Dining Review – Gelato Messina Gelateria Melbourne

I think it’s fair to say Melbourne’s excitement for gelato has just increased at least 3 fold. I feel I can justify this because as a city we’ve recently been introduced to nitrogen gelato, we hosted the Gelato World Tour last month and this past week we finally reached the anticipated opening of Sydney gelateria, Gelato Messina which opened its doors on Thursday, 14th November.

The shop façade on Smith Street, Collingwood features a very modern, sleek and minimalistic design, with dark tinted windows and its name gilded in thin gold lines above the door, it would be easy to not notice this place if there weren’t such a long line of people stretching out from its front doors. I visited on Friday night, the day after it opened and the line wrapped down the outside of the store to the next door front, so were quick to snap up a spot in line before actually deliberating whether or not we were willing to wait in such a long line. However, it didn’t take long for us to notice the helpful implementation of crowd control that Gelato Messina had in place. That’s right, this gelato bar needed crowd control. Gelato Messina would be no stranger to long lines and eager crowds, I have heard that the enthusiastic masses that flock to their Sydney stores can almost be compared to the level of hysteria that would normally be saved for tween girls at a One Direction concert. However, their highly organised method of handling the line was great. There was one gentlemen who had the task of who working his way down the line, handing out menus and pointing out the flavour ‘specials’ of the day as well as guide the flow of traffic into the store at a reasonable time.

Gelato Messina Store Exterior

Gelato Messina Store Exterior

I applaud Gelato Messina for their well organised crowd control outside their store, but once I made it to the front of the line (I am going to say it took about 10 minutes maximum) I was shocked at how quickly the atmosphere turned to a manic free-for-all where waiting to be served became an entirely different story. I was directly in front of the window encasing the high pillowed mountains of gelato where behind it stood a dozen employees in cute Breton striped tops. I was patiently waiting to be served but ended up being numerously ignored as ice-cream servers gravitated towards the most pushy, forceful, demanding customers first, despite order of arrival or length of time spent patiently waiting. So, after my experience, take this lesson from me; once it’s your turn to order, speak up, smile and be quick to lock eyes with the next available server to rein in their attention like a lasso wielding cowboy before you get trampled on or pushed back by overly brazen folk.

Gelato Messina Interior

Gelato Messina Interior

You are certainly spoiled for choice when it comes to flavours at Gelato Messina which gets another favourable tick for the number of variety and level of creativity when it comes to their flavour assortment. A full listing on the regular flavours on offer can be viewed online, as well as their top 10 flavour combinations. They also Gelato Messina won first prize in the Gelato World Tour with their ‘Cremino’ flavour – salted caramel gelato with Italian meringue, gianduia fudge, fresh meringue and crushed amaretti biscuits. Once I spotted this the Specials menu, I was sold. I also tried the ‘Pannacotta with Fig Jam and Amaretti Biscuit’ and what I learnt to be another extremely popular flavour, their ‘Gianduia Bianca’ – white chocolate & hazelnut gelato with hazelnut praline, pictured below.

3 scoop gelato cup at Gelato Messina

3 scoop gelato cup at Gelato Messina

Gelato Messina were thoughtful in their approach to cater to a variety of customers and specific dietary requirements. The menu’s helpful addition of the allergy checklist ensures to state which flavours contains nuts, gluten, egg, or alcohol and in addition to their indulgent ice cream selections, the menu also feature a large selection of refreshing, dairy free sorbets. They are not shy to promote their use of high-quality, fresh ingredients and this was further promoted though the design of a glass window through to their kitchen where you can watch the gelato masters churn their confectionary creations. Also look out for their cabinet of gelato cakes. I did not get to try one but they look incredible! You can see their full range of cakes online.

Gelato Messina Cake Cabinet

Gelato Messina Cake Cabinet

I found the prices were reasonable, but for the length of effort it took to order my gelato I was not settling for one measly scoop or limiting myself to sampling only one flavour (by that I also mean I apologise I do not remember the price of 1 scoop!) but at $6 for 2 scoops and only one cheeky dollar extra at $7 for 3 scoops, you can easily be persuaded for going all out and you won’t regret it later. What really makes the gelato so special is not only the unique and hyperventilating level of exciting flavour combinations. Although the flavours sound decadent and rich to the possible point of being overpowering, the gelato has such a surprisingly delicate texture and incredibly soft, smooth, buttery consistency, juxtaposed to the luscious explosion of taste bud frenzy it produces. They could have been a little more generous with their servings and the ultra-soft consistency caused it to melt in rapid time, resulting in all the gelato combining into one soupy flavour surprise. That being said, it was one amazing treat, Gelato Messina really does serve a superior level of quality gelato and I dare say that if you decide to make the trip here, I can guarantee you will not be disappointed.

Gelato Messina 

237 Smith Street, Fitzroy.

Sunday to Thursday 12pm-11pm
Friday to Saturday 12pm-11.30pm

Gelato Messina Fitzroy on Urbanspoon

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The Lab Nitrogen Gelato – Dining Review

Walking down Bourke Street in Melbourne’s CBD I had to do a double take when I walked by a store that claimed to serve nitrogen gelato that didn’t appear to be N2. I was surprised to see the presence of nitrogen gelato spots in Melbourne suddenly double before my eyes!

