So, I kept seeing this place, Aqua S, popping up online, especially the Houston spot. Looked kinda wild, you know, with the blue ice cream and cotton candy clouds around it. Figured I had to check it out myself, see if it was just hype or actually any good.
Made the trip over one afternoon. Finding parking wasn’t too bad, which was a decent start. Walked up to the place. It looked clean, modern, kinda bright inside. Not a huge spot, but definitely had that trendy feel they go for.
Going Inside
Stepped in, and yeah, it’s pretty geared towards photos. They’ve got that wall everyone takes pictures in front of. It was moderately busy, a few people milling around, others already eating their fancy-looking cones.
Went up to the counter. The main thing is their sea salt soft serve, that’s the blue stuff. They usually have another flavor or two rotating. I just wanted to try the famous one first time around. The menu’s got all these toppings you can add – popping pearls, fairy floss (cotton candy), toasted marshmallows, popcorn… felt a bit much, honestly.
Ordering and Getting the Goods
Decided to keep it relatively simple but still get the ‘look’. Got the sea salt soft serve in a cone, and yeah, I added the fairy floss cloud around it. You kinda have to, right? Also threw on some popping pearls just because.
- Picked the sea salt flavor.
- Asked for it in a black cone (looked cooler).
- Added the fairy floss.
- Added some popping pearls.
The person making it was quick. They swirled the ice cream, carefully wrapped the cotton candy around it, sprinkled the toppings. Handed it over, and it looked exactly like the pictures. Bright blue soft serve, big puff of white cotton candy. Definitely an eye-catcher.
The Taste Test
Found a spot to sit down. First bite, just the ice cream. It’s… interesting. It’s definitely soft serve, smooth texture. The sea salt flavor is there, but it’s subtle, mixed with sweetness. Not super salty, just enough to make you notice it’s different. It was okay. Not mind-blowing, but pleasant enough.
Eating it with the cotton candy was awkward. It just dissolves instantly when it touches the ice cream, makes your fingers sticky. The popping pearls added a fun little burst, but the flavor didn’t add much. It felt more about the look and the texture mix than a cohesive flavor experience.
Finished it pretty quick. It’s soft serve, melts fast, especially with that Houston heat waiting outside.
Final Thoughts
So, Aqua S Houston. Was it worth it? Yeah, it was fine. It’s fun, it’s different, and you get a cool picture out of it if you’re into that. The sea salt soft serve is decent, maybe a bit of a gimmick flavor-wise but not bad. The toppings are mostly for show.
Would I rush back? Probably not immediately. It’s one of those places you try once for the experience, maybe take someone who hasn’t been. Glad I went, saw what the fuss was about. It delivered on the visuals, for sure. Taste-wise, it was alright. Just managing expectations, you know? It’s fancy soft serve, looks cool, tastes okay. That’s the deal.
