Gelato
Has anybody tried the new gelato place on Mt. Pleasant. It is THE BEST!!!
I tasted it a party a few weekends ago and loved it then this past weekend I served it a party for 12...everyone was raving about it. We had the lemon which was fab, pistachio and then a mixed wild berry. DIVINE. The owner is direct from Italy and has 3 shops in Rome. Very nice guy and really helpful. Because it was for 12, I wasn't sure how much to get. I was going to purchase 3 large tubs but he was certain 3 medium tubs would be more than enough and he was right. Much better than Hollywood's.
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mutant4
Jul 18, 2008 08:48 AM
Has anyone checked out Wild Thing, on Harbord just east of Bathurst? It's a new, small cafe with homemade gelato. Incredible. Flavors like Mayan chocolate, halvah, pineapple basil, and real coconut are made daily. Their espresso is to die for. Serious!
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aser
Aug 17, 2007 06:07 PM
http://www.nowtoronto.com/issues/2007...
dutch dreams gets 5 (ha!) vs 3 for Il Gelatiere, it is Now so take it w/ a pinch of salt.
Meanwhile i was at Solferino today and Lawrence (proprietor) was bubbling w/ joy over the positive review. They had fig available as a new flavour, intensely sweet. I still think their passion fruit is the best in town, although Il Gelatiere gets the overall crown.
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re: aser
The Now review takes a churlish shot at Il Gelatiere because of the "hype" created by posts like this which likely got them the lower rating. Having said that, his ratings are (relatively) ridiculous. Example giving Sicilian Ice Cream 3 N's? This person's taste is as evolved as a 3 year-old's. Solferino gets 5? I must have gone on (2) very off days. The article should rate ice cream and gelato seperately for obvious reasons. FYI I've convinced a friend of mine to write an in-depth article for a Canadian magazine this fall which will go into some technical detail as to how local gelato gets made (powder vs paste/concentrates --- some imported from Italy --- vs in-store produced mixture). You (may) be surprised how most opt for the former (the equipment suppliers are a wealth of such information). I will post a link.
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re: alfaromeo
Herb
Aug 18, 2007 01:12 PM
Actually, Scilian placed 14th out of 15 whereas IG was fifth overall. And gelato and ice cream were also rated in separate charts.
ice cream:
http://www.nowtoronto.com/issues/current/goods_foodstory4.php-
re: Herb
Thanks Herb. Perhaps I've misunderstood the review/rating system. The original link places IG at 5th overall with 3 N's ahead of those with 4 N's? How is this so....or is it a typo? Your links are great but they are only for 1 flavour of each genre --- but happily they're my 2 favourites. BTW, if in reading my posts I sound like some kind of gelato snob let me say we were up north this week at stopped at the Kawartha Dairy who make my favourite type of vanilla. (Some of their other flavours are a bit cloying). Lastly, I share embee's experience re: Kensington. When it first appeared it was "yippee" but after 5 or 6 attempts on our part we've given up on it. It is way over rated and fails to live-up to its potential.
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re: aser
I didn't know Dutch Dreams made their own ice cream. I was under the impression that they bought their ice cream from someplace like Maypole. It's a fun place, but "NNNN" ice cream ???
I've always wanted to love Kensington ice cream. But it has been badly made, badly stored, and usually under flavoured, whenever I've tried it (however interesting the flavours sounded).
Sicilian Ice Cream made crappy gelato in the seventies and they make crappy gelato today.
La Paloma made great gelato at one time; they make crappy gelato today.
I found Milano's gelato awful.
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re: Herb
I have always assumed Sicilian's "ice cream" was intended to be gelato. When they first started out, the word "gelato" would have been sufficiently "ethnic" to scare off the non-Italian burghers of Toronto the olde. They have also always made Italian frozen treats such as tartufo. Since I can't provide an authoritative answer to your question, perhaps I should rephrase my comment to "Sicilian Ice Cream made crappy ice cream and/or gelato in the seventies and they make crappy ice cream and/or gelato today".
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While I have been reading, I ate an espresso sized cup of choc with peper followed by a cup of fico - tastes just like fresh figs. God bless take out! We have been having some each night. 20 mins out of the freezer and it is perfect.
