Minimal Is the World's First Michelin-Starred Ice Cream Shop - AFAR

"Hidden behind an unmarked gray door on a narrow Taichung street, this takeaway-only ice cream counter—the project of chef and owner Arvin Wan—earned a Michelin star in 2024 and draws long, hushed lines at noon. Wan condensed the rigor of his former tasting-menu work into single scoops served from a stainless-steel counter: six limited-run flavors a day presented plain in paper cups with polite, attentive, intentionally quiet service. Textures are airy and restrained (less dense than traditional gelato), engineered to melt into a clean, watery sensation by removing fibrous or starchy elements; Wan even layers techniques such as infusing bases with water condensed from steamed cypress. Flavors rotate from a nutty miso in soy-milk with almonds to a sake sorbet scented with wild ginger lily, whiskey with roasted barley, a citrus sorbet brightened by Sichuan peppercorn and pomegranate, green tea amplified with licorice and mountain angelica root, and local magnolia-infused vanilla. There are no toppings or spectacle—muted colors and careful composition aim to unfold slowly and reward attentive tasting; a small cup with two scoops costs US$5, while sampling all six across four cups is US$37." - Clarissa Wei