A Review of Mam House of Ice in Houston, TX

Mam's House of Ice in the Houston Heights neighborhood of Houston, TX continually has long lines for one reason: it's fantastic! Mam's House of Ice sells snoballs which is really like an Italian water ice - the kind I grew up with at the Jersey shore; and like the Jersey shore water ice stands, Mam's Ice House is always crowded.

The variety of flavors is enough to make customers return daily for the remainder of the summer so be prepared to be overwhelmed by choices like root beer, pink bubble gum, honeydew melon, pink lemonade, blueberry and more. And it's OK if you can't choose just one flavor because they'll let you mix flavors - regardless of which size you choose. A medium is the perfect size for anyone looking to wet their palette and cool off during the hot, humid days of summer.

And Mam's House of Ice doesn't just cater to humans, they even sell a special snoball for dogs which is flavored with chicken broth - how clever is that?

We went to Mam's House of Ice on a Saturday afternoon and the lines were long - both the line to order and the line to pick-up. But the lines didn't deter anyone; instead it was a bonding session amongst people who have one thing in common: they love Mam's snoballs.

We chatted with other people while waiting, and our dog, Euri, even got some attention too. After we placed our order, we sat in the grass and relaxed while they made our snoballs. There are two wooden picnic tables but they go quickly so be prepared to sit or stand after you place your order...or you can sit in your car with the air conditioner running. There are parking spots on Rutland (on the corner of 20^th Street) near Mam's House of Ice but there aren't many. Fortunately customers can park on 19^th Street or even walk to Mam's House of Ice if they live locally.

I ordered a medium with pink lemonade, honeydew melon and sour green apple. The green apple was strong and a bit overwhelming for the other flavors but I loved my snoball nonetheless. My husband had blueberry with condensed milk - kind of like berries and cream - and he thought it was the cat's meow. It reminded him of the ices he used to get as a kid, and anything that can bring you back to your fun childhood years is a plus in my book - especially when it comes to food.

We weren't sure how Euri would react to his snoball since he's not a fan of ice cubes but he devoured his chicken stock snoball in minutes and best of all, it actually cooled him down.

Mam's House of Ice is not expensive either so bring $10 for the entire family and you'll be set. They only accept cash so leave your credit cards at home. Even if you don't live in the Houston Heights, Mam's House of Ice is worth the trip to the loop. If you're a northeast transplant, you'll love Mam's House of Ice.

Mam's House of Ice is located on the corner of 20^th and Rutland in Houston, TX, 77008. Visit their web site to view their daily flavors: http://www.mamshouseofice.com.