At last, Cold Stone Creamery opened it's first store in the Philippines!  With the emergence of US-based restaurants here (i.e. IHOP, PF Changs) in the last year, I was kinda hoping somebody would also bring this here.  Voila! Wish granted!  

I've actually known of this last March when they put in the announcement in the location that it was coming soon.  But there's no mention of the estimated date (or even month) of the opening.  And so, I followed their Facebook page for updates.

Store Location:
G/F Serendra Piazza (in front of Market! Market!)
Bonifacio Global City, Taguig

The store's location (taken last March)

Cold Stone is now open daily (taken June)

The store opened to the public almost a week after their soft launch (a by invitation event last May 23).  Based on what's on their door, they're open 10:00AM and closes 10:00PM from Mondays-Fridays, and an hour later (11:00PM) on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays.  However, as of this writing, it was announced in their Facebook page that they're open Sun-Thu 10:00AM-11:00PM and Fri-Sat 10:00AM-12:00MN.

Store Hours

Not a lot of people were in line yet so we were able to chat with the staff for a bit.  While in line, they would give you the menu to help you choose which one you want.  They have their Signature Creations, which is the same in Cold Stone branches in other countries.

The menu

How to Order:

1. Choose your favorite Signature Creation from the menu or Create Your Own.
2. Choose your size: Lick It, Like It, Love It, Gotta Have It, Mine, Ours, Everybody's
3. Add a waffle cone or bowl.

Prices range from PhP95 to PhP1288 for the ice cream.  A plain waffle cone/bowl is an additional PhP35, PhP45 for the coated ones.  Additional mix-ins cost PhP35/each.

Price List

Signature Creations

Company History

Ice Cream selection

Their mix-ins have a Filipino touch in it.  If I remember it correctly, they have Hany (a variation of ChocNut) and dried mangoes.  I forgot what the others were.

And so, what's the first Cold Stone creation I tried here in the Philippines?  Of course, it's the Mint Mint Chocolate Chocolate Chip (Like It size) on a candy-sprinkled chocolate-coated cone!

Oh, and before I forget, for those who've been to other Cold Stone branches, they're also doing their stunts with the ice cream.  They just need to do more practice.  But, come on, they're just new so that's acceptable, I came here for the ice cream anyway.
Update: As of June 23, 2013, the store hours are: 11AM-10PM Sunday-Thursday and 11AM-11PM Friday-Saturday.

For me, no trip to Taipei is complete without seeing Taipei 101 up close.  Since it's my last night in Taipei, I headed to the area.  I took the MRT and got off at Taipei City Hall Station.

When I got out of the station, I walked towards the direction of Taipei 101, passing by Eslite Bookstore, Shinkong Mitsukoshi, ATT 4 Fun (New York New York) and Warner Village.  I have planned to eat some ice cream at Cold Stone but wasn't able to find it at the place where I knew it would be.  As I round the building, I saw it and had a fill of ice cream.

After I had my ice cream, I went back to the MRT station and back to the hotel.

Taipei City Hall Bus Station

Shinkong Mitsukoshi

Taipei 101

ATT 4 Fun (New York New York)

Across the street from here is Taipei 101

My Mint Mint Chocolate Chip from Cold Stone at ATT 4 Fun

A bench I saw on the way back to the MRT station