Discover a new dimension of mala spice in this fiery collaboration by Michelin-awarded Chen’s Mapo Tofu and Singapore’s Best Gelato winner Denzy Gelato. Cap off your mapo tofu mealtime with two exciting flavours, mango mala and caramelised mala pecan – now that’s a full course meal for mala enthusiasts!

…or so they’d like you to think.

We had a good impression of Denzy Gelato when we visited early on, when they were still doing savoury ice cream and situated conveniently (for us) nearby Bishan MRT. We’re ‘interesting flavours’ type of people and mourned both the loss of their savoury ice creams and their more convenient (for us) location. It didn’t take much convincing for us to drop by Chen’s Mapo Tofu (which we also love) for their one-for-one ice-cream deal, both promising to be prominently mala-influenced.

The cups came with their own flat little spoons inside the lid. They were unfortunately difficult to pop out and did end up being first covered in ice cream, then fumbled onto the floor. After some disinfecting later, we started on the scoops.

Mango Mala

The mango mala (check that spoon indent) is uncompromisingly faithful to the ingredients. The mango is strong and flavorful, and the mala is arguably just as strong, but they’re harmonious and pretty spicy. There is no respite from the spice, which tends more towards ‘la’ than ‘ma’ but, besides the lack of numbing sensation, is still full bodied. We were impressed by its uncompromising taste.

Caramelised Mala Pecan

The caramelised mala pecan starts more low-key when you eat the ice cream – there is no mala spice in the base ice cream, and it’s definitely the non-spicy option, but gains significant complexity when you hit a pecan. Only the pecans have mala spice included, but they’re astoundingly attractive and makes me want to do bad things to our small kitchen and toast pecans in chili oil to replicate the addictiveness of those damn nuts at home.

Head to Head

The mango’s full integration of mala flavour throughout is admirable and delicious, but just due to personal preference, the pecans alone (with competent if non-mala ice cream accompaniment) edge it out for me. Both are solid options – just dependent on your taste and how much you want to mala yourself throughout the ice cream experience. If you’re feeling spicy and/or aren’t alone, they play remarkably well off each other if you alternate eating both.

Would I Go Again?

Theoretically, I would say I would AGAIN! but I’ve been thwarted by how far Chen’s Mapo Tofu outlets are from my neighbourhood (RIP NEX’s outlet), and so the need to literally eat two cups of ice cream on the sidewalk outside Downtown Gallery before they melt has sadly scuppered that urge. Still, that’s my theoretical rating. I’m glad to experience interesting Denzy’s ice cream again, with the finesse that I had enjoyed without having to walk 1.2km from Hougang MRT. I’m even more reluctant to do that trek.