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re: itryalot
Fwagra
Aug 12, 2007 03:06 PM
I went to Il Gelatiere last night, filled with anticipation and excitement from having read the comments on this board.
IG serves some very good gelato. I had coffee, pistachio, nocciola, and chocolate. However, I remain a Hollywood man for the time being.
My criticisms of IG: The flavours seem less intense than Hollywood's; that's my major problem. Second, IG's melts too quickly. The server at IG was also not particularly good, but that's no big deal to me, so I won't go into detail. For me, it's about the flavour intensity.
That said, I will return to IG a resample, perhaps some fruit flavours, which, I understand, they do very well. I wan to reiterate that IG's stuff is very, very good. It beats La Paloma by a mile. But, I still prefer Hollywood.
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re: Fwagra
Interesting about service. I have to say that I will take the quick, if not abrupt, professionalism of the gentlemen at IG over the pimple-laden insecurity of the HG servers. I have almost never had my coffees or lattes made properly there, except by the experienced staff who I know and love. (I used to work in the neighbourhood, and had about a latte/tea/coffee a day at one stage).
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re: Fwagra
TorontoJo
Aug 12, 2007 04:00 PM
Fwagra, if you prefer Hollywood (as I also do... especially from a texture/mouthfeel standpoint), then check out the new gelato at Dessert Trends Bistro. I just wrote it up here:
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I don't find Hollywood and Il Gelatiere directly comparable. Ah to live where one can walk to both. We have no gelato in Leslieville.
When Hollywood first opened, they were experimenting a lot. I really deserve to have my name associated with a couple of flavours, but that's another issue :-)
They've now hit on a successful formula and things don't change that often, which is too bad. Many of their flavours are candy-bar based and more to a kid's taste than mine. I also find some of their flavours too sweet for my taste. However, their product is of extremely high quality. The overrun is noticeably lower than at Il Gelatiere, they serve it colder, and the servings are MUCH larger for a lower price. I like their limone much more than I liked the Il Gelatiere version. Their chocolate gelatos are mainly great, as is the pistachio and the very untraditional coconut cream pie.
Il Gelatiere is a much more adult-oriented place. Many of the flavours are exotic and the combinations would probably be interesting to some but overtly weird to others. It is noticeably less sweet than Hollywood's gelato. Much of their product is served semi-frozen, which is a traditional style. I found the texture extremely aerated for gelato. The lemon did not thrill, but the grapefruit did. I loved the Maria; my wife hated it. The chocolate with rum (can't remember the name) had too big a hit of imitation rum (thank you LLBO). I liked Hollywood's pistachio better.
All things considered, I think both Il Gelatiere and Hollywood are great, though different. Neither is as good as Vancouver's Mondo (circa 2001 - don't know if they are still around).
Il Gelatiere's prices are something else. Hollywood is hardly cheap, but it was more than twice the gelato for significantly less money. Il Gelatiere's air conditioning was not working when we tried them earlier this week.
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re: embee
estufarian
Aug 11, 2007 11:45 AM
I agree with many of your observations - especially value/portion size and the candy bar section.
But I do disagree with the aeration observation - I don't find Il Gelatieres any more (or less) aerated than other gelatos - and more dense than most ice-creams.
I haven't gone as far as to weigh each option but I certainly haven't found any product line more dense in mouth-feel than that at Il Gelatiere's (would be happy to consider any if you can recommend). The only 'denser' ones I've found have been the cheaper, higher-water content which are almost frozen (e.g. the one sold at Dominion stores) - but that's just because it's almost ice rather than a full-flavoured gelato.
Now ice-cream - that's a whole different matter. Some (most?) of the bulk brands seem to be a mixture of chemicals, glue and air.-
re: estufarian
I haven't weighed portions. Hollywood sells by volume in bulk and Il Gelatiere sells by weight, so one would need to take home containers of a similar flavour to weigh the stuff one's self. But Hollywood's candy and pie-inclusive flavours would weigh substantially more per unit volume. So summing it up, it comes down to mouthfeel. Il Gelatiere's servings seem aerated in my mouth while Hollywood's have very little discernible air. But Hollywood's is colder, and it might come down to that. But overrun and gelato are, in my opinion, incompatible.
