五代同糖 is one of my favourite places for desserts in Hong Kong when it comes to shaved ice desserts, which Hong Kongers call 雪花冰. This type of shaved ice dessert originated from Taiwan and is now a favourite with Hong Kongers, judging from the number of dessert places that sell it.


The star of 五代同糖’s various flavours has to be its durian shaved ice (see above). It’s creamy, rather than icy and has a strong, yet not overpowering durian taste. It’s almost like eating ice cream. We were told by one of the staff there that the ice contains milk and durian; the milk slows the melting process thus allowing you to linger and enjoy the dessert for a longer time. It surprisingly goes well with cornflakes, with the cornflakes giving an added crunchy texture.


The yam flavoured shaved ice that comes with red bean and some green tea-flavoured syrup. I’m a big fan of yam, but for some reason, I don’t like yam done in this way. I didn’t think the yam tasted real, and it somehow didn’t go well with red bean. Other flavours I’d recommend are guava (very refreshing) and peanut. If you’re a die-hard chocolate fan, go for the chocolate one. Mango lovers can opt for the mango-flavoured one which comes with mango syrup, pomelo and sago. That one’s very refreshing too on a hot summer’s day.
Do note that the English name in the title is what I’ve translated from its Chinese name and is not its official one. I like its Chinese name though – there’s a play on sounds here. The word 糖 (‘tong’ in Cantonese and ‘tang’ in Mandarin) is pronounced the same way as the word 堂. In Chinese, 五代同堂 refers to five (五) generations (代) living under the same roof (同堂), with its intrinsic meaning being that of an extended family living in harmony. It signifies happy family life and that life is sweet. Very apt for a dessert eatery, no?
五代同堂
Shop G11, G/F Elizabeth House
No. 250-254 Gloucester Road
Causeway Bay, Hong Kong
Tel: +852 3486 8528