Water Ice

[mrbigjas]

Discuss. As of today I'm pretty happy with the mango at Italiano's, 12th & Shunk. Great mango flavor. MMMMMmmmmango.

[=Mark]

The water ice from the icemaker in my freezer is pretty good, I just have to make sure to replace the filter.

[RehemaInPhilly]

Can't believe this hasn't gotten more responses - would have expected at least at little discussion between the John's fans (7th & Christian, real fruit chunks!) and the Pop's fans (13th & Oregon, famous gelati).

And I hate to sully the water ice conversation with a reference to its patrician relatives, but the gelato at Capogiro (13th & Sansom) is also ridiculously good despite being ridiculously expensive.

[Kim WB]

oh, not a connesuer, at all...but Rita's Green Apple is really good...um...did I just do an e-gullet blunder? Is Rita's the Domino's pizza of Water Ices?

[slowday]

Is Rita's the Domino's pizza of Water Ices?

Rita's is good and I don't think the quality of the water ice product has changed during the expansion from the single store on Bristol Pike to having franchised the operation. Not so sure about the other stuff though, especially the custard. The gelatti with a real custard would be unbelievable.

I live in suburban Baltimore and the big thing out here is shaved ice with syrup, but there is a Rita's close by and on hot summer evenings the water ice is like a trip home.

If Domino's was the Rita's of pizza their pizza would actually be good.

I like John's a lot when I was doing classes at the Fleischer art memoriall around the corner. The lemon was especially great.

So whaddya think, does Rita's use artificial colors in their ices?

Slowday

[mrbigjas]

I'm dragging this topic back up because today I took some people from work down to experience the joy of a hot dog/fishcake combo at Johnny's, and after standing outside in the sun for a while, everyone wanted water ice.

And I didn't know where to go between there and work (art museum area, driving back up spring garden).

So help me out here. Where should we go next time this happens? Come on people, I know you know these things.

[herbacidal]

I've always liked John's at 7th and Christian.

The 2 times I've been to Rita's (Port Richmond Shopping Center and 24th and Passyunk) they've been good.

[mrbigjas]

I like them too. How about in Fairmount? Or Fishtown? Anyone?

I know about Italiano's at 11th & Shunk, and the other place at 13th & whatever, but we couldn't really head all the way down there after going from fairmount to fishtown for lunch, and hope to get back in time.

[Holly Moore]

Pardon the heresy, but are any of the other places doing sugar free ices?

[hathor]

"Water Ice".... After reading page upon page about onion confit...and roasted cauliflower....now I thought there was a debate on what was the best water to make ice with....

[mrbigjas]

Heh, nope.

Click here for a page about it from the AOL city guide or digital city or whatever it's called now. For some reason I don't find much more info than that on a basic search.

[Cath]

And I didn't know where to go between there and work (art museum area, driving back up spring garden).

James: I don't know about water ice places between those points, but it's Italiano's all the way for me. Have lunch at Johnny's, then fly down Delaware Ave. to Oregon to 11th to Shunk (hopefully, all the lights will be timed in your favor) and back to PMA with ices and/or gelatis in hand. Plan it for a day when key staff - you know who I mean - are out or at long lunches. Trust me, it can be done.

[mrbigjas]

You know, I was thinking about it this afternoon and realized that exact route probably was possible, especially since lunch at Johnny's takes like 15 minutes.

AND that it also would probably be possible to use 95/Vine St to get back, since it's the middle of the day and there is less traffic... oh well.

[sagestrat]

Pardon the heresy, but are any of the other places doing sugar free ices?

According to the Rita's website, they offer four sugar-free flavors:

Pink lemonade

Root beer

Tangerine

Cherry

I'll half to check them out. I had a sugar-free lemon and cherry at Hershey Park last week, and it sure was a treat for someone avoiding sugar. I liked the lemon best.

[Andrew Fenton]

You know, I've been to John's a couple of times (most recently last week) and haven't been too impressed. The lemon ice (my metric for water ice) isn't especially intense: too much ice, not enough flavor for me. Haven't tried Italiano's.