Isn't obsession fun? They are both great and are within walking distance of each other. Lucky people...
So Hollywood, Il Gelatiere, and Solferino are now my faves, probably in that order. My SO would rate Solferino ahead of Il Gelatiere. I have nowhere else to recommend as better in Toronto. I have given up on La Paloma.
I was pleasantly surprised when I saw the display at Dominion and horribly disappointed when it didn't taste as good as it looked.
As to ice cream, Haagen Dazs, B&J, and Double Rainbow (my favourite, but a hard to find, brand) have very low overrun and very high butterfat. Double Rainbow won't amalgamate with milk in a shake unless partially melted. Both Ed Francis and Greg Mahon have told me that most of their customers don't want this much butterfat in their ice cream (silly people). Breyer's, a few of whose flavours I'll admit to liking in a pinch, is about 50% air.
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re: thenurse
We were just talking about this obvious gap in the Leslieville food explosion. If anyone out there is in a position to provide financing, I'd love to run such a place. (My wife once owned a restaurant and there is NO way she'd let me do it myself.)
We not only have no gelato, we don't even have a conventional scoop shop. But there isn't much pedestrian traffic yet. It would need to become an immediate destination.
I like a lot of things about Ed's, but it isn't really GREAT ice cream OR gelato and it's way to far to walk. I think the other gelato shop in the beach is awful.
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Peanut butter gelato sounds- I'm sorry -offensive. Had the zabaglione yesterday, along with melone. Very fine!
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I went on Friday night - it was PACKED!!!!! I asked for sambuca or anise flavoured one, the girl behind the counter suggested black licorice and headed to the back to get it, the owner stopped her claiming it was all gone. Does it exist????? Do they have a sambuca/anisette/black licorice type flavoured gelato????
p.s. had the Maria to soothe my wose.›5 Replies-
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re: phoenikia
Allstonian
Aug 11, 2007 03:25 PM
Riso! They have riso! I understand that the flavors change often and they don't have everything every day, but is that a fairly regular one in the lineup? Riso is my absolute favorite flavor of gelato since my first experience at Vivoli in Florence, and it's nearly impossible to find at gelateria in the US.
I will be visiting TO from Boston in September for the film festival - is this far from a TTC stop? Worth a trip up from Bloor/Yorkville for?
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Lazar
Aug 8, 2007 06:59 AM
Last night, after another crappy day, I popped over to raise my spirits with the usual Zabaliogne & Tartufo...when the gelatiere spied me, he called me over to try something new. He gave me a sample spoon of Zuppa Inlgese (I hope I spelled that right)....it was so good, I almost cried.
And as I was walking back to my car, the group that was ahead of me in line was also outside, and I overheard them say "It's good, but la Paloma is still the best".
Was it wrong of me to want to slap them?
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re: merlot143
Lazar
Aug 9, 2007 08:37 AM
It is I who should apologize merlot143, I don't know why I am so sensitive about my frozen dairy desserts.
BTW, last night I treated a bunch of friends to gelato (we just came from the Longest Yard) and I had the Zuppa Inglese (trifle) and Tiramisu...sweet mother of pearl was it good!
As a side note, a couple of people in the group had considered their neighbourhood places the best gelato (I think they were talking about Solferino or La Paloma) but with one spoonful, they were converted.
Another friend of mine tried my Zuppa Inglese, and she a moment there that rushed her back in memory...kind of like Faust and the madelaine. Thus proving that this gelato has supernatural powers.....
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re: Lazar
well, i'm not exactly crazy about the zuppa inglese, the rum (?) was a bit overpowering.
the zabaglione, on the other hand, was divine.
i like holywood gelato and dolce, and love solferino, but i think i have to agree with you that il gelatiere might be the best of them all. i've yet to try la paloma, though.
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Thank you all for the reference, we went to check out the "hype" expecting ho-hum, only to discover this is some of the finest gelato anywhere, let alone Toronto (I will qualify by saying we've tried 8 flavours to date). In fact, this is better than IL Laboratorio del Gelato in NYC and better than many, many gelaterias in Italy (ok, perhaps not quite San Crispino in Rome, but right up there with Davids in Sorrento). The flavours are intense and pure. I never understood the popularity of La Paloma. IL Gelatiere really know their business. A bit expensive/light on portions, but really, does it matter?
