Ever fancy something extra in your ice cream? Or perhaps something different from the normal cup or cone ice cream you get outside? Ice Cream Chefs has the answer! Alright I know that sounds like a cheesy commercial tagline. But seriously, Ice Cream Chefs does offer something that deviates from the norm - an avenue to "customise" your ice cream with toppings such as oreo cookies, chocolate chips and candies with promises to introduce more stuff in the near future. There is also an option to mix and match ice cream flavours to suit your preferences.

Sitting pretty alongside East Coast Road, just further down from Hong Kong Cafe, Ice Cream Chefs is rather easy to miss unless you maintain a look out for its purple sign board. Add in the fact that the location shares the same address as Ocean Park Condominium and you get a really confusing road trip. Tip: You have to make a right into the private carpark just after you make a right turn from East Coast Road into the road leading up to Ocean Park Condominium. There you press the red button followed by the code 0106 and politely request for the person on the other line to open the barrier for you. Do note that parking spaces are limited though.

The folks at Ice Cream Chefs take pride in hand making their ice cream. According to what I understand from the very short conversation I had with one of the guys, the process of making the ice cream involves leaving flavoured milk to harden on a flat pan like surface and flipping it over when one side hardens (something to that effect. Please dont berate me if I get it wrong).

Step 1: Scrape the ice off the hard top and plonk down a set amount of the ice cream of your choice.
Step 2: Flatten the ice cream with the provided set of huge metal spoon lookalikes (whatever those are called)
Step 3: Place desired toppings on the flattened ice cream and drizzle the complimentary chocolate syrup over it.
Step4: Use the spoons to forcefully crush the toppings to blend in with the ice cream and with a little mixing, your customised ice cream is ready to be served!

Disclaimer: The steps are based on what my experiences first hand and it may or may not represent the actual set of steps.

A regular scoop of ice cream goes for about $3 if I remember correctly and a medium scoop goes for $4 ( Please pardon my poor memory, but its all around that price range). For the ice cream lovers, there's a bigger tub option as well. Novelties aside, I personally liked my creation quite a bit (no I'm not narcissistic) and the quality of ice cream was comparable to that of Ben & Jerry's, albeit a little less robust. Would like to see more basic flavours though. Maybe banana? Mangosteen?

See my pictures here

Some things are better in the east - due to the ulu-ness (not really inaccessable but it's far for me) I kept delaying my trip there, but when I finally did go there, I realised what I had been missing out.

Horlicks and kinderbueno combination is my fave - I think I shall make my trip worth it next time and get 2 kinderbuenos mixed into my tub :D

Other flavours and mixes i've tried are Milo ice cream with loaker and kaya ice cream with caramello biscuits

Do note that the texture of the ice cream tends to change after freezing (at least for my 2 tubs - horlicks and kinderbueno, kaya and caramello biscuits). It's best eaten freshly mixed. And, like all other ice cream places - tubs are more worth it so bring your friends and share!

What I like about the place is that the service is very good and consistently good- hard to find such service these days. They are really patient (how to decide between all those yummy flavours??), knowledgable (about which of the many mixes goes well with what ice cream), and best of all, take the initiative to serve customers better. For example, when I ordered 2 take away tubs, and another tub to share and have there, they immediately offered to place my takeaway tubs into the freezer, and they were very efficient in retrieving it when I was leaving.

Best of all, the parking's free and readily available!
Hope they can set up a branch nearer the west - I'll confirm patronise them more.

Tubs cost $9.50, and $2 for the first mix in, and $1 for the next mix in.

Ice cream. A necessary sin, especially in Singapore where it is perpetually warm. And a wonderful indulgence after a good meal. That said, Ice Cream Chefs is an oasis in the desert, with a twist and i urge you to read on to see what this place offers.

Keep your eyes peeled as you drive to catch this purple signboard. Its easy to miss and the location is totally ulu and unexpected. There is free parking but you gotta press the bell to get in.

The location is difficult to find but price wise, 1 scoop goes for $3, 2 scoops for $4 and 3 scoops for $5 . I can't remember the exact prices but thats about a general price guide you can follow. Very competitive pricing i might say, and the idea is still novel enough to warrant some attention.

The ice cream used is of a pretty good quality. It is extremely easy to separate each taste from the next and durian taste is very very strong if you add it. It is also nicely smooth and taste as good as those served at other establishments like Anderson's or New Zealand ice cream. In other words, do try it!! Add in the fact that you can choose a large variety of toppings (oreos, fudge, marshmallows, M & Ms etc) and this is just a winner.

Good ice cream at a reasonable price with wonderful toppings and the option to try the entire process first hand. Apart from the secluded location, there is alot going for this place. Its definitely worth a visit just to mix the ice cream for yourself. Bring a date or friend along for added ambience *winks*.