As summer approaches, Austin's food scene is heating up with the recent opening of Hui Lau Shan, a Hong Kong-based mango-centric dessert shop chain. The store debuted on May 21 in the Crestview neighborhood, delighting locals with a sweet taste of Asian-inspired flavors.
The dessert cafe, located at 7020 Easy Wind Drive, is making a splash with offerings like the mango chewy ball, which comprises pureed mangos, mango ice cream, and mango tapioca balls and it's available in numerous variations such as jumbo size or paired with black sticky rice or mango crystal jellies; they also serve a slew of other mango-centric treats as well as unexpected savory items according to a statement obtained by Eater Austin. The shop paused operations briefly after the opening, with plans to reopen on May 23 for a select time from 4 to 9 p.m. to handle the expected demand.
Founders Jie Huang and Ricky Chen lead the Austin franchise of Hui Lau Shan, with Huang remarking, "Growing up in Austin, I’ve seen firsthand the change in the food and beverage industry here as well as the growing representation and desire for Asian food," adding, "There is no dessert shop like Hui Lau Shan in Austin today," Chen told Eater Austin.
Meanwhile, the food landscape of Austin is brimming with activities as the city gears up for Memorial Day with festivities and new culinary experiences, highlighting that there are options for everyone whether they want to go out and eat, drink, or just relax by the pool, and if you don't have the day off there's always takeout is what a report by CultureMap Austin suggests. In the mix of events, locals have an all-you-can-eat crawfish boil at Redbud Ice House to look forward to and a BBQ and pool party at the Carpenter Hotel, not forgetting the Hot Luck Festival, which is already in full swing where the famous New Orleans sandwich shop, Turkey and The Wolf, is collaborating with Uptown Sports Club for a food event that's predicted to draw a large crowd on May 25. Additionally, Austinites with a penchant for unique ice cream flavors can anticipate new seasonal offerings from Lick Honest Ice Creams starting May 31, including flavors like cilantro lime and vegan coconut cream pie.
