor, and everyone else was impressed with how fresh the flavors were. The avocado flavor even had that thick creamy texture you would expect from a syrup made from avocados!

They are much smaller portion sizes than Hokulia and I think to be fully satisfied I would want the larger size next time. The wooden spoons were a nice nostalgic touch for me, reminiscent of those little orange creamsicle ice cream dishes, but the paper bowl it was served in was weird to me and somehow I felt like it affected the flavor.

What You Should Do: I would definitely give them at least one try - they truly live up to their "artisan" claim, making fresh syrups from real seasonal fruit. Their portion sizes are definitely smaller and more expensive, but worth it for the exceptional treat every now and then!

Read other reviews here:

Hokulia Shave Ice

Where: Hokulia Shave Ice, 1445 N Canyon Road, Provo (across the street from Helaman Halls)

Who Went: Chelsey & Kierea

Number of Visits: 1

What It Cost: $7.50

What We Ordered: 2 Small (Short Board) Shave Ice - Pineapple and Blackberry with Snocap, and Cotton Candy

What We Thought:

Why have I been wasting all my time this summer with frozen yogurt - I've totally missed out on the delicious awesomeness which is shave ice! I've always had kind of a negative attitude towards shave ice since growing up my mother never let me buy it because she said it was just expensive water with sugar poured on top. Though this may be partially true, I cannot think of anything more refreshing than one of these delectable desserts on a hot, hot Utah day. In the past, shave ice I've had was either too chunky or you run out of flavor in the first half and just end up eating plain ice by the end. No good. Hokulia makes shave ice the way it should be - finely shaved and melt-in-your mouth ice with rich, sweet, unique flavors.

They have over 60 flavors, including rare finds like red velvet, cinnamon, apricot, haupia (creamy coconut), horchata, wedding cake, lychee, and pink champagne! I got my blackberry-pineapple short board with the snocap, which is a drizzle of sweetened condensed milk that really brings this treat up to the next level. Oh, and did I mention that we both ordered the smallest size? Yeah, and they are freaking HUGE! At least three times the typical "small size" of shave ice you'd get anywhere else! You can also get the shave ice with some vanilla ice cream inside, which sounded like it would be amazing with something like coconut or root beer! Kierea loved her cotton candy flavor, and we were both shocked to see a small pool of syrup at the bottom of our cones when we finished - every bite was jam-packed with amazing flavor. Besides being the best shave ice I've ever had, the actual shack site had tables with a nice touch -- little holes cut into the table where you can place your cone without the risk of it tipping over. I don't know why, but this just made me really happy :)

What You Should Do: Definitely make it over to this little shack of heaven before the summer ends! They are only open seasonally (sadly), so you'll have to go soon! They without a doubt have the best shave ice I've ever had - a classic taste of the shave ice you love, times like a million. Go Go GO!

Read other reviews here: