By Emily Schuler
Ice cream, shaved ice, popsicles, slushies. I love summertime and the cool treats that come with it. Who doesn't? The only problem is finding flavors that taste natural and fresh, and not artificially flavored and chemical-like. If finding fresh flavors, generous amounts and great prices is your goal, look no further than Tropical Sno.
With six locations in Illinois, the nearest Tropical Sno is located on 1062 Hillgrove avenue, in Western springs, and opened on May 17, 3013. It is open from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Monday through Saturday. On Sunday, it is open from 12 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Orders were all taken outside, through a small window, and all of the shaved ice flavors were clearly displayed on the window, so that you could decide what to order beforehand. There were spaces marked six6 feet apart with tape where you could wait in line to order, however some of the tape had worn away and it was a bit difficult to determine where to stand. I had ridden my bike there along with some friends, but there were no bike racks or places to really put our bikes, so we ended up putting our bikes to the side while ordering and eating. The parking lot, I noticed, was a bit small, and I could definitely see it overflowing on very crowded nights.
The menu consisted of a wide spread flavors, ranging from more classic flavors like strawberry and orange, to uncommon and exotic flavors like guava, passionfruit and rootbeer. There were, in addition, a list of popular flavor combinations like “sunrise”(cherry, lemon and orange) were listed, as well as the option to mix up to three flavors of your choice, and a choice of toppings for $0.50- $0.79.
Of the three sizes (small, medium and large) and many flavors, I ordered a medium piña colada, which was $3.65. The amount and quality of the ice that I received was more than what I was expecting, and no doubt worth the price! I was shocked to see the shaved ice filling the cup and towering well above the top. The same went for the small ice, which also had a generous amount of ice for $3.15. I can only imagine the size of the large ice, which is $4.15.
Since I went with friends, there were multiple orders, and one person working that day. So unsurprisingly, there was a bit of a wait. It’s not like it felt like hours, but I noticed one of my friends waited for her ice a bit longer than she should have. In terms of location, I believe I would have missed the turn had there not been a sign pointing to the turn off. It is not the most noticeable of exteriors, and it is in the middle of two other businesses.
The first thing I noticed when the ice touched my tongue was the flavor. It almost took me by surprise by how intense and natural the flavor actually was. It really tasted like fresh pineapple and sweet coconut. I did not feel as if I were eating something that was artificially flavored, but rather newly harvested fruit. The texture of the frozen treat was very fine, which helped to absorb the flavor, and served as a pleasant mouthfeel.
All in all, the menu was large, the flavors were fresh and intense, the prices were good, and the portions were generous. If you are looking for a refreshing summer treat, I would definitely recommend Tropical Sno as your next stop.
Rate: 4.5/5
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