Flavor of the Month
Super-cool East Austin ice cream shop opens with an unusual twist
East Austin is getting a little sweeter with the opening of Spun. The hotly anticipated ice cream shop will open Wednesday, December 16.
Spun is the brainchild of local sister duo Christina and Ashley Cheng, whose family owns Austin favorite Chinatown. At Spun, which the duo announced in fall 2014, each scoop of ice cream is made to order using "the magic of liquid nitrogen."
How does it work? With a temperature of 321 below zero, liquid nitrogen freezes dairy extremely fast and creates a dessert that's creamier and smoother than its counterparts. Customers can watch as ingredients morph "from bottle to scoop in under a minute." "We're really excited to be there and see people's reactions," Ashley tells CultureMap.
The shop will serve house-made seasonal toppings in addition to dairy- and gluten-free options, using local ingredients when possible. Opening menu items include vanilla, dark chocolate, popcorn, and gingerbread flavors with toppings like meringue snow and chocolate.
"It's like a big science experiment," says Ashley. "Customers can mix and match and make their own pairings or try some of our recommendations."
Spun is also offering rotating specials, the first of which is The Crackerjack, with popcorn ice cream, peanut molasses brittle, caramel popcorn sprinkles, and brown butter powder. You can find this flavor combo and more on East Seventh Street next to Salt & Time.