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okay, i need to find something to have with the maria - the white choc and the stratiacella don't stand up.
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sumashi
Aug 3, 2007 10:57 AM
After reading about this place for a solid week, I'm gonna finally go and try Il Gelatiere this weekend after coming back to Toronto from Waterloo ^___^ Can't wait.... I want to try Chocolate con Peperoncino.
But wow, is it really 3.90 for one scoop?
I remember buying gelato in Italy for 75 euro.... ahhh... of course, it's unfair to make the comparison... I just wish it was cheaper :P›17 Replies-
re: sumashi
sumashi
Aug 10, 2007 10:53 AM
I went there last Friday and tried: pistachio (reallyy good) and maria... and then went for a second cup of pear and chocolate O_O hehe...
I thought the chocolate was soooooo rich compared to the other ones, I was glad I had the pear with it to balance it out... and I absolutely love DARK chocolate...Just went again Wednesday night and tried: amaretto, zuppa inglese, mascarpone, and tiramisu....
Both times there was no chocolate con pepperoncino..Even though I didn't see it in the display, I asked about it and the lady said it's not available at the time.... when can I get this elusive flavour?? :( I'm dying to try it! I came around 10pm both days so maybe I'm late.. hehe...
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re: sumashi
estufarian
Aug 10, 2007 12:44 PM
They seem VERY reluctant to tell you what flavours will be released 'soon'. I still haven't found the Grapefruit - yet others report it was there later the same day I went.
Although I'm not as enamoured of the chocolate con pepperoncino as some (actually not a great chocolate fan - not sure it works as well as a gelato as in an ice-cream) the same flavour (I defer to others on quality) was available earlier this week at Ed's Real Scoop on Queen St East - and Ed's prices are about half those at Il Gelatiere.-
re: estufarian
I could see that the spicy chocolate doesn't work well on its own. In fact, when I had it with the maria, I thought it tasted more of spice than chocolate. But it really enhanced the flavour of the maria.
BTW, if you want more about flavour enhancement, go see Ratatouille, the best foodie movie in years.-
re: merlot143
estufarian
Aug 10, 2007 01:32 PM
Not really on topic - but I was disappointed with Ratatouille - but still enjoyed it. Found the story only advanced through "talking" rather than unfolding as animation. First half hour was also quite boring. But the segment in the kitchen preparing for the food reviewer was superb. And have already seen some of the toy spinoffs discounted - so probably wasn't the commercial success that was hoped for. [Note my care in not revealing the plot].
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re: estufarian
sumashi
Aug 10, 2007 01:23 PM
Really? Great, I'll have to try Ed's one day after a vball day at The Beaches :)
I think I understand what you mean about the chocolate...as I found it too rich on its own.
I was also looking for the grapefruit one on Friday night, but it wasn't there!
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re: sumashi
estufarian
Aug 10, 2007 01:26 PM
Separate query....... PEAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Was it separate from chocolate - or did you mix it with chocolate?
(a preview from my impending submission on the 'best' ice-cream (IMO) in Toronto - pear was the most successful flavour I found - but didn't find it at Il Gelatiere)-
re: estufarian
sumashi
Aug 10, 2007 03:52 PM
Ohh, I meant that when you can get two flavours in one cup, I chose to have pear and chocolate. So, yes, it was separate... however, when I was eating it, I ended up scooping a bit of each to eat together anyway :)
Their pear was pretty good... It tasted refreshing next to the chocolate. I could taste a little grittiness (?) of pear while eating it. I haven't tried any of their other fruit gelatos yet btw.
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re: sumashi
estufarian
Aug 11, 2007 11:49 AM
Aha! Exactly what I suspected and hoped. IMO the greatest flavour (around the world) for gelato is PEAR. And it's that texture point that you brought out without prompting. Your comment on 'grittiness' may not be the exact word but you've identified that extra dimension of texture that seems to occur in Pear gelato. Absolutely my #1 flavour, regardless of producer (and I haven't even tasted Il gelatieres yet).
