Courtesy of Sul & Beans

Sul & Beans on Main Street, Cupertino.

As habitual boba drinkers, we decided to try a new kind of treat. After some Google Maps stalking, we landed on Sul & Beans, a bingsoo (Korean shaved ice) place on Main Street, Cupertino. 

The shop offers over 10 different bingsoo flavors, ranging from fresh fruit flavors like mango, watermelon and grape to other flavors like coffee and Oreo. In addition to bingsoo, the shop offers various flavors of toast, classic coffees and teas.

The shop itself was clean and aesthetically pleasing, with beige-colored furniture and pretty lighting. A display case with all the bingsoo flavors at the cash register immediately drew us in while we waited in line. The layout of the shop was also organized; there was a large potted plant centered in the middle, surrounded by a circle of tables. Round decorative circle lights hung from the ceiling, with the light-wood theme bringing the entire store together. 

As the thorough reporters we are, we made two trips to Sul & Beans to fully investigate its offerings. During the first trip on April 6, we ordered two fruit-based flavors: strawberry and strawberry cheese (yes, we know they’re very similar). We visited around 9 p.m., and needless to say, it was extremely crowded and we could barely find a place to sit. We were given a restaurant pager and our order took over 20 minutes.

On the second trip, which was a couple weeks later on April 20 around 1 p.m., the environment was completely different. There was only one other family there, so it almost felt like we had the entire shop to ourselves. In addition, our food only took a few minutes to come. We decided to try a non-fruit flavor this time, settling on taro after hearing positive feedback from another customer in line from our first trip.

Each order came on a wooden tray with a small cup of condensed milk and a couple metal spoons. Before eating, we poured the condensed milk over the bingsoo, flavoring the shaved ice with a sweet and milky taste.

In total, we tried three flavors: strawberry ($13.95), strawberry cheese ($14.95) and taro ($13.95). Here are our ratings:

Strawberry:

We were feeling very thirsty, and we thought some fresh fruit could quench our thirst, so we decided to try the classic strawberry bingsoo. However, after waiting over 20 minutes, our cravings had already subsided. 

The bingsoo had an impressive presentation, a mound shape with a neat arrangement of strawberry slices covering the entire top. In the middle were four 0.75-inch mochi cubes grouped together. When we took our first bite, we immediately thought, “Is this even flavored?” 

The strawberries and the strawberry syrup were very good, but there was too little of it compared to the large mound of shaved ice. As a result, the bingsoo was a bit flavorless and we had to ask for a refill of condensed milk to intensify the flavor. The mochis were pretty dense and chewy compared to regular mochi, which actually made them more satisfying since there were only four. The flavor itself was milky and also a little salty — a good balance. It was still a good meal, but if you want something somewhat flavorful, just eat strawberries.

Rating: 4/5 Falcons

Strawberry Cheese:

The name sounded intriguing and also a bit odd, but despite this we still decided to give it a try. When the food came, we were relieved to see that the “cheese” was cheesecake — strawberry cheesecake. The bingsoo was mostly the same as the strawberry, which we expected, with a few key differences being the squares of cheesecake scattered on top in place of the mochi. 

The strawberry slices were also arranged in a more random manner, with most of them sticking out of the shaved ice in comparison to the flat, orderly arrangement in the strawberry bingsoo. We were also pretty satisfied with the flavor. The strawberries were fresh and flavorful, similar to the strawberry bingsoo but paired with the additional cheesecake bites. We found the flavors complementing and didn’t need to ask for additional condensed milk. 

Rating: 4.25/5 Falcons

Taro: 

We returned last weekend looking to try a more usual flavor out of their wide selection, eventually landing on taro. After ordering, the bingsoo was ready before we even had a chance to sit down. It had a layer of purple powder covering the top, along with a large dollop of red beans and four mochis on top. 

Lining the perimeter was a sprinkle of cornflakes, adding a nice crunchy texture to the bingsoo. We took our first bites without adding any condensed milk, just absorbing the flavor of the shaved ice and purple powder, which had a subtle sweet taro flavor. Digging in, the taro bingsoo was the most flavorful out of the three. Although we were unsure if the taro taste was accurate, the flavor was good nonetheless. 

Rating: 4.5/5 Falcons

We found the environment of Sul & Beans was great for destressing, whether we went late at night when the spot was full of bustling families and friends looking for a late-night snack, or earlier in the day, enjoying a dessert in the peace and quiet.

After visiting twice and trying three flavors, our least-to-most favorites were strawberry, strawberry cheese and finally taro, although we would recommend them all. We will be returning to try more of their bingsoos — we would love to try the mango and earl grey flavors next. All in all, this is a great spot to hang out with your friends while satisfying your bingsoo cravings.