I've always been pretty happy with Rita's: lemon and mango in particular. It's gratifying to see a chain maintain quality, as well...

[arice]

I'm dragging this topic back up because today I took some people from work down to experience the joy of a hot dog/fishcake combo at Johnny's, and after standing outside in the sun for a while, everyone wanted water ice.

i realize this topic is water ice, but i need to know more about this fish cake/hot dog combo referenced by mrbigjas. is this a sandwich with both a fish cake and hot dog in one bun? where is johnny's?

-arice

[mrbigjas]

You take a fish cake, which is kinda like one of those cheapo crabcakes you get at a diner, but made of fish. You mash it into a hot dog bun, and put a hot dog on top of it. Eat the whole thing together--I like ketchup on it, although I don't usually eat ketchup on hot dogs. It's an old Philly thing; according to Holly's website it was started by Levis down by South Street, which was there for many years. Still available at only a few places, including Johnny's Hots, which is on Delaware Ave. at about Columbia. Check out Holly's website for more info.

[jeunefilleparis]

I ve only ever gone to the water ice place on main street in Manayunk, it may not be the best but the pistachio.choc mix is hard to beat!

[Holly Moore]

You take a fish cake, which is kinda like one of those cheapo crabcakes you get at a diner, but made of fish. You mash it into a hot dog bun, and put a hot dog on top of it. Eat the whole thing together--I like ketchup on it, although I don't usually eat ketchup on hot dogs. It's an old Philly thing; according to Holly's website it was started by Levis down by South Street, which was there for many years. Still available at only a few places, including Johnny's Hots, which is on Delaware Ave. at about Columbia. Check out Holly's website for more info.

At my level of dining it is refered to as "Surf and Turf."

[Cath]

Tried the brand-new Phila. Water Ice Co. at 15th & Oregon yesterday. Went out on a limb and got a S. Philly "gelati," cookies 'n cream water ice w/vanilla soft serve. The cookies 'n cream was surprisingly good, sorbet-like in texture and not overly sweet, and rendered the ice cream unnecessary (which I of course ate anyway).

In addition to most of the usual flavors, they also make a sugar-free cherry and a host of water-ice smoothies.

[Andrew Fenton]

I ve only ever gone to the water ice place on main street in Manayunk, it may not be the best but the pistachio.choc mix is hard to beat!

and Cath wrote:

Went out on a limb and got a S. Philly "gelati," cookies 'n cream water ice w/vanilla soft serve. The cookies 'n cream was surprisingly good, sorbet-like in texture and not overly sweet, and rendered the ice cream unnecessary (which I of course ate anyway).

I've always been suspicious of non-fruit-flavored water ice. Can chocolate or pistachio be good without a dairy base? And what about cookies n' cream? Is that made with, well, cream? And if so, is it still water ice?

[kosoffj]

there is an ice cream place just off of 20th and fairmount (on fairmount - i think it's called philly flavors) that makes there own ice cream (and ain't 1/2 bad) the counter person told me they make their own water ice as well.

Never had it, but the ice cream is good, so it might be worth a try.

[Carolyn Tillie]

Okay, someone's got to 'splain to the Californian what a Water Ice is... I'm imagining something like a Sno-Cone, only more elegant? And that they are actually found in stores vs. country fairs?

[mrbigjas]

there is an ice cream place just off of 20th and fairmount (on fairmount - i think it's called philly flavors) that makes there own ice cream (and ain't 1/2 bad) the counter person told me they make their own water ice as well.

Never had it, but the ice cream is good, so it might be worth a try.

kosoffj, where have you been all my life? by which I mean last Thursday before I even asked my question?

[mrbigjas]

Okay, someone's got to 'splain to the Californian what a Water Ice is... I'm imagining something like a Sno-Cone, only more elegant? And that they are actually found in stores vs. country fairs?

Water ice is kind of like a sorbet, but it doesn't hold its form as much. It's like a sno-cone, only it actually tastes and has the texture of something much much more than chopped ice and sugar water. They're generally found in streetside stands, which are generally only open in the summer, although there are a couple of chains which may stay open in the winter.