Tastee Zone

Snowball only review… l was in Baltimore trying to capture the same taste of snowballs we get when we visit Snow Cones To Go in Williamsburg, VA and l think, after searching high and low, this one is a winner. I got my usual, egg custard with cold duck snowball and it was great. The ice was fine and melted in your mouth with the snowball flavors full and not watered down. They have a repeat customer in me!

I never realized how great Tastee Zone was until I started trying other snowball stands. Chunks of grainy, flavorless ice and a lack of variety drove me back. Now I won’t get snowballs anywhere else!
You can get both snowballs and soft-​serve ice cream here, but the real genius is combining the two. The ice lightens the rich, creamy custard, and the ice cream keeps the snowball from getting so cold it numbs your tongue. Even their small size is filling and satisfying, and I’m never tired of trying new combinations (vanilla+amaretto and chocolate+blood orange are two of my favorites.) All of their staff members are friendly, efficient and helpful, a rarity for that age group.
As others have noted, there isn’t much room to sit, and the view is a decidedly un-​scenic parking lot. But we always get ours to go, anyway, as my parents live just a couple of blocks away and the neighborhood is awfully cute.
Bonus: they have a loyalty card, so after buying 10 snowballs you get one free! They are clearly not hurting for business, so I appreciate that they do this just for their customers.

I’m not a veteran eater of snowballs, but of the few I’ve had, this was by far the best. Snowballs are available in an insanely wide variety of flavors, from bubblegum to blood orange, and any flavors can be combined. Some of the syrup selections are really unusual, too. If for some reason you have a craving for a rootbeer/​guava snowball, the friendly staff would be happy to accommodate you. They also have a separate flavor list for kids which is based on popular characters… I think they are flavor blends that relate to the characters’ signature colors (like Superman = cherry + blue raspberry, etc.) I wouldn’t dare try something that was ‘Spongebob’ flavored, personally.
I thought the prices were reasonable, and my medium Tastee Top was a very generous portion with a perfect amount of syrup: Flavored all the way through but not too soupy. They also have quite good soft serve, as well as a variety of shakes, sundaes and variations on the same. I would recommend Tastee Zone for a summer evening treat, but beware that there did not seem to be a whole lot of seating or parking available.

Pros:
— Shaved ice (NOT crushed)
— Endless flavors/​combinations (Cherry Cola is the best)
— Excellent soft serve (vanilla, chocolate or swirl)
— Employees are Catonsville’s finest high school students
— «Tastee Top» — shaved ice + soft serve = heaven in a cup
Cons:
— Open seasonally
— One picnic table
— Parking can be annoying
Verdict:
If you like crushed ice, go to Opie’s. If you are fond of the far superior shaved ice, then you’ve come to the right spot. And if you are feeling adventurous, order a Tastee Top.