100 Favorite Dishes 2015: Pineapple Li Hing Mui Ice Candy at Super Chunk Sweets and Treats

This year we're marking the hundred-day countdown to Best of Phoenix 2015 by sharing some of our favorite dishes at restaurants all over the Valley. Have a suggestion for a dish you'd like us to try? Leave it in the comments section or email [email protected].

25. Pineapple Li Hing Mui Ice Candy at Super Chunk Sweets and Treats

Standard popsicles have got nothing on the ice candy at Super Chunk Sweets and Treats in Scottsdale. This adorable little sweet shop makes these treats every summer, and they're one of my favorite desserts at any time of year. The ice candy flavor lineup includes creations such as Strawberry Pink Peppercorn, Mango Sticky Rice, and Blueberry Yogurt, but my favorite is the Pineapple Li Hing Mui.

If you've never had li hing mui powder before the flavor can be somewhat alarming. It's made by pickling plums in licorice and salt and then grinding them into a fine powder. (You can also suck on the preserved plums whole; they're mouth-puckeringly sour — imagine Sour Patch Kids candy but without the punch of sugar at the end.) In Hawaii, you can buy li hing powder at the grocery store and put it on whatever you want, though most often it's used on fresh fruit. 

Super Chunk owners Country and Sergio Velador play off the tropical flavor combination of fresh pineapple and li hing powder by turning the two ingredients into ice candy, a Filipino dessert. The frozen treats are similar to a popsicle but less icy and made with real frozen fruit. The pieces of fresh pineapple give ice candy a sweetness that's never overpowering and the li hing powder provides a nice kick at the end of every bite. Best of all, with ice candy you don't have to mess with a popsicle stick, since these treats are poured into plastic tubes for easier on-the-go eating. 

The 100 Favorite Dishes so far...
100. Waffle at Matt's Big Breakfast 
99. Pacific White Fish Taco at La Santisima 
98. Beef Roll at Taiwan Food Express
97. Zinc Burger at Zinc Bistro
96. Goat Biryani at Khyber Halal 
95. Key Lime Doughnut at Welcome Chicken + Donuts
94. Chicharrón Prensado Quesadilla at La Merced
93. Moist Succulent Pork Chop at Mrs. White's Golden Rule Cafe
92. Deep Fried Squid with Salt and Pepper from Nee House Chinese Cuisine
91. Coconut Raspberry Brownie at Karl's Quality Bakery
90. Fried Chicken at Phoenix Public Market Cafe
89. The Tyler at Cheese 'N Stuff
88. Hurricane Popcorn at Bitter & Twisted Cocktail Parlour
87. Ceviche at El Chullo
86. Date Shake at Couscous Express
85. Red Bean and Rice Burger at Liberty Market
84. Banh Thit Nguoi at Da Vang
83. Breakfast Sandwich at Ollie Vaughn's
82. Crispy Pig Ears at Crudo 
81. Parillada at Asadero Norte De Sonora 
80. Warm Jar of King Crab and Butter at Little Cleo's Seafood Legend
79. Pumpkin Spice Macaron at Essence Bakery
78. Falafel Sandwich at Al Hana Restaurant
77. Sheng Jian Bao at DingHao Shanghai
76. Baked Vegetable Pesto at Oven + Vine
75. Pollo Guisado at FrinGo's Kitchen
74. Aloo Paratha at Tahoora Grill 
73. Exotic Mushroom Pan Fry at Cowboy Ciao
72. Otro Cortado Salad at Otro Cafe
71. The Standard with Cheese at The Stand 
70. Kimchee Bokum Bap at Hodori 
69. The 301 Pizza at Forno 301
68. Green Chile Burrito at Rito's Mexican Food 
67. Aloo Tikki Chaat at Little India
66. Oysters Rockefeller at The Salt Cellar Restaurant
65. Bún Thit Nuong at Hue Gourmet
64. Pistachio Chicken Liver Pate at The Gladly
63. Fried Green Tomato Sandwich at Welcome Diner
62. Crawfish at Angry Crab Shack
61. The Lady at Short Leash Hot Dogs
60. Torta Ahogada at Tortas Paquime
59. Baiynchaiv Crepes at Reathrey Sekong
58. The Straw at Miracle Mile Deli
57. Fresh Shattered Potato Chips at Ingo's Tasty Food
56. Southern Fried Chicken at Bobby-Q
55. Buffala Verace at Pomo Pizzeria Napoletana 
54. Baklava at Middle Eastern Bakery and Deli
53. Tri-Tip Sandwich at Grassroots Kitchen at Tap 
52. Fig, Cheese, and Caramel Empanada at Republica Empanada
51. Cauliflower Pizza at Forge Wood-Fired Pizza
50. Bandeja Paisa at La Tiendita Cafe
49. Footlong at Ted's Hot Dogs
48. Chettinad Dosai at Woodlands Vegetarian South Indian Kitchen
47. Sticky Buns at El Chorro 
46. Wood Grilled Artichoke at Central Bistro
45. Salt and Pepper Chicken Wings at New Hong Kong Restaurant
44. Carne Adovada Enchiladas at Los Dos Molinos
43. Mac n' Cheese at Lux Central 
42. Carolina Dog at Joe's Farm Grill
41. Whole Chicken at El Pollo Supremo
40. Fried Saimin at Aloha Kitchen
39. Hummus at Princess Market 
38. Xiaolongbao at Chou's Kitchen
37. No. 6 Crepe at Jobot
36. Lo-Lo's Special at Lo-Lo's Chicken and Waffles
35. Banana Cream Pie Trifle at The Parlor Pizzeria
34. Bean & Cheese Burrito at America's Taco Shop
33. Butterfish Tatki at Roka Akor
32. Pan Seared Scottish Salmon at Bootleggers Modern American Smokehouse
31. Peking Duck at Hong Kong Asian Diner
30. Vic's Meatloaf and Eggs at Dick's Hideaway
29. Arizona Super Taco at LuLu's Taco Shop
28. Zucca Chips at North Italia
27. Haemul Soon Du Bu at Café Ga Hyang
26. Salmon "Yasu Style" at Yasu Sushi Bistro