Sebastian's: An Ice Cream Haven

Although there are tons of frozen yogurt, sorbet and gelato stores, nothing still beats ice cream -- a rich and sweet treat that I love ever since I was a child. As a kid, I've loved Nestle and Selecta ice cream. However, as a young adult now, I'm loving Sebastian's ice cream.

Sebastian's at SM The Block

I discovered the heavenly dessert that is Sebastian's ice cream back in 2009 at SM The Block. It was not a big desserts cafe, but an ice cream stall with a few comfy chairs and coffee tables in front of the escalator. Although it doesn't have the laid back and relaxing ambiance I would want from a desserts place, the ice cream was sensational and have kept me coming back again and again.

For more than 2 years of enjoying Sebastian's ice cream, I have tasted quite a few flavors. My all-time favorite is their Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough -- a simple yet savory vanilla ice cream loaded with chewy gobs of unbaked chocolate chip cookie dough topped with walnuts. Runner-up on my all-time faves list is their original flavor, Mango Sansrival -- a foodgasmic cashew-buttercream ice cream loaded with wafer pieces and toasted cashews with a fruit swirl made with fresh mangoes.

Along with my top 2 all-time favorite ice cream flavors, I've also sampled their Butter Pecan ice cream which was originally my favorite until I've tried the 2 flavors previously mentioned. I've also tried their Blueberry Cheesecake, Chocoholics Anonymous and Tibok-Tibok. For ice cream this good, I say their price is very affordable at P90 a scoop.

   Left: Me enjoying my Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough ice cream a few years back.
   Right: Blueberry Cheesecake, a sweet and creamy treat with real blueberry bits

Sebastian's ice cream per scoop is already a mouthful of heavenly creaminess, but it doesn't stop there. After their success in the premium ice cream business, they opened a store in SM Mall of Asia, offering blissful desserts aside from scoops or tins of ice cream. The Sebastian's Cold Comfort is a true haven for those who want to be comforted by one of the simple yet creamy pleasures in life.

Just a few weeks ago, we visited Sebastian's Cold Comfort and wanted to try something new. We browsed their menu and wanted to order their Mango Split (P225). However, as much as I love Sebastian's, I find the price too expensive for a small serving of ice cream. So we browsed the menu again and learned that their Classic Sundae (P160 if I remember correctly) can be customized. So we went ahead and ordered the Classic Sundae -- Mango Sansrival ice cream with Mango puree, topped with nuts, whipped cream and a cherry. Somehow, I felt like our sundae is a cheaper take on the Mango Split.


                Photo of Mango Split (P225) from the menu.                                Our Classic Sundae, Mango version (160)

We also saw that there are new ice cream flavors, Peanut Butter Swirl Brownie -- chocolate ice cream and rich chocolate brownies in a thick ripple of salty-sweet peanut butter, and Chunky Bananutella -- banana ice cream with ripe lacatan bananas, loaded with Nutella chunks.

Double scoop: Peanut Butter Swirl Brownie over Chunky Bananutella (P180 I think?)

Both the Peanut Butter Swirl Brownie and the Chunky Bananutella taste so good! However, Peebee Swirlbie (The original name is just too long!) was a little too sweet for me though, but I loved the generous amount of brownie chunks. The Chunky Bananutella on the other hand, is pure heaven for my taste buds. I love the banana ice cream as it is sweet without being too overpowering. It blended really well with the Nutella chunks and I love it to bits!

THE VERDICT

I have nothing but praises for the rich, flavorful, innovative and delicious Sebastian's ice cream. They got it down from the taste, the good service from their friendly staff, the justifiable pricing (although I think some were priced a little higher than what I'd expect *ehemMangoSplitehem*) and their good customer relationship.

I wish their Sebastian's Cold Comfort zone would soon be expanded, as seats inside the store are very limited (can only sit 6-8 people). But despite that, I will still be a Sebastian's fan -- hungry for new foodgasmic flavors.

Taste - 5/5

Ambiance - 4/5

Service - 4/5

Price - 4.5/5

Overall Value - 4.5/5

Sebastian's Ice Cream Studio, SM The Block
4/F SM North The Block, North Edsa
Quezon City, Metro Manila
Philippines

Sebastian’s Cold Comfort, SM Mall of Asia
2/F Mall of Asia, opposite IMAX exit
Pasay City, Metro Manila
Philippines