Shaved Ice: Korean Bingsoo
My sister is addicted to bingsoo. It seems that whenever I make a coast-to-coast call from Seattle where I live to DC where she is, she has just polished off a bowl of this Korean version of shaved ice. I had never tried bingsoo, so it seemed appropriate that when I visited her a few weeks ago, top on my list was to give it a try.
My sister and her husband Mark drive out to Shilla Bakery in Annandale, Virginia on a regular basis for their Korean croquettes, pastries and bingsoo. Patbingsoo is the bakery's most traditional bingsoo offering, a bowl of red beans, mixed fruit, condensed milk, milk, and rice cakes over shaved ice with a sprinkle of brown rice powder.
My sister prefers green tea bingsoo, with green tea ice cream, green tea syrup, milk, fresh honeydew melon and rice cakes with red beans as an extra topping. Shilla also lists strawberry, coffee, banana, pineapple and yogurt versions.
If you can't find made-to-order bingsoo, you can find a prepackaged variety in Korean grocery stores like H-Mart.
The bingsoo ice cup reminds me of another prepackaged treat that I prefer fresh, but sometimes stoop to when necessary, Friendly's Reese's Pieces Sundaes-to-Go. While Friendly's miniature take-home sundaes found at the grocery store are no match for a 3-scoop Reese's Pieces Sundae eaten at the ice cream parlor, they satisfy a craving that may otherwise go unmet.
The bingsoo cup, with its shaved ice, sweetened red beans, and mini rice cakes will do the same. At least until you can find the real thing.
--Tracy Schneider
Visorboy on August 30, 2010 at 09:43 AM
Try this place called Breeze.. right next to Ye Chon restaurant in anndale.
Ye Chon Restaurant
21 reviews
4121 Hummer Road
Annandale, VA 22003-2416
Get Directions
(703) 914-4646