The Peninsula Lobby is one of those places in Metro Manila that have played an important role in forging fond memories among family and friends. As a model in the Eighties, I remember our group of models and designers retiring to The Peninsula Lobby for drinks, coffee and chat almost after every fashion show. Now that I have a family, I have created my own memories of birthdays and anniversaries spent at the hotel capped by late-evening sips of the Lobby’s famous thick native chocolate and spoonfuls of their legendary ice cream creations. My son Sebi is an avid fan of the Choco Loco concoction, while my husband Giorgio enjoys the ube and macapuno ice creams.
After 36 years of delighting us with their heavenly ice cream treats, this month, The Peninsula Manila, together with Selecta, has revamped the hotel lobby’s ice-cream dessert menu, introducing new, exciting and decadent ice cream combinations to go alongside all-time favorites like the Halo-Halo Harana and the Banana Split Hit.
Dubbed “Frozen by the Sun,” this new, delightfully sweet collaboration between The Peninsula and Selecta includes three new ice cream symphonies of classically indulgent flavors: Can’t Say No, an irresistible combination of chocolate truffle, vanilla almond and coffee almond ice cream with white and dark chocolate and whipped cream; Berry Madness, a delicate blend of berry marmalade and black currant coulis with scoops of luscious vanilla and strawberry ice cream; and Summer Ice, a refreshing tropical treat of raspberry, mango sorbet and fruit salad ice cream topped with a caramel tuile and fresh tropical fruit.
“We serve between seven to eight tons of ice cream a year at the Lobby,” declared chef Sebastien Cocquery, executive pastry chef of The Peninsula Manila who, together with executive chef Patrick Boucher, created the three new “members” of the hotel’s famous ice cream dessert menu. “We went through a whole list of ice creams and were very happy with Selecta because their quality is legendary,” explains chef Sebastien. “We wanted to elaborate on the existing ice cream menu, expand on the creations and the flavors available, including the presentation. There is an ice cream designed for everyone, young and old,” adds the jovial French pastry chef.
The new three new ice cream temptations join the roster of Frozen by the Sun’s classic ice cream selections. The Nutty Pageboy is a triple treat of chocolate, vanilla and double-Dutch ice cream loaded with marshmallows, rich caramel sauce, whipped cream and sprinkles. Pen Pals is a Peninsula classic and the ultimate in ice cream indulgence and satisfaction, with 19 different scoops of ice cream nestled on a bed of fresh fruits, topped with maraschino cherries, waffle sticks, marshmallows, chocolate sauce and whipped cream — perfect for a group of six to 10 people. Halo-Halo Harana is a mouthwatering mix of macapuno, langka, kaong, nata de coco, sweet beans, garbanzos, pinipig and ube topped with shaved ice, ube royal ice cream and leche flan. Christened as “The Best Legal High” by Time magazine, the Halo-Halo Harana is The Peninsula Lobby’s bestseller, a runaway hit with 73,000 orders served on average each year.
Not to be outshone are the other ice cream creations on the menu: I Dream of Cookies, a trio of chocolate-based ice cream flavors; Double Dutch, cookies ’n’ cream and rocky road on a bed of caramel banana fudge, topped with cookies and whipped cream; Café Crumble Creation, an addictive blend of coffee crumbles and French vanilla ice cream laced with Kahlua chocolate sauce and whipped cream; Choco Loco Brownie Sundae, a sinful combination of chocolate truffle and chocolate hazelnut ice cream scoops loaded with moist brownie chunks and whipped cream; Banana Split Hit, a delectable combination of strawberry, chocolate and vanilla ice cream lined with banana slices and garnished with chocolate sauce, almond flakes, whipped cream and chocolate petals; and Fruit N’ Yoghurt, The Peninsula’s 97-percent-fat-free homemade yogurt ice cream served with wild berry, strawberry and mango slices.
“We are very excited to collaborate with Selecta; it is a Filipino brand with a long and enviable reputation for product excellence and, like The Peninsula, has long held a secure place in the affections of the Filipino public. We have good synergy because we, too, are a Filipino brand,” enthused Sonja Vodusek, general manager of The Peninsula Manila.
With two iconic brands coming together for a delicious partnership, it will only be a matter of time before more memories are woven together in the hearts and minds of many generations of Filipinos, retold at length and with fondness courtesy of Frozen by the Sun.
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The new Frozen by the Sun ice cream menu is available at The Peninsula Manila Lobby.
Starting Dec. 1, every Friday and Saturday from 8 a.m. to midnight, The Lobby will also have a chocolate buffet. Price per person is P680++.