The basics: Featuring dozens of flavors, a finely shaved ice that holds generously ladled syrups without melting and add-ons such as cream and chocolate, this kiosk is a favorite in the Fort Union-Highland Drive area. Soccer teams, retired couples out for a walk and laughing teenagers line up for the hut's treats.

Snoasis' syrups seem magically to stay suspended in the ice, mostly avoiding the dreaded white-ice top and too-syrupy finish. There are typical flavors and more unusual offerings, and the hut's workers have a great knack for adding enough syrup for a rich, refreshing experience, but not so much that the ice is overpowered.

Tasty tidbit: Don't skip the rich squirt of smooth whipping cream or chocolate that can be added to any ice flavor for a quarter. Cream, in particular, gives the shave ice richness and depth, and enhances the flavors.

Ambience: None to speak of, though there are sometimes nice sunset views from the Dan's parking lot.

Other factors: Snoasis workers accept only cash. Prices are lower than most ice-cream parlors, and kids love choosing their own flavors (gruesome-sounding mixes such as tiger's blood, a mixture of strawberry and coconut, being particular favorites). Keep a tight rein on the kids; this is a parking lot, after all, and a busy driveway is nearby.

Maggie Moo's

Location: 10600 S. 80 East, Sandy (other locations in American Fork and Sugar House)

Prices: $3.79-$5.95

The basics: This national chain offers a unique experience to each guest, with award-winning vanilla, chocolate and strawberry ice cream flavors made on-site, along with many other flavors. Guests can choose from a menu of "fresh escapes" with set recipes for ice cream flavors and mix-ins, or order their own.

As with other stores of this type, each mix-in costs extra, and prices can mount up quickly in large groups. The ice cream is excellent: smooth, fine-grained and, at least on the hot night we visited, soft-textured rather than hard-frozen. This made the eating experience messy, especially for the kids.

Tasty tidbit: Don't miss the ice cream cupcakes, ready-made confections that look like Hostess cupcakes but are actually a small disc of chocolate cake covered with dark-chocolate ice cream, and topped with chocolate ganache and the requisite white frosting squiggle. They come in packs of four and six.

Ambience: Crowded and, weirdly, quite warm (this was a feature of other ice cream parlors we visited) in the small indoor eating area. Go for an outdoor table if they're available to escape the crush.