Lickin' on Gin & Juice
Cover Scoops of Lickin' on Gin & Juice and Beach, Please! (Photo: Khairul Imran/Tatler Malaysia)

Licky Chan's slogan—"Not your basic batch"—says it all

Sit-down speciality cafés and posh patisseries have become something of the norm, so when boozy ice cream parlour Licky Chan invited us over to scribble on their furniture, we were more than thrilled. It doesn't take long for us to find out that we're not the only ones who enjoy the novelty of licking boozy cones while lounging in an indoor playground.

As we make our way through the repurposed 20th century shophouse in Chow Kit, two tattooists slinging ink catch our eye. But what are tattoo artists doing at an ice cream parlour, you might ask? Or vice versa: why is there ice cream at a tattoo parlour?

Related: 10 Unique Ice Cream Flavours In The Klang Valley

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

Co-owner Kit Chan answers our queries: "Because of the stigma surrounding tattoos, it’s always scary for first-timers. We wanted to make it more accessible, and there's nothing more accessible than an ice cream shop."

Who says tattoo parlours are only to be found in abandoned buildings, or via back alley staircases?

Tatler Asia
The backdoor leading to Licky Chan
Above The backdoor leading to Licky Chan
Tatler Asia
Orange Staircase at Licky Chan
Above Orange staircase at Licky Chan

Neon lights and '90s music on loop lend Licky Chan its grungy vibe. Adding to the indoor playground theme is a bright orange staircase that leads to an orange maze. Inside, we come face to face with a vintage collection of flickering televisions and a colourful ball pit. The latter beckons to our inner child, tempting us to jump in, cone in hand.

Tatler Asia
Piña Colada Soft Serve
Above Piña Colada soft serve

A single taste of Licky Chan's Piña Colada soft serve will instantly transport you to a sunny day by the beach in the Caribbean. Coconut milk and pineapple are key ingredients in this scoop laced with tonka beans and Bacardi's 4 Años, a rum aged for four years. We do not regret spicing up our cone with additional rum syrup, pineapple and toasted coconut that brings a crunchy candy-like texture to the smooth soft serve.

See also: 9 Crushed Ice Desserts From Around The World: Ais Kacang, Bingsu And More

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Lickin' on Gin & Juice and Beach, Please !
Above Scoops of Lickin' on Gin & Juice and Beach, Please!

Ice cream or yogurt? Boozy or virgin? Vegan? Gluten-free?

With more than 20 "cone-tails" to choose from, it's hard to decide what to have next. All of Licky Chan's ice creams are crafted the same way cocktails are: beginning with a base ingredient that is layered with different tastes and textures. It must be mentioned that Licky Chan's cones are made fresh everyday, boast vegan ingredients, and don't cost extra—which is just how things should be!

We decide to go with co-owner Rick Joore’s suggestion of double sorbet in a cone. The Beach, Please! flavour combines watermelon, cucumber and Maraschino liqueur to create a refreshing mouthfeel with a rich, jammy texture. Meanwhile, Lickin’ on Gin & Juice, a tangy gin-based sorbet churned with olive oil, calamansi and tonic, is so creamy that most would mistake it for ice cream.

See also: The Best Gins In Asia

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Avocado Cartel
Above Avocado Cartel and Sweet Dreams Are Made of Cheese
Tatler Asia
Above Vegan Fortune Cookie

Our next scoops come from the alcohol-free section of the menu.

The Avocado Cartel is velvety with crunchy bits of sesame brittle that feel as healthy as they are delicious.

Meanwhile, five different types of cheese, blueberries and honey make up the Sweet Dreams Are Made of Cheese, a crowd favourite. Bits of gorgonzola sneak up on us, but tangy blueberries and chunks of honeycomb give the scoop good balance. A fortune cookie (vegan, of course) tops the two scoops and we can't help but feel like we're having a dessert version of avocado toast.

Tatler Asia
You Can't Have Yin Without The Yang
Above You Can't Have Yin Without The Yang
Tatler Asia
Dato's Dream
Above Dato's Dream, a new boozy cake on Licky Chan's menu

In addition to a plethora of boozy ice cream, Licky Chan also offers boozy cakes; these are available both by the slice and whole. Much like Licky Chan's "cone-tails," each cake has its own personality.

You Can’t Have No Yin Without The Yang (our favourite) sees a crispy biscuit base with rich layers of black sesame cream and white chocolate fortified with Dewar’s 12 year old Scotch. This "east meets west" cake is definitely one of their richer creations but the yin and yang are well-balanced, making us crave more.

The next boozy cake boasts a rich roasted chestnut cream coupled with blonde chocolate drunk on Martell VSOP Cognac. Can you make out why it's called the Dato’s Dream? Reminiscent of a Mont Blanc but with a much richer mouthfeel, this gâteau is really everyone’s fantasy.

TATLER TIP: Book dinner at Joloko, which was founded by the same creatives behind Licky Chan, before heading to the latter for dessert.

Credits

Images  

Khairul Imran

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