What is Cold Rock?

Baskin-Robbins boasted about having 31 flavours, one for every day of the month. Be prepared to spend the rest of your life at Cold Rock then, as it claims to offer 3,000 over flavour combinations (you get to choose your own combination of ice cream and “mix-ins”) at its humble outlet in Holland Village, home to other ice cream parlours like Häagen-Dazs.

The mind-boggling number options are a result of customers being free to customise their sweet treat by mixing over 40 different flavours and 44 ‘mix-ins’ such as candies, chocolates, fruit fillings. And this is done on a cold rock. Someone must have figured out that the same sizzling granite slab that grills your chicken and prawns can be a great way to serve ice cream, especially when it’s chilled to -20 degrees Celsius.

Since it opened little more than a month ago, regulars have been pouring in weekly and there is a constant crowd from lunch hour till late afternoon.

The Stuff that Dreams are Made of…

With similarly adorable cherubic cheeks and genuine smiles, franchise owners Lynn Ong and May Chan, both 27, are childhood friends who have worked to fulfil a common dream.

Both ice cream lovers, the pair clinched the rights to open a Cold Rock Ice Creamery Singapore within just 3 months. Submitting market research and business proposals to Selwyn Barr, the owner of Cold Rock from Australia, and flying overseas to meet international managers of Cold Rock was no mean feat, especially when they each have their own family businesses to tend to as well franchise in.

With May’s family in the logistics trade and Lynn’s family in the chemical trading industry, you might wonder why struggling between their family commitment and Cold Rock to open an ice cream parlour matters so much to them.

Lynn explained that the both of them have been frequent ice cream eaters since young and, having shared happy memories, they relate ice cream to a happy childhood, and that’s what they aim to bring to the patrons of the parlour!

It’s easy to see that much thought has been put into the aesthetics of the shop. Framed pictures of luscious lollies boldly splash the all-white walls, revitalising the patrons, while at the same time mysteriously whetting one’s appetite for satisfyingly sinful ice cream. Excitable girls should try to contain their screams when they spot the pair of swings which indeed bring up memories of a happy childhood, tucked away in the left hand corner of the shop.

Ready, Get Set … MIX!

Peanut butter, low fat chocolate, cheesecake, banana, natural yoghurt, Ferrero Rocher, bubblegum… there’s ice cream for anyone and everyone! If the varied choices of ice cream impresses you, the wide array of ‘mix-ins’ will bowl you over.

Marshmallows, gummy bears, Nerds, Snickers, Tim Tam, peanut butter, Nutella, real brownie bits, cookie dough, apple pie filling, fresh mango and boysenberries are just some options available. Lined up in rows of transparent glass jars, these irresistible goodies catch your attention even when you’re outside the shop. With so many ‘mix-ins’ and ice cream flavours to choose from, the combination of concoctions that you can come out with is virtually inexhaustible.

In fact, Lynn and May take at least a cup of ice cream daily to try out each and every combination so they can recommend their customers the best. Here’s one job where dedication pays literally!

While you are free to let your imagination run wild and try out the most outrageous flavours ever, fickle minded foodies can request for a recommendation. UrbanWire decided to relive some childhood memories with a combination of marshmallow with gummy bears in bubblegum ice cream and Violet Crumble with Ferrero Rocher in Ferrero ice cream.

While the slightly harder gummy bears and marshmallows gave a more chewy bite (like that of the pearls in bubble tea) due to their semi-frozen state, the taste of the bubblegum ice cream might not be everyone’s cup of tea. With a subtly scented taste of original Bubble Yum that lingers on the tongue, it will please most kids, and select adults who just want to have some fun.

The Ferrero ice cream with Violet Crumble, a chocolate-covered honeycomb bar imported from Australia, and Ferrero Rocher, was created with chocoholics in mind. With a mouthful of chocolate morsels in every bite, any chocoholic will find their cravings satiated.

As Natalie, a patron of Cold Rock who had an adventurous mix of chocolate Frogs and Nerds with peanut butter and Ferrero ice cream observed, “There were Nerds everywhere!”

Apart from the insane variations of ice cream flavours, Cold Rock also offers Supershakes, waffles and sundaes. Not to mention elaborately designed ice-cream cakes which you have only seen in your sweetest fantasies!

UrbanWire was given the Tropical Twister, courtesy of May and Lynn, and it sure was a magical experience. Made of mango sorbet, boysenberry, strawberries and 2 secret juices, the smoothie had a tangy, revitalising taste that slid down the throat, leaving a tingling and refreshing sensation. Ahhhh, the perfect antidote to Singapore’s sweltering weather.

Hear ye, Hear ye!

Overall, the ice cream might be too creamy for the taste buds of some and could do with a sharper, more defined taste. But the sheer variety of ice cream flavours available and the freedom to exercise your creativity makes up for it. After all, there are flavours fit for anyone, ranging from the dieter to the adventurous foodie.

By no means a hoity-toity cafe, your dress code should be the last thing on your mind. Prices are also reasonable, with every ‘mix-in’ costing $1 and the smallest portion of ice cream with one ‘mix-in’ costing $4.50.

While the Cold Rock newbie should head down to Holland Village for a totally different ice cream experience, fans who have already fallen head over heels with the parlour should stay posted for potential new locations which might include a Cold Rock ice cream kiosk in Orchard for easier access to ice cream which cools your senses and warms your heart.

UrbanWire gives Cold Rock Ice Creamery 3.5 out of 5 stars

Address: 24A Lorong Mambong,

Mondays to Thursdays, 11am-11pm

Friday to Saturday, 11am-1am

Sunday, 11am-midnight

Some pictures courtesy of Cold Rock.