Mango is the safe bet of "snowflake ice" flavors at Nu Cafe--the durian is a little funky, and the green tea is a tad bitter. Strawberries, pineapple, and mango chunks are all good toppings, but I went wild with sweetened red beans and rainbow jellies. For my syrup, I selected strawberry--chocolate would have been all wrong.

Nu Cafe in Bellaire Chinatown is the place to go for the new Asian "Snowflake Ice." Also known as "Snow Ice," this frozen dessert is all the rage with young people in Taiwan and California.

Nu Cafe9889 Bellaire Blvd. (713) 771-7771

When you select your flavor, the guy behind the counter places a wheel of frozen sorbet mounted on a metal rod into a machine that shaves the outside of the icy cylinder into a weird-looking glacier. You pick your additions and syrup and then take your Asian snowflake sundae to your table.

The flavors are vivid, and with less cream and sugar than regular ice cream, the dessert is lighter and lower in calories. It's also made without preservatives. My kids said it was okay--but not as good as Blue Bell.