Summer Crush

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Hang 10 brings Hawaiian shaved ice to Wasena.

My daughter and I are sitting at a bright blue picnic table, surrounded by families eating colorful, tropical frozen treats. We admire our own orders of shaved ice—watermelon, lychee and passion fruit for me, strawberry, lime and orange for her, plus pineapple Dole Whip soft serve, before digging into sweet refreshment.

We’re at Wasena Station just steps from the Greenway, yet we feel transported back to Hawaii, when shaved ice (or shave ice as it’s called there), was a daily ritual during our last family vacation to Oahu and the toughest decisions of the day were choosing which syrups and toppings to add. At Hang 10, which celebrates its grand opening today, we’ve found our new summer vacation crush.

A family vacation to Hawaii is what inspired John Antsey, who owns Hang 10’s building, to open a shaved ice shop back home in Roanoke. He pitched the idea to Teal and Jeff Batson, who also own Wildflower at Towers and On the Rise bakeries, and told them to “run with it.” The Batsons responded by doing their research to provide as authentic a shaved ice experience as possible. They imported a shaver from Hawaii to achieve the ice’s trademark paper-thin, almost ribbon-ed texture. To ensure that the machine produces clean tasting ice, the water first undergoes a reverse osmosis process.

Together, the pure water and feathery texture of the ice provide the foundation for the house-made syrups to shine. There are currently 42 different flavors available, including cherry, coconut, mango and peach, all sweetened with sugar cane, as well as a line of sugar-free syrups. Toppings include toasted coconut, Kona Krunch (buttered peanuts, chopped waffle cone and rainbow sprinkles), and a sweet cream or coconut cream cap.

Teal’s research also gave her the idea to offer Dole Whip, a fruity soft serve popularized by the Dole company. Hang 10 will offer gourmet vanilla bean soft serve and a roster of rotating flavors, including mango and pineapple, plus chocolate and cherry magic shell sauces for dipping and drizzling. Dole Whip not only makes a complementary offering, but a great pairing, too: diners can opt to hollow out the center of their shaved ice and fill it with Dole Whip and add toppings.

“The neat thing about shaved ice and Dole Whip is it’s a gluten and dairy-free option,” Teal says. “It can be struggle for families with kids who are dairy intolerant and can’t go to ice cream parlors like other kids.”

The menu allows plenty of room for creative riffing and customization, though there are two signature creations to consider as well: The Big Wave and The Taco. The Big Wave lives up to its namesake, a triple twist of gourmet vanilla bean soft serve and Dole Whip that’s drizzled with cherry magic shell sauce and topped with Kona Krunch. The taco features a classic waffle cone folded like a taco, filled with gourmet vanilla bean soft serve and Dole Whip, all drizzled with chocolate and cherry magic shell sauce and sprinkled with Kona Krunch.

“I’m hoping for a sense of community. I want people to enjoy themselves,” Teal says of her aspirations for Hang 10 Ice. “A place for families to congregate and have something unique. It’s part of the reason we decided to continue moving forward under the current situation—everyone needs a pick me up.”

Hang 10 celebrates its grand opening today, August 18 and will be open Tuesday to Sunday from 11am-9pm until the end of October (operating hours and closing dates subject to change).

About the Writer:

Layla’s food obsession started early; growing up in cities like Paris, Aberdeen and Jakarta, Layla counts escargots, Haggis and beef rendang among her first memorable meals. She’s always looking for the next exciting bite—and relishes uncovering the story behind it. Her work has appeared on Saveur, Food Network and Refinery29 and in The Chicago Tribune, Drinks International and Our State. Follow her on Instagram @theglassofrose or on Twitter @glassofrose.