The Best Snow Cones in Los Angeles
Travelin’ Local is officially declaring that from this day forward, Sunday, July 26th, here on out, is the official “Snow Cone Sunday” Holiday in Los Angeles. What self-respecting fun in the Summertime routine is complete without enjoying at least one delicious snow cone? But—not to worry, Travelin’ Local’s food hounds hunted, found, ate, and now grace your presence with the “real scoop.” But, where can you go– you must be wondering– to enjoy such simple splendor in a cup?
If you live in Los Angeles, the best place for a fresh, delicious snow cone is at, Zacatecas Raspados. Translated into English Raspados literally means drink of flavored crushed ice.
And at Zacatecas Raspados, they make theirs with a mixture of homemade juices, mixed in with the crushed ice– which these snow cones actually are. In the picture above, they actually use the term “Ice Cones.”
As recently featured in the Wall Street Journal by a globetrotting gourmand, and foodie, food critic Amy Chozick, has literally traveled the seven seas in search for the perfect snow cone. In her travels she’s managed to find a few, and today’s story features one she considers to be a leader in the delicate art of “The Sweet and the Cold.”
Although the store is simple and compact– and might not look like much– as the saying goes, “The best things come in Small packages,” or “Don’t judge a book by its cover!”
With flavors including pineapple, strawberry, and mango, the store’s shaved ice is mixed with chunks of real fruit, so to live and not die in Los Angeles, is to kick back, relax, have a tall one, feel the cool breeze, and watch the people, cars, and sky hover in East Los Angeles, in the way that only the locals know how to do.
Fill the cup half way with crushed ice, ladle a generous portion of your choice of fruit concoction, fill the remainder of the cup with more crushed ice, and then add another ladle of your chosen fruit fusion.
Below are actual chunks of pineapple in my beverage. My girlfriend who was with me, chose the Limon, or Lemon in English, but because it’s a naturally sweetened fruit, no chunks for her!
Of course, all of the recipes at Zacatecas Raspados are a secret, crafted by one woman who makes the decadent mixtures every day at a secret location, and keeps them in a safety deposit box at night while she sleeps.
Just joking, but for me, there’s nothing better than a cool, natural, summer breeze for your inner body, which also cools your outside senses and gets one ready for the next Travelin’ Local sojourn.
The sights and sounds of Travelin’ Local feed the mind, but its food can satisfy the soul and the stomach, which is even better:
Zacatecas Raspados
422 N. Ford Blvd.
Los Angeles, Calif.
323-264-7651
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Oh, that looks so good, and so much more real, than the ones I’ve had. Now I really want to visit LA!
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LisaNewton Reply:
July 26th, 2009 at 6:29 pm
@Lance, If you ever visit LA, Lance, please let me know. I’d love to do lunch. Or we could meet for a snow cone.
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Lance Reply:
July 26th, 2009 at 6:34 pm
@LisaNewton, You’ve got a deal!
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LisaNewton Reply:
July 26th, 2009 at 7:53 pm
@Lance,
Oh yes, I could go for a pineapple snow cone with chunks of real fruit! Looks like you found another fun place to visit in L.A.
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LisaNewton Reply:
July 26th, 2009 at 6:30 pm
@Diane C., It was great, and I’ll have to go back. After ordering my pineapple snow cone, I saw the strawberry mixture. It looked so good. Strawberry snow cone here I come.
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Very interesting and cute story. In all actuality there really is an “art” to the snow cone or “shaved ice.”
Chalk this one up to ….”another” place you found here that I must go. What a fascinating story and the drinks look splendorous.
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LisaNewton Reply:
July 26th, 2009 at 6:30 pm
@David, Go, go, go, David. You won’t be disappointed!!
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Now that looks good. I could have done with one of those yesterday.
Let us know when Snow Cone Sunday becomes an official holiday!
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LisaNewton Reply:
July 28th, 2009 at 3:49 am
@Kevin, You would have enjoyed it. I’ll start the petition for Snow Cone Sunday tomorrow.
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