Fast Food Watch: Get a Little Green With McDonald's Limited-Time Cilantro-Flavored Ice Cream

Vincent R. Vinci, Contributing Editor | Feb 22, 2022 11:21 am | Add a comment | 342 reads

Whoever’s in charge of marketing at McDonald’s China must be missing warmer weather, because their latest limited-time offerings seemingly want to warm you up or invoke springtime vibes.

Case in point – a new menu item that’s available this week only called the 香香香菜新地 Xiāng Xiāng Xiāngcài Xīndì, otherwise known as Fragrant Cilantro Ice Cream.

Cilantro – aka coriander – is one of those things in the food world that’s highly contentious. I personally enjoy the fresh flavor it lends to many dishes and sauces. Some, on the other hand, find it has an offputting soapy quality, and thus steer clear of it.

The thing is though, does it work with ice cream? Surprisingly yes.

We ordered this cilantro ice cream on Micky D’s WeChat mini-program, and it came delivered as most of their ice creams do – a simple cup in a tiny plastic baggy, no pomp and circumstance here.

It’s pretty much McDonald’s vanilla ice cream topped with a gooey-looking neon green syrup which is allegedly cilantro flavored but has more of a generic sweet flavor that’s hard to pinpoint. Atop this is finely minced – and I mean finely minced – fresh cilantro.

Upon first bite, the cilantro's freshness is all there. A bit odd at first, but it’s a flavor that grows, especially when further mixed with the ice cream and green syrup stuff.

If you’re really in for crazy flavor combos, try their Cumin Barbecue Chicken Wings dipped in the ice cream. It’s kind of like cumin chicken with yogurt, as the cilantro and cumin play together really well.