Special thanks to Mama-Miya Coconut Ice Cream for extending this food review invitation.
Update: This business has ceased its operations.
For commuters along Beach Street (Lebuh Pantai), the oversized mock coconut ice cream is not easily overlooked. This prop marks the very location of Mama-Miya Coconut Ice Cream (椰子冰淇淋).
This ice cream kiosk near China House currently has only one product: Mama-Miya Coconut Ice Cream (RM7.00). But why is this single dessert able to attract locals and tourists alike?
For starters, there aren’t many coconut ice cream sellers to begin with. Out of these minority, hardly any of them manufacture their own coconut ice cream. Mama-Miya is a rare exception: all ingredients are made from scratch at its centralized kitchen.
The coconuts used here are the “pandan” cultivar, which are more expensive than regular ones but yield sweeter coconut water. Mama-Miya sources young coconuts from Thailand, Indonesia and Vietnam because local ones do not have sufficient quality to make the cut.
Each order of Mama-Miya Coconut Ice Cream is served in one-half coconut shell. Besides aesthetic appeal, this also allows customers to enjoy the juicy kernel on the inner surface of the shell. Fortunately the white flesh has been scraped beforehand, so the kernel is relatively easy to consume with a plastic spoon.
The coconut ice cream has consistency which puts it in the middle of the spectrum between creamy milk-rich gelato and icy-slushy fruit sorbet. The ice cream works harmoniously with other ingredients: glutinous rice, nata de coco and sweet corn. Since no preservatives are used, Mama-Miya’s coconut ice cream needs to be made daily.
Finally, coconut water which has been drained earlier does not go to waste. The drink is served in a separate cup for customers to enjoy. This thirst-quenching coconut water is the perfect complement to the ice cream dessert.
Mama-Miya won the second runner-up prize for the best decorated stall at the Penang Hawker & Entrepreneur Festival last weekend. Considering its unique coconut-themed stall design, it is not difficult to understand why.
Besides this location, Mama-Miya also operates more stalls at Cannon Street (Lebuh Cannon), Gurney Drive (Persiaran Gurney) and Karpal Singh Drive (Persiaran Karpal Singh). If you have not tried its coconut ice cream before, I recommend that you try one at any of its outlets.
Name: Mama-Miya Coconut Ice Cream (椰子冰淇淋)
Address: 143, Lebuh Pantai, 10300 George Town, Pulau Pinang
Contact: 010-604-4222
Business hours: 10:30am-6:30pm
Website: https://www.facebook.com/Mama-Miya-Coconut-Ice-Cream-808009799266061
Coordinates: 5.41490 N, 100.33892 E
Directions: From Armenian Street Ghaut (Gat Lebuh Armenian), turn to Beach Street (Lebuh Pantai). After China House, Mama-Miya is located on your right. You can easily spot the large mock coconut ice cream in front of the stall. Street parking is available along Beach Street and Chulia Street Ghaut (Gat Lebuh Chulia).