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Milo is a long-standing beverage associated with the childhood of many generations. Back when Milo was powdered milk, it was stored in thick glass jars that my family still uses today to store spices. Then, when Milo became available in convenient, ready-to-drink cartons, it became a constant companion on the way to school.
To this day, I'm still captivated by that flavor, a taste that evokes nostalgic memories of my childhood. I love the feeling of holding a steaming, fragrant cup of Milo in my hands, slowly savoring it during the winter months in Northern Vietnam. Or a refreshing, ice-cold Milo to cool off on hot summer days. Although many new drinks have been created and imported from other countries, Milo remains incredibly special to me.
A cart selling Milo slush at an old apartment building.
Although I had enjoyed this drink for quite some time, it wasn't until I moved to Ho Chi Minh City to live and work that I had the chance to experience another variation of Milo: crushed ice Milo. In Ho Chi Minh City, people call crushed ice Milo "crushed cocoa." I learned about this dessert through an online article, and seeing the incredibly appealing pictures of crushed ice Milo, I told myself I absolutely had to try it.
In Ho Chi Minh City, people call crushed Milo "crushed cocoa." Photo: Saigoneer
On a rainy Saigon afternoon, I went to the old apartment building at 42 Ton That Thiep Street, Ben Nghe Ward, to enjoy some Milo iced tea. Located amidst the bustling city streets, the building exuded an old-world charm, reminiscent of scenes from the 1980s and 90s. Following the old staircase, I found the Milo iced tea shop. The shop had a simple yet familiar exterior: a small counter, a few plastic tables arranged along the building's hallway, and on the balcony railing, the owner placed containers of Milo iced tea ingredients and pre-mixed Milo drinks. That atmosphere reminded me of my school days, of hanging out at cafes with friends.
The shop's atmosphere is warm and inviting.
I ordered a special Milo slush with a giant flan. The ingredients for this Milo slush are quite diverse, including: condensed milk, Milo powder, shaved ice, cocoa powder, and various toppings such as apple-coconut jelly, cereal grains, fruit jelly, coconut jelly, peach-coconut jelly, peach-pea jelly, and lychee-coconut jelly. The bottom layer is a rich, pre-mixed Milo milk topped with a thin layer of Milo powder. Then comes shaved ice, topped with a cocoa sauce mixed with fresh milk, followed by various jellies and tapioca pearls. Next is another thin layer of Milo powder, and finally the incredibly tempting giant flan.
What impressed me first was that the flan portion was larger than those I'd ever tasted at other shops. After trying a piece, I was quickly captivated by its incredibly unique flavor, unlike anything I'd ever seen. It was even better when eaten with the crushed Milo and the various jellies and tapioca pearls in the cup.
I visited the shop during rush hour, and it was raining, so there were fewer customers than usual; most were buying takeout. This was also an opportunity for me to fully enjoy the quiet, nostalgic atmosphere of an old apartment building. The more I ate, the more I was captivated by the unique flavor, a blend of toppings like jelly, chewy black sugar boba pearls mixed with Milo powder and a cocoa blend according to the shop's secret recipe. The Milo flavor was rich, with a slightly bitter but still very sweet aftertaste.
Uncle Dung, owner of the Milo iced drink shop.
Mr. Dung, 50 years old, owner of the Milo crushed ice shop, shared: “My shop has been selling for 8 years, has never changed locations, and has only one branch. The recipe for Milo crushed ice is also created by the shop. The flan is homemade, large in size, and has a distinctive flavor. Besides Milo crushed ice, the shop also offers many other drinks such as: crushed peach tea, honey kumquat tea, strawberry, peach, and blueberry yogurt, and various strawberry, peach, and blueberry sodas...”
"Depending on the customer's preference, the shop will adjust the amount of toppings." The shop is open from 9 am to 9:30 pm daily, including holidays. Notably, the owner doesn't increase prices on holidays. Mr. Dung shared that the shop is busiest from around 3 pm onwards. Besides loving the shop's Milo crushed ice drink, which evokes childhood memories, I also love the space – simple yet full of nostalgia.
