Restaurant Review: Yelo'd Ice Cream & Bake Shoppe
YELO'D ICE CREAM & BAKE SHOPPE 10324 82nd Avenue | yelod.ca Instagram: @yelod_icecream Co-Diners: The E.A.T Crew
I can't believe that it has taken me this long but I finally made it! Yelo'd is Whyte Ave's famed Filipino and Asian inspired ice cream shop and I have heard nothing but rave reviews about them since they opened in 2018. Named Favourite Dessert on the Edmonton Food Faves We Crave 2022 list, "yelo" means ice in Tagalog... And this shop is going to change your whole ice cream world. Located in Old Strathcona, Yelo'd used to be located down the street (on the other side of the tracks) in a much smaller space. They have since moved right into the action and are now in a gorgeous historic building, adding so much to the vibrancy of the avenue. I've watched this building (originally the Dominion Hotel built in 1903) struggle over the years to find the right combination of business tenants and I think that they've finally done it! The interior of the shop is large and spacious but the most striking feature is the elaborately decorated Victorian wooden porch at the entrance. You can just picture yourself sitting out there on a hot summer day with a delicious ice cream in hand, taking in the sights of Whyte Ave. The vibe inside is a bit more modern with gleaming pastry and ice cream cases, mural-covered walls, and neon lighting. The colour scheme leans purple which makes complete sense once you realize that ube (purple yam) is the signature flavour at Yelo'd. The shop feels bright and fresh, exuding an upbeat atmosphere while still maintaining a specific identity. I visited on a Sunday afternoon with the intention to taste and experience as much of Yelo'd as I possibly could! There was only one employee serving us and she was incredibly gracious as we proceeded to bombard her with our large and varied order. I certainly appreciated her efficiency and kindness. Before we even begin the topic of ice cream, it bears mentioning that Yelo'd offers a whole cafe menu of various coffees. This also includes tropical sodas and milkshakes. You could honestly visit just for the cafe aspect and to sit with a delicious beverage (and yes, I will be doing this). Most drinks can be made hot or iced which is handy depending on the season outside. I was drawn to their Iced Ube Latte ($5.50) which seemed like a great way to carry the purple theme into my coffee.
Swirls of purple ube syrup mingled with the coffee and milk. It wasn't long before the entire beverage wore a violet hue. I liked this coffee a lot. It was sweet in just the way that I like it and I believe that it may have been made with evaporated milk which would also account for some of the sweetness. The ube flavour (and colour) made this beverage interesting and unique. I could see myself ordering one of these regularly, both hot and cold. Yelo'd also makes this same latte with pandan or yema, which I'm sure are equally delicious. I also noticed that there are seasonal drinks to choose from and that there's a secret staff drink menu??! Clearly, I have a lot more to discover in terms of sips at Yelo'd! There are so many exciting ice cream options at Yelo'd!! Not only do they offer a wide range of hard ice cream but their soft serve has become pretty famous in its own right. However, there's even more beyond that because they make sundaes and ice cream sandwiches as well. No matter what you're craving, they've certainly got you covered. One of the main things that I wanted to try was their straight-up Ube Soft Serve on a charcoal Waffle Cone ($6.50).
Yelo'd usually has two soft serve flavours on the go at all times which rotate, but they always keep ube on hand. You can get one solid flavour or a swirl of two. On my visit the second flavour was macapuno (coconut). I decided to forgo the swirl because I really just wanted to try their ube soft serve all on its own (and in all of its glory). This perfectly simple cone was magic. The quality of the soft serve was top-notch and ultra creamy without an ice crystal in sight. The flavour of the ube was nutty and somewhat similar to vanilla, captured wonderfully on this cone. Of course the violaceous colour is part of what makes it so much fun! I loved the crunchy and sweet waffle cone, the charcoal black acting in striking colour contrast. This soft serve is some of the best in the whole city, if not just the overall best. (I sometimes go around saying that hard ice cream is "over" and this soft serve only convinced me further.) Next, I had to try the most popular item on the menu and the dessert synonymous with the Philippines; Halo Halo ($12.00). I find it incredibly exciting that halo halo has arrived in Edmonton and that there are a few places to try it these days. "Halo halo" means mix-mix in Tagalog, which is exactly what the dessert entails - a mix of ingredients that you get to mix together! It's like a big Filipino sundae filled with an array of flavours and textures.
Halo halo can be prepared in a bunch of variations but typically it's made up of shaved ice, a splash of milk (evaporated or coconut), and various garnish ingredients. These can include ube jam, sweetened kidney beans, coconut strips, taro cubes, flan (I love when they do flan!), and fruit preserves. The options are practically endless and dependent on where you go! The dessert is also usually topped with a scoop of ice cream. At Yelo'd you can choose any ice cream that you want from their wide selection of about 20+ different hard ice creams plus also the 2 soft serve flavours. Their hard ice cream goes beyond the typical choices and while you will find classics on the menu you will also discover some truly inspired flavours; Keso + Ube Cake, Cereal Milk + Ube Cookies, Strawberry Milk Tea, and Black Sesame + Pistachio, to name a few. I want to try them all! For the purpose of my halo halo I chose Buwan Mist - as soon as I saw the colours of this ice cream I knew that they were doing a play on the east coast's legendary Moon Mist flavour. And wouldn't you know it, "buwan" means moon in Tagalog. A combination of bubblegum, banana, and grape, this colourful combo was a must. The idea is to eat a bit of everything and then to mix it all up! Each ingredient was delicious, each working in harmony to elevate the rest. I really enjoyed the sweet red beans and the buwan mist ice cream was incredible. This halo halo was colourful, fruity, refreshing, and textural... What a fun party in a cup! An absolute must-try. Lastly, I was completely unprepared for the entire bakery portion of the shop. I mean, "bake shoppe" is right in Yelo'd's name but somehow I associated them mostly with ice cream. There were a whole bunch of cute treats to choose from (cookies, cakes, brownies) and I panicked and chose an Ube S'Mores.
I wasn't sure what to expect from this puck-shaped confection but it was a true delight! The base was like a graham cracker brownie/blondie style cake with a layer of chocolate on top, followed by a fluffy toasted purple marshmallow. Rich and delicious, I loved it from the first gooey bite! Do not sleep on the baked goods because they are as equally fun and exciting as the ice cream! I am well aware that this is an especially ravey review but Yelo'd deserves it. They have taken the typical ice cream shop model and have found a way to make it more interesting with exciting flavours and a clear vision. I can't wait to try the champorado sundae with warm chocolate rice pudding and the Tustado ice cream sandwich made with a toasted (purple!) pandesal bun! It's wonderful to see Filipino desserts elevated to this level and I can guarantee that I am going to become a very regular visitor. Yelo'd is one of the best spots that this city has to offer and we are fortunate to have them!