Back in January, we reported that a new dessert joint was set to take over the space formerly occupied by Viper Vapor at 260 Divisadero. Tomorrow, Powder, a shop specializing in "shaved snow"—a Taiwanese dessert best described as a mix between shaved ice and ice cream—will officially open its doors.
After spending the past summer honing their business with a pop-up tent at the Presidio edition of Off the Grid, owners Mimi Hanley and David Chung are prepared to debut their fluffy, sweet, and reportedly "guilt-free" (shaved snow is predominantly frozen ice) treats in their first brick-and-mortar location.
Chung was first exposed to shaved snow while visiting Vancouver; he and Hanley met while working in the tech industry. Powder's snow is made on-site by mixing distilled water with organic Straus dairy products (milk, cream, eggs) and flavoring ingredients, then freezing it all into a block. It's then shaved to order, using machines imported from Taiwan.
Flavors include horchata, black sesame, Vietnamese coffee, and strawberry. $4.50 buys a regular size cup, and a large will run you a dollar more. Toppings range from 50 to 75 cents, with options like TCHO chocolate crumbles and toasted almonds.
Powder also offers "S’nome Picks," two special flavor/topping combinations offered seasonally at $5.50 for a regular and $6.50 for a large. The current options are "Valencia," which consists of horchata shaved snow, TCHO chocolate, toasted almonds, a sweet milk glaze, and cinnamon sugar, and "The Don", black sesame shaved snow paired with mochi, coconut flakes, and a sweet milk glaze.
Both Hanley and Chung are neighborhood residents, and say they're looking forward to planting some roots on Divisadero. Though learning everything about starting a brick-and-mortar shop on the fly has been a challenge, they're excited about offering something they feel will benefit the neighborhood.
"We see this block as very encouraging, and slowly becoming the next Hayes," Chung said. "It's an awesome, tight-knit community, and we're committed to doing something good for this block. Ice cream is a product that you have both when you're happy and when you're sad. We're excited to contribute something to the community."
