Ice Cream Dreams: Where To?

U.d.d.e.r.s, an ice cream shop cum workshop has five outlets in Singapore: West Mall, Lorong Kilat, Novena, Serangoon Garden and Siglap. Outlets are open as early as eleven in the morning till as late as midnight, though they are closed on public holidays, unfortunately. U.d.d.e.r.s serves up a huge variety of ice cream, ranging from liquor types such as Rum Rum Raisin to the Singaporean taste of Mao Shan Wang Durian. The ice cream flavours are separated into ranges of Classic, Premium and Connoisseur, Connoisseur being the most expensive and Classic the cheapest.

Inside the Siglap branch, a black board covered with all sorts of comments lines the walls. There is constant sound in the background, from the chatting of the customers and the music playing through speakers. Seats on the first floor are low and wooden, with most tables arranged for big groups. The second floor of the shop is decorated with cushioned chairs and potted plants, creating a more private atmosphere. It is here that a chalkboard is mounted on the wall, with flavours suggested and voted for by customers. The most voted for flavour would then be added to the U.d.d.e.r.s menu. In its unusually empty state, this U.d.d.e.r.s outlet is great for just chilling out and relaxing. Otherwise, it might be better to simply buy a pint or cone to go, seeing as how the shop is almost always crowded with people.

A waffle coupled with scoops of Ballsy Mint, Snickers Mars Honeycomb Vanilla and Rum Rum Raisin costs  $16.00, near exorbitant though the staff is very generous with what they consider a scoop of ice cream. A double scoop of ice cream in their premium range costs $4.50 with a cone. The taste is worth it, though some might find that such a price is overly expensive, especially since U.d.d.e.r.s charges an extra amount for the cone.

First is the Rum Rum Raisin, a rum and raisin ice cream best described as "rum over raisin". The bite of alcohol hits the mouth immediately, strong yet not totally overpowering the creaminess of the ice cream. The texture is smooth and rich, perfect for those looking for a liquor ice cream to whet their appetite.

Up next, Ballsy Mint. This mint ice cream is infused with crunchy little balls, reminiscent of Milo cereals in their taste. The ice cream itself is amazingly minty, refreshing after the heavy indulgence of Rum Rum Raisin. Like the one before it, this ice cream has a velvety feel to it, melting in the mouth with each mouthful. The minty taste lingers, even after the last scoop.

Last is Snickers Mars Honeycomb Vanilla, an ice cream with a mix of the mentioned snacks and the classic vanilla ice cream. Chunks of Snickers, thick with caramel are combined with the sweetness of vanilla. Though the Snickers chunks are a tad big and hard to chew, this ice cream will nonetheless please all those out there with a sweet tooth. Eaten with the waffle (golden brown, light and very crunchy), it creates a beautiful harmony of taste and texture.

Overall U.d.d.e.r.s can be considered as one of the best ice cream places in Singapore, certainly a place to go to over and over again.