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The snowball is one of New Orleans’ greatest inventions, but it’s not widely known outside the city.  It’s similar to the snowcone, except the ice is very finely shaved (like snow), not chipped (like hail), and snowballs are offered in a wide array of flavors.  I’ve always graded snowballs on the quality of the ice, and the variety, taste, and quantity of the flavored syrup.  Since I’ve been back I’ve had snowballs from three local favorites.  Here they are in ascending order of greatest:

3. Hansen’s Snow-Bliz

Hansen’s has been open on Tchoupitoulas Street Uptown since the 50s, and Mr. Hansen claims to have invented the ice-shaving machine that is vital for making snowballs.  So I guess you could say they’re the inventors of the snowball as we know it today.  I got a $2.50-sized cup, half with cream ice cream, have with strawberry.  The ice here is said to be the finest shaved ice in the city, and I have to agree.  There were no chunks to speak of.  However, the syrup was poured with a very light hand.  There were even white spots where no syrup reached the ice.  That’s a somewhat demoralizing sight when you’re scooping at a snowball, and a big no-no in my book.  The inside of Hansen’s is also plastered over with signs saying they charge extra for half-and-half flavors, and for countless other things like “tart flavors.”  What??  What’s more, they only tell you they charge extra, they don’t tell you how much extra.  Aside from the superior ice, the syrup wasn’t transcendent, and while the people behind the counter were very nice, the signs were off-putting.  I give Hansen’s 2.5 out of a possible 5.

2. Sal’s:

Sal’s is a snowball stand on Metairie Road that’s a favorite of Old Metairie-ites.  There is no shop to go inside, you just stand by the window and order.  But the variety of syrups is large — larger than Hansen’s — and they don’t charge extra for half-and-half.  The syrups are tasty, though the flavors are not terribly imaginative, and they definitely give an adequate pour to coat the ice completely.  Just as there can be too little syrup, there can also be too much, and I think Sal’s has reached a good balance.  (Of course it all depends on what the 16-year-old who’s working there for the summer deems a well-balanced pour — though Sal’s seems to have achieved some consistency among its employees.  They must train them well.)  Where Sal’s is deficient is the ice, which I have found to contain large chunks on a couple visits.  I don’t know if this is because of the machine, the purity of the ice going into it, or the technique of the shaver, but it’s disappointing, and keeps Sal’s from achieving true snowball nirvana.  3.5 out of 5.

1. Plum Street:

My favorite, the one I grew up with, and still the best.  Has the largest variety of flavors, and these are ones you’re really intrigued by.  (I had blackberry last time.  Also saw a few melon flavors on the list.  Yum.)  Their ice is very fine, and probably competes with Hansen’s, though I’m sure Hansen’s is slightly finer.  But unlike Hansen’s, there’s no “you pay for the privilege of coming here” bullshit.  No extra charges for half-and-half or tart flavors, and the prices are extremely reasonable.  If there’s one knock on Plum Street, its that they sometimes over-saturate the ice.  Plum Street snowballs must be eaten with a straw to suck up the extra juice and the ice as it melts.  Some people, I’m sure, prefer their snowballs soupy, but I like to be able to eat mine with a spoon the whole way through.  That said, I believe Plum Street is still the best game in town.  4 out of 5.

What do you guys think?  I admit outside of these three, I have only ever been to Snow Wizard, but that was many years ago.  Are there any places I haven’t been that I really need to check out?  Am I completely wrong on my takes of these three?