If the cruel temptations of the Play-Doh Fun Factory taught the world anything, it's that mouthwatering creations are more gratifying when they're actually edible. Swoop scoop-first into a creamy treat with today's Groupon: for $5, you get $10 worth of rice pudding, crêpes, and more at Pudding on the Rice’s new downtown location on Park Avenue, near the PSU campus.

Pudding on the Rice is an unusual dessert shop that operates on the same principles as an ice-cream parlor—a glass-fronted case full of flavored treats and a friendly employee waiting to scoop them up for individual consumption. However, the devil is in the delicious details, and he knows how to whip up a mean batch of rice pudding. Opt to gobble a panel of kitschy-named sizes, from the bite ($2) and kilobite ($4) to the mega-, giga-, and terabite ($5–$10). The variegated flavor array also comes in a variety of punny monikers, such as Cinnamon Kane, which features plump golden raisins swimming in cinnamon cream, and Ziggy's Stardust, a trip to the outer stratosphere, where fresh oranges and vanilla are harvested by gender-ambiguous musicians and David Bowie. If you're craving a more traditional treat, Pudding also serves cups of tart frozen yogurt (same sizes and pricing as rice pudding) with your choice of toppings ($0.50 each) and makes both sweet and savory crêpes ($5–$6) fresh to order.

Trying to sing catchy Irving Berlin tunes with a mouthful of rice pudding can lead to both see-food incidents and Young Frankenstein reenactments. The shop's décor will accommodate your theatrical side with crisp white walls and streamlined lime-green and watermelon-pink furnishings that add an extra pop of character to the delightfully idiosyncratic sweets haven. So bring a friend, loved one, or Pied Piper–led pack of children and enjoy today's deal.

Reviews

A total of 34 Yelpers give Pudding on the Rice four stars; although their Yelp listing indicates that they're closed, Pudding has simply relocated to a new shop in downtown Portland:

• The cold pudding was excellent as well; thick, sweet and with plenty of rice. – ThomasE L.
• Super friendly staff. And I gotta give props to the pastel-minimalist-harajuku-esque décor. – kris h.
• The guy at the counter was really friendly and helpful, offering us samples of anything. – Windy S.