The days of shaved ice being just a simple snack are over. Now, shaved ice is evolving into a "specialty sweet" that shows ingenuity in both the ice itself and the syrup. We're currently introducing a lineup of 11 shaved ice options from luxury hotels in Tokyo, but this time we'll be introducing some very innovative menu items.

The restaurant and bar "The Dining Room" at the Strings Hotel Tokyo InterContinental in Shinagawa, Tokyo, offers two options called "Patissier's Special Shaved Ice" and "Adult Shaved Ice."

While the name is evocative, the "Patissier's Special Shaved Ice" is an afternoon tea set that includes a selected type of shaved ice, small sweets, a drink, and more. In addition to four flavors—"Berry" with raspberry and rose syrup, "Peach" with all-peaches, "Tropical" with pineapple and coconut sorbet and Okinawan fruits, and "Matcha" with five-colored bean kanoko and salt-soaked kanoko—the highlight is the "Caviar Shaved Ice"! Oscietra caviar shaved ice is topped with subtly sweetened coffee and chocolate sorbet, figs, and walnuts, and drizzled with hazelnut and balsamic vinegar syrup. Enjoy it as an appetizer, this innovative dish is sure to be a top-ranking choice. For adults, we also offer a special treat: pouring champagne over the ice to change the flavor.

After 5 p.m., we offer "Adult Shaved Ice." Enjoy cocktails over three flavors: the "Mega Fruit Martini," a lemonade shaved ice garnished with fresh fruit; the "Gazpacho-style Bloody Mary," and the "Beer Gaff," a pineapple, lemon, and white wine shaved ice. This is another new idea that will surely add a touch of glamour to any summer evening.