Tuesday, 25 June 2013

Bella Gelateria

The best gelato in the world? Possibly found right at home at Bella Gelateria. 

Black Sesame and To Die For Banana Bread Gelato ($6.43)
This is my third encounter with Bella Gelateria, and it definitely won't be my last! Especially since the summer season has just begun. After a very enjoyable experience at Mosaic Bar & Grille, we decided to find dessert elsewhere. My aunt is quite like me, loves to shop and eat sweets. Bella Gelateria was not only close by, but also an ideal place to bring my visiting aunt. We arrived at around 8pm and there was only a short line up that led out the door (don't worry, the door is very close to the counter). We also snagged a table as soon as we saw one. There isn't a lot of seating indoors, but in the summer, many people take their ice cream outside where there are quite a few benches on the sidewalk. You can do some people watching as you enjoy eating this creamy deliciousness.


Since my first time trying their black sesame flavour, I raved about it to my dad (who loves black sesame) and promised to bring him here one day. He agreed it was delicious, "It tastes like frozen 芝麻糊!" And the next thing you know, he says "I'm done, you can eat the rest!"

Uhh...thanks dad? Clearly that was his favourite.

I couldn't resist giving the Banana Bread flavour a try. It's kind of a passing trend, but Erin Ireland's To Die For Banana Bread has been incorporated into many products are various establishments, and this is one of them. But lemme tell you, it tastes exactly like banana bread. There are chunks of bread throughout the gelato, makes eating it more exciting. The only small downside that it's a bit on the sweeter side. I can handle it but maybe those that don't usually like desserts should choose a less sugary flavour.

Chocolate Brownie with cone ($6.43)
My aunt tried a few flavours before settling for this one. Their chocolate based gelatos are written on a separate side of the menu; they must be very special. I got to taste some of hers and it is truly delicious. The gelato is not too sweet, a tad bitter perhaps due to the dark chocolate or cocoa used. There are also chunks of brownie in this flavour too, it makes it just that much more indulgent. The girl that scooped this cone didn't put much effort into it, so the look isn't that neat. But I saw other people's cones and theirs were almost perfectly round and smooth! However, its the taste that is most important to me. 

Other flavours I've tried (or tasted) are Earl Grey and Coconut. I also recommend the Earl Grey flavour, it's not too sweet but the tea flavour is creamy and deep. There are few tea leaves throughout the ice cream too, if that doesn't bother you too much. I didn't think the Coconut flavour was rich or strong enough. Coconut Bliss does a much better job. If you're a coconut fanatic like me, try Coconut Bliss' Naked Coconut, it's heaven in a tub. 

The portions here are not massive, yet not miniscule either. I guess they help you with portion control, haha! When I choose my two flavours for the cup, they actually weigh the amount. But not the cones because well, they can't really do that. It's pricey ice cream, but I'm okay with that knowing that they use real ingredients from the best sources and make it fresh. Unlike those Beyer's frozen desserts you find at the supermarket... that's plastic you're eating.

To Die For Lemon Loaf sample
An extra tidbit that made my experience here even better was the free sampling of the To Die For Lemon Loaf. Since discovering this newly released product, I had been meaning to buy a slice to try. My lack of patience led me to create my own and compare it to the actual version later. Not to boast or put other people down, but I think my own creation was more 'to die for' than Erin's version. Maybe commercializing the product decreased the quality. This sample was too wet, yet fell apart very easily. The lemon flavour was almost bitter and there was no coconut flavour. The only part I thought was interesting was the crunch from the millet (which I didn't put in my own version, but my over-addition of poppy seeds made up for it). 

Anyways, how did I get a sample? I had asked the employee at the cashier if they were selling any and she said she'd help me check. A few minutes after my family had already started devouring our ice cream, she came over and handed me a little paper bag with two small slices of the lemon loaf, for free! It came as a surprise for me since I assumed they didn't have any that day as I didn't make a purchase with my gelato. This thoughtful little act of customer service lightened my day gives me another reason to make visits in the future.

Bella Gelateria Handcrafted Gelato on Urbanspoon



Love from Coconut Crumpet's Corner ♡

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