New Ice Cream Places
Chicho Gelato
No one could accuse the couple behind Chicho of being unimaginative. Schooled in the art of traditional gelato making at a Bologna university; hipster ingenuity via Portland and New York food vans; and explosive Latin flavours by way of South American travels, Chez and Carly De Bartolo know a thing or two about making exotic gelato. A few of our favourites include rockmelon and prosciutto, peanut butter and jelly, and lemon and basil.
TASTE TEST Their chocolate gelato was smoother than Don Draper, and the salted caramel sauce and crunchy peanuts drizzled on top were insanely delicious. Plus, we've got to give them bonus points for combining three of our all-time fave flavours in one. Afterwards, I tried the lemon and basil sorbet, which turned out to be the perfect palate cleanser – tangy and tart with just a subtle hint of the herb for extra freshness.
WHERE Twilight Hawkers Market, Maylands Hawker Markets, Perth Upmarket
Whisk Creamery
Two young Italian lads would be making their nonnas proud with this old-fashioned gelataria, which serves gelato hand-crafted fresh from WA milk and cream. Don't be fooled by the soft-serve machines: this is made the authentic way, with traditional flavours and toppings to match. If you're after gimmicky frills like Gummi Bears or Froot Loops, go elsewhere.
TASTE TESTI tried the panna cotta strewn with coconut flakes and strawberries – it was super creamy with a subtle hint of tartness, and a hell of a lot tastier than most actual panna cottas I've had lately. Meanwhile, my friend was in raptures over her scoop of coffee: she claimed tasted just as it does in Italy (and with a Florentine husband, she'd know).
WHERE 151 Rokeby Road, Subiaco
Editor's Pick - Gusto Gelato
Gusto Gelato
Another graduate of the Bologna gelato-making university (whodathunk?), owner Sean Lee likes his gelato authentic. Like, really authentic. A scoop of
apple pie doesn't just have a hint of flavouring; it has a real pie, baked fresh on premises and folded into it. The strawberry flavour is so bursting with the fruit you can taste the grit. "When you try our gelato, there's no ambiguity about what's in it," says Sean. "You get a real punch of flavour, as flavours should be." And trust us, once you've had a try, the fake stuff just won't cut it.
TASTE TEST I can always judge the deliciousness of food by how much I resemble a happy toddler when eating it. After a visit to Gusto, I was making more noise than an entire preschool. Though I tend to think salted caramel is overdone now, a taste of Gusto's swiftly changed my mind – it was super salty and sweet at the same time, and almost startlingly good. The Zabaione – traditional Italian custard made with Marsala wine – was luxuriously silky with a delicate taste.
WHERE 741 Newcastle Street, Leederville
Marie Antoinette Café Glacier
This Napoleon Street ice-creamery is owned by a sweet French couple, who imbue their treats with 'extra pretty' in the way only Frenchies can. After making their ice-cream from scratch with locally sourced milk, eggs and fresh fruit, they use a paddle to fashion each scoop into a dainty rose – yet not all smell as sweet as each other. The rotating flavours range from the traditional (French vanilla; praline) to the gourmet (pistachio; liquorice) to the downright bizarre, and decidedly un-Gallic (Vegemite).
TASTE TEST After breathing a sigh of relief Vegemite wasn't on the menu that day, I settled on a combination of green apple and caramel, hoping for a sort of toffee-apple medley. It didn't disappoint. The green apple was sugary, tart and a bit fibrous, but in a good way – just like the actual fruit – and the caramel tasted exactly like homemade buttery caramel. Y-u-m.
WHERE 38 Napoleon Street, Cottesloe
York Ice-Cream Company
The little tubs call this 'the best tasting ice-cream in the world'. We initially snickered at the boldness of the claim, but after digging in we weren't laughing: our mouths were too busy devouring the stuff. Their ice-cream is made with a traditional French recipe and prepared in a truly artisanal way with fresh local ingredients. Trust us, you can taste the difference.
TASTE TEST I tried a few flavours (shout-outs to salted caramel and macadamia), but my favourite was the mango. Made with tree-ripened Kensington Pride mangoes from Carnarvon, the flavour was pure and sweet, but not overpoweringly so. It tasted just like a perfect mango – but better.
WHERE Stocked at The Grocer, 26 Brown Street, Claremont