Although people don’t usually crave icy treats so much in the dead of winter, most of us still enjoy a little ice cream, gelato or frozen yogurt regardless of the season. I’ve got another icy treat for you to consider.

If you’re a fan of the aforementioned desserts and you haven’t tried bingsoo yet, you should. What’s more, you won’t have to travel to South Korea to give it a whirl. A little less than a year ago, Milkie Milkie Korean Desserts brought their delicious take on bingsoo to Edmonds.

New to me, bingsoo (or bingsu) — and other desserts like it — have been enjoyed throughout Asia for centuries. In Thailand, there’s nanchang sai. In Taiwan, it’s called tsua bing. And baobing has been served and (presumably) happily consumed in China since the 7th century.

Okay, clearly I’m a little late to this party, but after sampling Milkie Milkie’s bingsoo, all I can say is — better late than never.

You’ll find them tucked into a nondescript shopping center on the corner of 238th and Highway 99. Feel free to cut and paste 23830 Highway 99 #119A into your GPS right now.

I saw their grand opening sign go up months ago, but curiosity finally got the better of me and I ventured in.

On my first visit, I was a little intimidated by the size of their portions. Although I’m sure there are those who would have no problem polishing off their linebacker-sized bowls by themselves, I made up my mind to come back with reinforcements before I explored bingsoo. To my way of thinking, the bingsoo here is meant to be shared.

Never one to waste a trip, I took a look at some of their other options and discovered that Milkie Milkie has a lot to offer.

Take, for example, their delicious-looking fruit waffles, or one of their several Korean street food options, like sodduk-sodduk — skewered grilled pork sausage and rice cake, drizzled with homemade chili sauce. Also consider the Korean egg cakes, pumpkin soup, or the bungeoppang — whimsical fish-shaped pastries stuffed with sweet red beans.

Those all looked great, but it was their crispy garlic cheese toast that captured my attention. Chopped neatly into bite-sized triangles, this multi-layered treat combined melted cheese, an outer layer of crispy bread with a center layer of rice cake, and lightly sprinkled parsley flakes. Jackpot. Since I’m fairly certain that garlic is a gift from the heavens and have never met a cheese I didn’t like, I looked no further. If you don’t share my love of garlic and cheese, or as one friend puts it, garlic and cheese don’t love you, feel free to choose from one of four other toast options.

My toast melted in my mouth and was absolutely delicious. But let’s get back to their greatest attribute — the bingsoo.

I returned reinforced with a hungry teenager. First off, let me say this isn’t your garden-variety snow cone/shaved ice. This is condensed milk/ice that’s shaved or ground to a powder. It tastes like sweetened snow. In itself, that might be somewhat tasty, but add in the fruit or chocolate, the slivered almonds and surprise chunks of rice cakes, cookies, or brownies, combined with a small mountain of whipped cream, and you begin to see the attraction.

It’s accompanied by an adorable miniature milk can filled with sweetened condensed milk for you to strategically pour over your dessert. I suppose you don’t need to use it all, but hey, I hate to waste food.

It’s a taste sensation you really have to try to fully appreciate. Beware of the brain freeze; pace yourself. Also, it tends to be a little messy. Give yourself permission to go to the picnic, plenty of napkins are provided.

This might be a good place to mention that aside from tasting terrific, all the food I’ve tried there is practically a work of art. Presentation counts for a lot, and Milkie Milkie has leveled up — their food is almost too beautiful to eat…. almost.

That must be why you may have to wait a little while for your bingsoo. This isn’t ultra fast food. Some serious artistry is involved. Still, I’m guessing that by the time they emerge from the kitchen with your dessert and deliver it to your table, all will be forgiven.

They also feature many kid’s desserts plus copious drink offerings, which include coffees, teas and smoothies. If parking proves challenging, be aware that additional parking is available behind the building.

One good reason to check out Milkie Milkie this winter, is that by summer I predict a line will being stretching out the door.

Milkie Milkie Korean Desserts
23830 Highway 99 #119A
Edmonds
www.milkiemilkie.com

— By James Spangler

The furthest thing from a finicky eater, James Spangler insisted on trying everything on the table from the earliest age. At 13, he prepared Baked Alaska for an entire classroom and has had an insatiable appetite for good food ever since. He’d rather be in the kitchen cooking for the people he loves than doing just about anything.