John Kidde Writes

I feel as if Jesse Pinkman would say something like “Yeah science!” if he knew something like this existed. I’m talking of course about Hong Kong’s best ice cream and it’s not being made in the traditional way. Equations and recipes are scribbled in yellow dry erase marker on the windows of this ice cream shop which make it look more like Mark Zuckerberg’s dorm room from The Social Network than they do a place that sells ice cream, but this isn’t a normal ice cream shop.

Nestled in Tai Hang behind the Causeway Bay Sports Ground is Lab Made, a popular destination for those seeking to escape the heat and humidity or for those just looking for some delicious ice cream.

I happened upon Lab Made because a friend of mine currently living in Hong Kong told me about it and I’ve never been one to turn away ice cream, let alone ice cream that is prepared using science and chemistry as a guideline. Yes, I realise that making regular ice cream uses science as well but the main reactant used by Lab Made makes it more science-y. They use liquid nitrogen.

Now before you go all crazy on me and “flip out!”, as Jerry Maguire said, it’s all perfectly safe. I mean I’m here writing about my experience there so clearly I’m not dead from the liquid nitrogen. If you don’t believe me, click here, it will tell you everything you need to know about the process and how they safely use it. Feel better? Good. Because this place is pretty cool.

What also makes Lab Made great is their menu – it’s always changing. Like a great restaurant that serves catch of the day or whatever is freshly picked that day from the farm, Lab Made does the same. All of their “ice creams are made from scratch, using real, fresh, quality ingredients so there’s no need for additives, colourings or preservatives.” The menu is always changing which means you may never be bored by their selections, it also means that you might be there every single week (which is a smart business tactic because this place is addictive). During my visit I had the lemon meringue sorbet. It was tangy, juicy, full of awesome but not overpowering citrus flavour from the lemon and it was served on a bed of mini meringues that dissolved on my tongue while I put spoonfuls of sorbet on my mouth. After I was finished, I licked my bowl clean (not my finest hour, but certainly not my worst) and wanted more but knew I should not. Like I said, it’s addictive.

Clearly this place is doing something many things right,