Try gold-topped, halo-halo-inspired ice cream at this new Makati cafe

MANILA, Philippines – If you’ve ever wanted to know what actual gold tastes like, here’s your chance. Korean ice cream brand Kiss the Tiramisu just set up shop in Makati, and on their menu is an ice cream concoction topped off with an edible gold leaf.

Aptly called “Midas Touch,” the halo-halo-inspired creation starts off with the brand’s signature base: a thick layer of mascarpone cheese lining the goblet, and vanilla soft-serve ice cream to fill it. It’s then topped off with chunks of leche flan and ube cake, crushed barquillos, and a drizzle of caramel and ube syrup.

The gold leaf is added as a finishing touch – like that proverbial cherry on top of the sundae, except a million times fancier.

If it sounds indulgent, that’s only because it is. But it’s also delicious – and one serving is rich enough to be shared by two people.

Midas Touch is available only in the Philippines, following the Korean brand’s tradition of having a country-specific creation for every franchise that sets up shop outside of South Korea.

Of course, the Makati branch – which, by the way, is the first Kiss the Tiramisu franchise in the Philippines – also serves up the brand’s well-loved flavors from Korea.

There is the original Tiramisu, which includes the mascarpone and vanilla soft-serve with chunks of coffee cake, coffee sauce, and a dusting of cocoa. While it sounds simple enough, this is the flavor that inspired the brand’s cult following in South Korea – branches there have earned a reputation for creating long, snaking queues. It was also the flavor that made local franchisee Shirley Vy decide to bring it to the Philippines.

Also on the menu is the Matcha ice cream, which is pretty much the same as the original flavor, except it uses matcha syrup and powder instead. The clean taste of green tea adds a new dimension to the decadent everything else in the cup.

The third classic, Kiss the Tiramisu flavor, is Injeolmi, which is a kind of Korean rice cake. Out of the bunch, this is the one that tastes the most unfamiliar, topped off as it is with chunks of said Korean rice cake, a roasted soy bean sauce, and powdered soy bean. The nutty soy flavors are a great balance to the sweetness of the ice cream, and something that even those who don’t like sweets might enjoy.

And if you’d like to have something to actually sink your teeth in, the place also serves cakes – tiramisu, naturally, and matcha – and coffee.

Whether you’re up for the exciting flavor of gold or Korean delicacies, or the comforting taste of a classic dessert, this is definitely the place to find it.

Kiss the Tiramisu is located at Three Central, Valero street, Salcedo Village, Makati. – Rappler.com