Magnum Manila: The coolest place on a hot summer

MANILA, Philippines - The coolest place to get a refreshing ice cream fix as summer temperatures rise should be Magnum Manila. Just opened at the Sky Park of SM Aura Premier in Bonifacio Global City, this is the local incarnation of what the brand calls its “Magnum Pleasure Stores.” The pop-up stores are where one can customize a Magnum ice cream bar with a choice of toppings. These stores are set up in key cities throughout the world and are primarily meant to promote the Magnum ice cream brand. With an average run of about 12 months, outlets have been opened in Milan, Cannes, New York and other key cities. In Asia, similar stores have opened in Bangkok, Jakarta and Singapore, with the latter having an extended run of close to one and a half years.

“This is the Manila leg of a global concept, and ‘Make My Magnum’ is the center or the heart of any Magnum specialty store,” says Magnum brand manager Brian Chanyungco. “For us, the epitome of indulgence is to allow our customers to personalize and customize their Magnum any way they want it.” At a designated station set up in the front of the store, ice cream aficionados are encouraged to choose the ice cream (vanilla or chocolate) and Belgian chocolate dip (milk, dark, white or gold) that they want. After this, they can create their own unique Magnum bar by choosing from eighteen kinds of toppings (including almonds, crushed chocolate chip cookies, freeze-dried raspberries, gold nuggets, honeycomb, even sea salt chili flakes, among others.) “One can choose to be traditional or experimental,” says Chanyungco. “There’s a lot to try. We give you the choice of over 250,000 combinations.”

Alternatively, one can opt for the delicious and visually appealing cake and ice cream combinations put together by award-winning pastry chef Miko Aspiras (should customizing your own Magnum prove to be too confusing). There is a lovely Cookie Dough Skillet of warm chocolate chip cookie dough topped with two vanilla Magnum bars, dark chocolate and chopped pecans; a brightly colored Rainbow Dream (white chocolate-covered Magnum bar covered in dreamy rainbow cake crumble, on a moist slice of cream cheese rainbow cake) that will surely appeal to the young and young at heart; and the no-fail Magnum Apple Pie, with vanilla Magnum coated in caramel sauce, served with a slice of warm apple pie, chunky apple mash, pistachios and whipped cream. My personal favorite would have to be the scrumptious combination called Pink Friday. This is strawberry marbled cheesecake, on a bed of Speculoos tea cookies and strawberry nerds, topped with a pink chocolate dusted vanilla Magnum and strawberry coulis — decadent and delicious!

While we have no qualms about replacing a main meal with Magnum ice cream, popular chef Him Uy de Baron (of Nomama and Chef Cuisine Catering fame) has also put together a full menu should customers of Magnum Manila prefer something more substantial before indulging in ice cream. Among a slew of options, one can choose main meals of tender braised beef cheeks, a carbonara topped with an egg that makes it extra creamy, or a perfectly seared salmon that is tender and moist. The trick is to eat just enough to leave room to be able to fully enjoy the ice cream delights that follow.  

 But what makes this particular Magnum outlet distinct? “This is going to be the Magnum global flagship store,” shares Brian Chanyungco. He tells us that after Manila, 21 Magnum Pleasure Stores are set to open worldwide. And certainly with this latest Manila outlet, the Magnum brand stays true to the definition of the word “magnum” by promoting its ice cream in a big way.

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Magnum Manila is at Level 5, Sky Park, SM Aura Premier, McKinley Parkway corner 26th St., Bonifacio Global City, Taguig.