Las Vegas - Ice Pan

I love matcha green tea. It's one of my favorite flavors. Matcha lattes, matcha ice cream, matcha cake, it really goes with any kind of dessert. Matcha works really well in creamy-type desserts. In this case, it was a cross between frozen yogurt and frozen milk. Ice Pan offers made-to-order ice cream using a base mixed with your choice of soy, nonfat, lowfat, or whole milk and is flavored using real ingredients, no artificial flavorings. Once the mix is blended, it is dumped on a super cold and freezing ice pan, scraped, and slapped against the pan to incorporate air until it is the texture of ice cream. I was excited to try this being a froyo fan and it was pretty entertaining to watch the staff make ice cream before our very eyes! I ordered a soy green tea with mochi per their recommendations for the mix-in.

I felt bad for the staff that had to make it since it does look labor-intensive, but some seem to enjoy it and the older man, who I think is the owner, was very passionate about his product and how it is a healthy treat as opposed to ice cream. Once the ice cream starts to form, the staff added in the mochi and mixed it all together, scooping it into a cup (they also offer it in a waffle bowl). You have the option of adding chocolate of caramel syrup or of course for extra $, additional toppings or whipped cream. I didn't add anything else since the mochi itself would make this dessert sweeter and heavier mind you. Well, I gotta say, fresh low fat soy ice cream never tasted so good! The matcha flavor was deep and the texture was just like ice cream, soft but yet firm and melted in your mouth, but doesn't melt as quickly as froyo. It's not too sweet at all - just lightly sweetened - and no heavy sugar coating on the tongue after it's finished.

Mom got the red bean whole milk with mochi and caramel drizzle. I saw them blend fresh adzuki beans right into the mix and the flavor really shined! I find that the red bean flavor often gets lost in a lot of frozen desserts, but you could definitely taste it in Ice Pan's ice cream.

There was no artificial aftertaste and both options of milk yielded a creamy texture. I think nonfat would yield a creamy texture too - I'll have to try that next time.

Ice Pan is located in Harrah's on the strip; go all the way to the back and up the escalators and it'll be on your left. As of May 2014, they only accept cash but it's not too expensive, remember to tip them for all the actual physical labor they put in to making your frozen treat!