Second Helpings: Snow Business

"Second Helpings" offers readers tasty, bite-sized restaurant listings compiled from new and previous reviews, guides, and poll results. This week's entries were updated by Erin Mosow. For quick, reliable information about Austin eateries, check here.

Jim-Jim's Waterice

615 E. Sixth, 708-8285

Sunday-Tuesday noon-8pm;

Wednesday-Thursday noon-9pm;

Friday-Saturday noon-10pm

More sorbet than snow cone, the texture of a true water ice derives from the method of combining fruit juice flavors with ice and freezing the mixture to be scooped out later. The resulting ball of frozen refreshment melts pleasantly on the tongue without much crunch, but with the power to gently lower the temperature. Available in small, medium, large, and quarts to take home. Look for portable carts at Deep Eddy during the week and Garrison Pool on the weekends.

Casey's New Orleans Snowballs

808 E. 51st, at Airport Blvd.

No phone; hours vary

This Louisiana transplant operates out of a house/trailer, and there's always a line down the block when they're open. Their 36 custom fat-free exotic flavors are generously poured over seriously crunchy ice designed to cool off what ails you.

SnoBeach Hawaiian Shaved Ice

E. 381/2 & I-35, in the Fiesta Mart parking lot

Lamar and Butler, in Phillips 66 parking lot

No phone; Monday-Friday noon-9pm;

Saturday-Sunday 11am-9pm

Razor-sharp blades give the shaved ice cones here their delightfully smooth texture. With more than 50 flavors to choose from, you can go mainstream (Strawberry, Green Apple, Grape, Cherry), tropical (Mango, Kiwi, Cantaloupe, Tangerine), creamy (Vanilla Cream, Wedding Cake, Dreamsicle), or mix and match. Look for more of these convenient trailers in grocery store and shopping center parking lots all over town.

Jr's Neveria

1105 E. Sixth

No phone; hours vary

This brand-new little joint offers one-stop shopping. You can grab a refreshing raspa (snow cone) while shopping for phone cards or wiring money home to Mexico.

SnowFro

Guadalupe and 22nd

No phone; Monday-Friday 10am-6pm; weekend hours vary

It's more than a name: It's a way of life. Here you can catch some guys sporting real 'fros while serving you snow cones out on the Drag.

Snow Cones Shaved Ice

Hancock Center at 41st, in HEB parking lot

No phone; hours vary

This stand has been around for years offering snow cones to parched grocery shoppers and Aguirre's roasted corn "in a cup or on the cob" if you're hungry.

Barton Springs Shaved Ice

Barton Springs Rd. and Jessie, across from Romeo's in the Mr. Grocer's parking lot

No phone; daily noon-9pm

Aussie Shaved Ice

Manchaca Rd. and Ben White, in the Bingo parking lot

No phone; opens at noon

Tropical Sno Hawaiian Shaved Ice

Behind Dirty's on Guadalupe

No phone; daily noon-8pm

'Family Affairs'

The following Eastside neighborhood stands are charming little front-yard family affairs with no phones or regular hours. Just keep your eyes open on sweltering days.

Baety's Snocones; 2100 Holly

Snowcones; 11031é2 Tillery

Shelby's SnoCones; 1408 E. Second

Sno-Cones; 808 Turtle Creek Blvd.