We were curious about Icekraft because, in the past few months, our Instagram feeds have been flooded with pictures of the place and their tempting food. Located in Kamaladi, Kathmandu, Icekraft is primarily an ice cream parlor but they also serve waffles, fries, pancake and corn. The Week went to Icekraft to sample a few of their popular food items to evaluate whether it really lives up to its Instagram hype and we were in for quite a pleasant surprise.
Although Icekraft is located at a busy roadside, the interior is quite peaceful and pleasant. The whole place is bright and well lit. Everything inside this new place is very pleasing to the eye. From the white and blue furniture to how they are placed, everything is very artistically tasteful. The décor makes for interesting backdrops for those wishing to take a few pictures for Instagram. Apparently, the multiple two and four seaters dispersed throughout the place can seat approximately 35 people at any given time.
Shankar Chaudhary, head chef at Icekraft Kathmandu, has been associated with Icekraft for over nine years since it first opened its doors in Mumbai, India and is overjoyed by its opening in Kathmandu. Besides Chaudhary, Icekraft employs nine other individuals. Owner of the Kathmandu franchise, Shilpa Chaudhary and the manager, Gyanendra Malla were both ecstatic on how well Icekraft seems to be doing since its launch a few months ago.
“I’m thrilled with how well the customers are receiving Icekraft. We were definitely hoping for something like this to happen but for it to actually do so well in such a short span of time feels wonderful,” says Malla.
Owner Chaudhary reveals that she’s never heard one grouse about her enterprise, “It’s been a few months since the launch of this Icekraft branch and I’ve yet to hear any complaints or dissatisfaction about anything from the customers. Not about the staff, not about food – nothing. But we’re open to constructive criticism and would actually love feedback.”
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The good thing about this place is that you have a lot of options to play around with your order. You can choose from a variety of toppings and even when you choose a certain food item from the menu you have a lot of creative control over how it will be served and what it will taste like. Also everything is freshly prepared and made from scratch, be it the cheese or the waffle base. However, you might have to wait a while because all that takes time. But we guarantee that the food that comes to your table is worth the wait.
Black Ice Cream
Price: Rs 450 + Rs 45 (for the black cone)
Rate: 3.5/5
Apparently the best selling food item in the Icekraft menu, the black ice cream gets its color from the added activated charcoal. It is not too sweet and does not really taste that different from any other ice creams but it’s a fun food to feast on. The black cone is also infused with activated charcoal and tastes like an oreo biscuit (minus the cream). While you will definitely enjoy the ice cream, also be ready to have your teeth and lips coated in the color black. Nothing some water and tissues won’t solve though.
Cheesy Crinkle Cut Fries
Price: Rs 250
Rating: 3/5
This dish is basically deep fried potato wedges (crinkled – as the name suggests) topped with their in-house cheese sauce. Icekraft present this as one of their best salty food items. With just the right crispiness and good portion size, it lives up to the title. Our only problem with the fries was the seasoning it was served with when we were there. You can choose the seasonings from herbed, paprika, pepper, chat and cheesy and we very much recommended you to do so because that’s where the actual flavor of the fries lies.
Chocolate Waffles
Price: Rs 375
Rating: 4/5
These waffles are probably the best item on their menu. Baked with choco chips and chocolate sauce with nutella and absolute choco on top and served with a dollop of whipped cream, this is a chocolate lover’s delight. The waffle itself is not too sweet but the added chocolate syrup and nutella give it just the right amount of sweetness. Everything from the texture of the waffles to the overall taste is perfect. Totally worth the price! You can also ask for a scoop of ice cream on top of the waffle now that the weather is getting warmer.
Nutella Crunch Freakshake
Price: Rs 600
Rating: 3.5/5
Chocolate fudge topped with brownies, red velvet waffle, chocolate chips, oreo cookies and nutella and served in a nutella jar with spiral straw on it, the presentation only wants to make you dig in. It is also their most instagrammed food item. However, this is extremely sweet and might not be for everyone. And to be honest, we think it’s a fair bit overpriced. As beautiful as it looks it’s not worth a whopping six hundred rupees.