On the surface, The Lab looked to me like a hastily put together rip-off of N2, trying to get in on the sudden trendiness of nitrogen gelato. The Lab featured the same concept as N2, the same science lab set up, staff wearing white lab coats and protective eye wear, and a display of empty glass beakers. The Lab featured the same black walls and uninviting, slightly awkward seating area (though in defence of The Lab, at least they actually had tables and chairs, albeit a limited number of them and there was no AstroTurf in sight.) They were also a little more technologically adoptive with their menu displayed on screens above the counter, but the menu phrasing ’1 scoop = $6, 1 serve = yumminess’ sounded all too familiar. The first time I saw this place I walked past with my nose in the air thinking ‘Ha! Imposter! You are no N2!’ But the second time I walked past a week later I thought, ‘Well until I’ve tried it myself, who am I to judge!?’ It’s only fair.

The Lab Menu

The Lab Menu

The Lab

The Lab

The menu offering was not as exciting as N2. On my visit the flavours on offer included ‘Milky chocolate with homemade brownies, Black Sesame, Salted Caramel Popcorn, Raspberry and Yuzu Sorbet and Ice Lemon Tea Sorbet’. I went with the Salted Caramel Popcorn. There were a handful of people inside the store, staff were friendly and the wait time was not long at all. The ice-cream was presented well, with popcorn dotted on top of the ice-cream and finished off with a swirl of caramel sauce. The taste test was where the Lab could have really made me ‘eat my words’ with my snooty comparisons of it to N2, but unfortunately for The Lab, I stood corrected. The ice-cream had a wonderfully smooth consistency but it lacked flavour and tasted horribly artificial. The cute looking toppings also didn’t help when it came down to the ‘crunch’. The caramel sauce was sickly sweet and overly runny and the popcorn tasted stale and nasty. I felt sympathetic for the guy who ordered before me, as while waiting for our order, he turned to me and said ‘I keep hearing about how good nitrogen ice-cream is, so decided I just had to try it!’ But after I tasted The Lab’s contribution to nitrogen gelato in Melbourne I felt like running back to find that man and reassure him, ‘it’s not all like this, I swear!’

Salted Caramel Popcorn at The Lab

I don’t mean to be too harsh, it’s not the worst ice-cream I’ve ever tasted and if you were like that gentleman in line before me who was new to the concept of nitrogen gelato, you would still find it exciting and intriguing to watch your ice-cream being prepared and suddenly appear out of a cloud of smoke. But just as N2 would not survive long term based solely on the novelty factor of nitrogen gelato, (the difference is their exotic and mostly amazingly delicious flavour combinations like their outstanding Crème Brûlée) once the novelty appeal disappears, The Lab’s ice-cream just does not cut it for me.

However, The Lab’s convenient city location is an advantage and if their menu changes weekly, hopefully they start to serve some more enticing flavours. I’d give it another try in a few months, as I think that would be the true test to see whether they are just trying to cash in on the sudden hype over nitrogen gelato or if they are actually serious about serving good quality ice-cream.

The Lab

188 Bourke Street,
Melbourne

(03) 9077 5354

Open Monday – Sunday, 12pm til late

The Lab Nitrogen Gelato on Urbanspoon

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N2 Extreme Gelato

At first, this fun little spot may seem like just a front of smoke and mirrors, which when liquid nitrogen comes in to play when used to churn the ice-cream, is quite literally, but one taste of their incredibly smooth gelato will tell you that is not the case here. I love a good theme, and N2 Extreme Gelato has hit the mark on kooky science lab perfectly. To put the look and feel of this place into perspective for you Melbournians, N2 Extreme Gelato looks like the love child of the Croft Institute and Trampoline. They are genuinely serious about their gelato and it is damn delicious. Don’t be disheartened by their small menu, which changes weekly, although if you’re after your regular order of lemon sorbet and chocolate or Neapolitan, you’ve come to the wrong place. Entering into this gelato laboratory may mean stepping out of your flavour comfort zone, but I believe in doing so you will not be disappointed. The selection of flavours vary from the fresh and fruity offerings such as pomegranate and mango  to the richer more decadent, and sometimes unexpected flavours such as Earl Grey Caramel, Strawberries and Cream, and my personal favourite – Crème brûlée! You’ll find that whatever flavour you choose, the end result is smooth and sumptuously soft without being too heavy or icy, due to the way they create their ice cream by churning their fresh ingredients with liquid nitrogen until frozen.

The fit out can be a little awkward for patrons in larger groups looking for seats as their seated areas simply consist of communal wooden pallets and a bed covered in AstroTurf. Not exactly the most comfortable or inviting seating areas, but I can imagine in the coming months this will be one awesome hangout on summer nights, situated right in the hipster heart of Brunswick street, Fitzroy. That said, it will be interesting to see how this compares to fellow Sydney based gelataria Messina which will also be opening its doors in Fitzroy this Spring. The venue features blackboard walls surfaced with all the information you need, written in their cheeky commentary:

1 scoop – $6

2 scoops – you don’t need it

Happiness – included (just like GST)

Sadness – go elsewhere

Opening Hours – 1pm – 11pm every effing day

The wait for your ice cream is most likely going to be a little longer than your usual ice creamery, but keep in mind this is all a part of the experience of visiting N2, as you get the opportunity to watch the gelato wizards in action, mixing and churning your gelato right in front of you, as each gelato is made to order and the result is fantastically fresh. Their experimental and creative flavour offering will keep you on your toes, so my only word of warning is not to get too emotionally attached to one flavour, as chances are it may not be on offer the next time you visit! However that being said, I say bring on the crazy new flavour experiments!

N2 Extreme Gelato – Creme Brulee

N2 Extreme Gelato on Urbanspoon

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