Critic Rating: 9/10

For many Harrisites, the crowded parking lots at Trader Joes are a staple of their weekend routines. After all, what’s not to love about the no-frills supermarket? Every trip to TJ’s comes with a side of adventure, especially when you find something interesting that catches your eye.

Last year, Trader Joe’s added a new ice cream flavor to their shelves — Ube — and I have to say, it’s a must-try.

This delicious purple yam is native to the Philippines. It is commonly used in local sweet breads and various yummy desserts. 

To those unfamiliar with Ube, I would say it tastes very similar to the more well known Taro. Ube isn’t overpowering but is sweet and has a tiny hint of nuttiness to it, a flavor that many things can replicate. It has a subtle and smooth texture that glides on your tongue, effectively spreading the flavor across all your tastebuds.

In previous years, TJ’s has only released this ice cream seasonally, but it has caught so much attention and created a serious following, that it has now become permanent resident at TJ’s ice cream shelf (woohoo!). And honestly, it has definitely earned that spot. Ube is vibrant, rich, and quite unique – making it one of the best new flavors in town. It’s absolutely delicious and life changing and I would definitely recommend it to anyone who hasn’t tried it before! It might open new doors to the vast world of flavors, beyond just traditional vanilla and chocolate. 

So if you’re in the mood to try something new or just add another ube flavored food to your arsenal, go head to Trader Joe’s and try their new Ube flavored ice cream! 

You have nothing to lose, either you will hate it or love it at the cost of $3.49.