It’s summer time in New Mexico and it is HOT! With temperatures approaching (and reaching) 100 degrees out there, it’s time to find a way to beat the heat. Towards the end of last summer, I kept passing by a roadside circle of promise advertising Hawaiian Ice. At first appearance, it seemed closed as there was no one inside the booth, but further examination shows that it’s just an advertisement. A trick to bring back memories of your childhood, walking up and getting a snow cone in one of those tiny cone shaped cups. This is no small cup, and no snow cone.
Let’s talk about the snow cones we had as a kid. The big dome on a small cup, saturating the crystals of crushed ice which allowed all the goodness sink to the bottom of the cup and leave a disappointing layer of flavorless white cubes on top, all the while the ice below is melting, diluting all the flavoring. This is not what I had this weekend at DaKine.
With a huge list of flavorings, you have your pick, surely something for everyone. Twenty six flavors and when I say they have something for everyone, I mean they also have sugar-free, so even the dieters out there can partake in thus summertime cooldown.
The combos are also unlimited, with another surf board of suggestions, some of which I would never have thought of, but look good just the same.
The surf boards are not just a clever way of showing their plethora of options, but the theme of the entire place. You can even buy leis made of candy, and if you have a special event coming up, order a real lei or two. 
One combo, Frog in a Blender, combines lime and cherry. The lime was a bit overpowering for the cherry, but it was nice having the choice going back and forth between the two. Though you get a small amount of drift as the flavoring settles, you’d have to fight to get a bite with no syrup.
The texture is like fresh snow. To make a cup, which I typically order the Big Kahuna, a brain freeze inducing large container making sure that you get your fill, they shave big blocks of ice to the finest powder that would make any snowboarder happy. I’m a huge fan of vanilla, so I ordered the Black Jack, a combo of Black Cherry and Vanilla. Don’t let the picture fool you, inside what looks like a standard snow cone texture is the finest, smoothest snow-like ice, you’d swear they scooped it straight from the mountain top in the dead of winter.
They filter their own water, so the taste is smooth and clean. You can even buy your own water there. Not only that, but if you have yourself a big gathering, you can order custom labels. With a outward facing 5 gallon filling station, you can have fresh clean water anytime, day or night. The building is small, but a big windows shows their whole reverse osmosis setup. A little piece of Hawaii in Albuquerque, surfboards and all, do not feel in the slightest tacky.
On a hot summer day, this beats ice cream hands down. Though if you want that little bit of cream, they have a bottle to add that touch just across the top. Full of flavor and deep on chill, this is the perfect summer stop.
