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Greater LA

Halo-halo, sno-balls, paletas: Try these frozen treats in LA

Ice cream lovers: here’s a challenge for you this summer. Break out of your comfort zone and try a new frozen treat.

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By Steve Chiotakis • Jun 24, 2021 • 6m Listen

Ice cream lovers: here’s a challenge for you this summer. Break out of your comfort zone and try a new frozen treat. Los Angeles is the city for year-round ice cream, but there are plenty of other cool and icy desserts available throughout the Southland.

Mona Holmes wrote about her favorite ice cream and gelato joints in LA before her taste buds ventured in new territory.

Here are some of her favorite ice cream alternatives this summer:

Halo-halo at LA Rose Cafe in Hollywood

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A post shared by L.A. Rose Cafe (@l.a.rosecafe)

“It's this wonderful traditional Filipino dessert,” says Holmes. “They take crushed ice, I've had it with either evaporated or condensed milk, and then they layer it with flavors like coconut, taro root. They use a purple yam to make ice cream and it yields this color that can only be described as electric purple.”

Sno-balls at Fluffy’s Sno-Balls in Long Beach

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A post shared by Fluffy’s Sno-Balls (@fluffyssnoballs)

“[Sno-balls] are as much a part of New Orleans culture as jambalaya or gumbo,” says Holmes. “My favorite place is Fluffy’s Sno-Balls in Long Beach. The owner, Kevin Lee, moved here after losing everything in [Hurricane] Katrina in 2005, and he made a fresh start. My favorite is the wonderful strawberry cheesecake sno-ball.”

Paletas at La Michoacana

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A post shared by La michoacana plus #icecream (@lamichoacanaplus)

“They do look like popsicles, but if you look closely, you'll see that these cold deserts are full of freshly chopped fruits like pineapple, strawberries, and mango,” says Holmes. “They have a lot of Mexican flavors added in them too. My husband came home one day with a box of them for company and everyone grabbed one and it was perfect.”

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    Steve Chiotakis

    Afternoon News Anchor

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    Christian Bordal

    Managing Producer, Greater LA

  • KCRW placeholder

    Jenna Kagel

    Radio producer

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    Kathryn Barnes

    Producer, Reporter

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    Mona Holmes

    Eater LA

    CultureFood & DrinkLos Angeles
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