Aberdeen ice cream fans rejoice, for a new parlour, known as 16 Below, has joined the city’s thriving food and drink scene.
Located on Whitehall Road, the quirky parlour opened its doors to the public yesterday.
And the dismal weather has failed to deter customers from stopping by to see what’s on offer.
This included Press and Journal food and drink editor, Julia Bryce, myself and Robert Gordon University student Paige Robinson, who has joined our team for the week to get a taste of what our roles entail.
Opened by food and drink group Watermelon Catering, and now the sixth eatery in the brand’s fleet alongside Corner Tree Cafe, Forest Cafe, The Pier, Bridge House Cafe and Cafe Ahoy, 16 Below offers a series of tempting sundaes, cookies and cheesecakes.
There is a multitude of Mackie’s of Scotland ice cream flavours, too, which will not only include their core range but also custom flavours that are not generally available.
The space boasts plenty of photo opportunities for customers, featuring large murals and picture-worthy desserts – an Instagram guru’s dream…
The results
Did the sweet treats complement the Instagrammable interior at 16 Below?
And if so, which one came out on top?
Unicorn sundae
The unicorn sundae was screaming Julia’s name when she caught a glimpse of it on the menu. Yes, there was a line-up of sundaes available, but we expected this one to be the most fun.
It comprised strawberry and bubblegum ice cream, both of which were a triumph, teamed with whipped cream, a glitter sauce, sprinkles, marshmallows and sweets.
The longer the toppings were perched on top of that smooth and silky ice cream, the harder they got (to be expected), so we’d recommend tucking into the marshmallows and sweets as soon as possible.
Nevertheless, Paige, Julia and I loved the dessert’s enticing variation of colours.
Presentation
Paige: 4/5
Julia: 3.5/5
Karla: 4/5
Taste
Paige: 4.5/5
Julia: 3.5/5
Karla: 4.5/5
Loaded cheesecake
More sound options on the 16 Below menu are their loaded cheesecakes.
Essentially, customers can customise their very own cheesecake to suit their tastes and choose their preferred sauce and two toppings – a concept all three of us loved.
We decided to top our vanilla cheesecake with honeycomb, homemade cookie dough crumbs and caramel sauce.
The cheesecake mix was velvety, the biscuit base was sweet and crumbly, and the cookie dough melted in the mouth.
The caramel sauce tasted slightly overdone on our palates giving it a nutty flavour, but maybe it was needed given how much sweetness was already in the dessert.
Presentation
Paige: 4/5
Julia: 4/5
Karla: 4/5
Taste
Paige: 4/5
Julia: 4/5
Karla: 4/5
Coco Pops milkshake
You know the sweet, chocolatey milk you’re left with after tucking into a hefty bowl of Kellogg’s Coco Pops cereal? Well, I know it’s already a given (going by the name), but I can’t emphasise how well this drink replicates that.
In fact, it was even better, in my opinion, as the milkshake was nice and chilled.
Topped with whipped cream, chocolate sauce and, of course, Coco Pops, it had a lovely frothy texture to it and went down a treat.
A big thanks are in order for Martin McAuley of Watermelon Catering, who recommended the drink.
Presentation
Paige: 3.5/5
Julia: 3.5/5
Karla: 3.5/5
Taste
Paige: 4/5
Julia: 4.5/5
Karla: 4/5
The verdict
I think it’s safe to say that Julia, Paige and I have welcomed 16 Below with open arms.
We tried to sample a variety of the goods on offer at the ice cream parlour, and each one went down a treat.
But the dessert you have to try is a loaded cheesecake, with our custom creation racking up 24/30.
Can you think of any local venues or dishes you would like the food and drink team to try?
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