Gelatorino: redefining happiness in a cup

“I feel like having ice-cream, I have not had a proper one in ages! I’m always stealing it from your tub.”

It started drizzling and with the soft pitter patter and the help of google maps we found ourselves at Gelatorino. Upon first look, one might pass off Gelatorino as just another gelato place but just like how easy it is to judge a place by it’s first look,Gelatorino turned out to be the best gelato place ever.

Unlike typical gelato places that line up their gelato in an enticing display….

The gelato at Gelatorino are kept in pozzettis, refrigerated wells. These wells help to maintain the temperature, structure and freshness of the ice-cream.

The lady scooper was really friendly and kindly offered us to try their flavours. With absolutely zero expectations… the first mouthful swept us away, we were madly in love with the amazing velevty consistency of the gelato and the evident taste of the quality ingredients used. There are countless of flavours to choose from: nougat, almond, chocolate hazel nut, vanilla… to fruitier sorbets.

You can enjoy your gelato on a cone, in a cup or on a spectacular crepe.

Priced reasonably at 3 pounds for two flavours in a small cup, the size of the small cup may fool you into thinking about the portion you’ll be getting. However a generous portion of gelato is laden in and watching the thick gooey goodness take form in your cup makes it hard for one not to smile.

I had  2 flavours: cinnamon orange and pistachio,while my friend indulged in 4! He had chocolate hazelnut, pistachio, nougat, and choco chips.

Honestly speaking this is by far the best gelato I’ve ever had in my life. Even after comparing it to the ones I’ve had in Italy, this is the best ice-cream we’ve had.

The texture of gelato is usually seen and not tasted, well…the gelatos here are an exception. Here you taste it’s perfectly smooth and creamy texture yet at the same time there is a lightness to it that makes it a digestible  treat. Every mouthful was a moment of pure pleasure. I’ve attempted to capture it on camera, but no photo will do it justice. You must experience the flavours and texture of it yourself!

Our favourite flavour- hands down: Pistachio. It was glorious… I for one am not a fan of nuts. However this pistachio gelato was that good and that amazing for me to have a huge portion of it, praising it with wonderful things with each mouthful. 

Gelatorino promises the use of top quality ingredients, no use of preservatives, colouring or artificial thickeners. Unlike places which makes you doubt self declared statements like these, the gelato here left us with no queries, and we became instant fans. They promise real italian gelato, and guarantee  a gastromic gelato experience. Their food philosophy and the taste of their food are in perfect harmony.

Their gelato takes after traditional gelato making techniques based upon Torino (gelato capitial in Italy), from conserving to mantecazione(the removal of ice crystals, and gradual texturing). Award winning Maestro: Alberto Marchetti is their consultant chef.

If you ever find yourself in London, please do make a trip down to Gelatorino. I assure you that this will not disappoint, it will lift your spirits up and put a huge smile on your face. As I told my friend: ” Now I understand how that man could have such a huge cone of pistachio ice-cream, honestly if you are having a bad day this will seriously cheer you up!”

On my way out I saw this, a trip advisor award for the Gelatorino,  it is very deserving of them (:

Gelatorino also offers a selection of drinks. The americano my friend had was supposedly amazing, but I am not one to judge as I do not drink coffee. At the back of the shop is a corner with an exclusive range of italian biscuits. If you are unsure of how the biscuits taste they have individually priced biscuits in little glass jars at the gelato bar.

We love how we discovered this place by sheer chance. What a gem this place turned out to be!  Suprising finds like this one are simply amazing.

Love,

Natalie

Gelatorino
Covent Garden
2 Russell Street, London 
phone +44 207 240 0746

http://www.gelatorino.com/

Opens daily

 Monday- Wednesday: 12.00 am to 8.00 pm
Thursday: 12.00 am to 9.00 pm
Friday: 11.00 am to 10.00 pm
Saturday: 10.00 am to 11.00 pm
Sunday: 11.00 am to 8.00 pm

Paris: L’Epsilon

Imagine this: It is your last night in Paris. It is 8pm and you have a train to catch at 10pm. Having yet to try typically French dishes like Confit de canard  and Creme brulee; and without the slightest clue on places that serve them well, the situation is desperate. We chanced upon L’ Epsilon, a seemingly small cafe from the exterior but in actual fact a rather popular restaurant amongst the locals.

A cosy interior docked in vintage green with a rather homely air

We chose two set menus, which offered us a wide variety of choices. Our waitress for the night was wonderful as she carefully explained and helped us with our entree, mains and dessert.

*P.S Pardon me I am unable to recall and I couldn’t source out the exact name of each dish therefore a personal description of each dish will be used instead.*

Appetizer I: Salmon and avacado terrine on filo pastry and a cream cheese topping.

Forking a generous portion of  terrine, one enjoys  a refreshing and delicious blend of flavours. The creamy texture of the avocado and it’s smooth buttery taste goes hand in hand with the saltiness of the smoked salmon. The base of the terrine is a light filo pastry which complements the flavours of each component.

Our second appetiser: Sun-dried tomato, goats cheese and rocket on rye bread This simple combination of goats cheese, sun-dried tomato and rocket was truly enjoyable. It comes off as a surprise as I am notone who usually appreciates cheese (I know, I’m missing out!). The tomatoes soaked in olive oil gave fragrance to the rustic rye bread; both bread, tomato and rocket counter balances the acidic and tart flavour of the goats cheese.

Main course I: Duck confit on a bed of sauteed patatoes. /Confit de canard

Owing to its flavour and tenderness to the technique it has been cooked with, the poaching of the leg of the duck in it’s own fat together with the use of seasonings such as thyme, salt and garlic made this dish a winner.

Main course II: Oven baked sea bass with  raspberry sauce, basmati rice and a side salad.

I enjoyed the lightness of the dish in contrast to the greasier and heartier confit. The fish was fresh and the berry sauce went surprisingly well with it. Although this was a dish well-done it may not be an ideal choice of order  if you are looking for something more symbolically French with a more wholesome flavour.

Dessert I:
Chocolate mousse sandwiched between two puff pastry.

You might be thinking, oh hey… it’s just one of those chocolate filled pastry things again. In some sense you are right
but the uniqueness of it lies in the taste of  the mousse. Unlike normal mousse which is rather airy and light, this mousse is
creamy with a nuttier sensation and a flavour reminiscent of nutella. Personally though, I found this dessert overwhelmingly
sweet.

Dessert II: Creme Brulee

A light vanilla custard with a caramelized sugar coating. Creme brulee have been largely associated with flan(another custard dish), however what draws them apart is the use of cream instead of milk in the custard. Thereby a smooth and silky texture is acheived while the slightly burnt sugar coating gives it a subtle crunch.

  L’Epsilon is a  casual dining  restaurant that is worth stopping by if you find yourself near Place I’talia or Les Gobelins. With a normal a la carte menu and a satisfying set menu priced fairly at 17 euros, a truly affordable and enjoyable meal in Paris awaits.

L’Epsilon

66 Avenue des Gobelins Paris
+33 1 43 31 69 36

Bon Appetit! ~

Natalie