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re: phoenikia
estufarian
Aug 11, 2007 11:35 AM
I find that hard to accept.
Il Gelatiere serves the second smallest portion (after Dolce on College ~ 90ml) I have found anywhere in Toronto (approx 100ml). The next smallest is La Paloma (115ml).
And, to compare, both Hollywood Gelato and Ed's Real Scoop are 200ml (for the smallest size) i.e. DOUBLE the size of Il Gelatiere's!
NOTE: That doesn't relate in any way to quality - only size - and we all know that size isn't everything.
If that's 3 times larger than Italy I'd be very surprised.
(I know - it seems I'm obsessive but I was so disappointed with the serving size at La Paloma that I took the cup home to measure - and I just continued, so can't speak for many of the offerings - the cup at Il Gelatiere has a very large hollow in the base - the base is raised about 25-30% up the side.)-
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re: cowhound
estufarian
Aug 11, 2007 11:54 AM
If you're right, then as everybody does the same thing, my comparisons are still valid (e.g. if everybody serves an extra 10% the relative costs/sizes are identical).
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Ok, I tried Il gelatiere and was very disappointed. I found the texture very very disappointing. There was a lot of air beat into this gelato. It made it very smooth, almost creamy and fluffy. I was not happy! I like a firmer gelato that has to melt and spread across your tongue slowly. Texture wise this gelato was reminiscent of Baskin and Robbins!!
Flavour-wise I wasn't too impressed either. The pistachio was very good (better than Hollywood), and the Hazelnut was on par with Hollywood. But, my favoruite flavour -- lemon -- was no where near as good as Hollywood's. It was neither as sweet nor anywhere near as sour. I like the utter intensity of Hollywood's lemon -- this was lackluster. The three fruit gelatos my father had were not so great either (according to him).
Quite frankly, I don't think I'll bother ever going back.
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re: Atahualpa
To be honest, the first time I went, I wasn't bowled over. I had the tiramisu and the chocolate. It was good, but I still preferred Solferino. The second time I went, I had the maria and the chocolate pepperoncino, which was fantastic. The flavours were so intense, it was heavenly. I agree, the texture was soft, but it worked out because the flavours combined well.
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re: diesta
If there was a dearth of alternatives, sure I'd go back. If I was in the area I'd give it another try (but, I'm almost never on Mt. Pleasant for any other reason).
It's not that it was bad -- just not to my liking.
Maybe I'll give them another shot when the weather breaks to see if the problems that existed in my eyes were intentional or due to an inability to handle the effects of the recent heat.
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re: Atahualpa
Lazar
Aug 3, 2007 09:05 AM
As far as the lemon is concerned, they do have 2 versions. One (limone) is supposed to be a bit more subtle, and the other (cedra) may have that intensity that you are looking for....can anyone back me up on this? I am ashamed to say that I have not tried either, because I love the pomplemo so much more....
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re: Atahualpa
icey
Aug 3, 2007 09:32 AM
I'm sorry as well that you didn't like the gelato, but I am a bit confused about your comment on texture. As I am in the equipment business and am extremely familiar with the equipment that Il Gelatiere uses, I can assure you that it is very difficult to beat that much air into the gelato. Gelato's ideal serving temperature is -13C, and should melt, not too fast, but certainly not too slow either. Perhaps the recent weather that we've been having is wreaking a bit of havoc on the gelato.
As for the taste, to each their own, I respect your opinion, and I do agree that some of their fruit flavours are subtle (but for me, thats not a bad thing). Watermelon gelato is one of the most difficult gelatos to produce due to the water content of the fruit, and the fact that your sugars must be perfectly balanced to compensate. The fact that I believe he has gotten the texture right on the watermelon is a testament to how great a gelatiere he really is. (However, I think that comparing Il Gelatiere to B&R in any context is a complete and utter insult and completely untrue.)
If you like lots of intensity though, Gelatopolis near Weston and Rutherford, makes some of the best gelato in GTA.-
re: icey
I have to say I think they have the texture bang on. I did not find it soft, to me it is just perfect, even after enduring a 20 minute drive home, although we placed it in a cooler for added protection. My personal favorite is the limone. I've also had the cedra, which I believe is a combination of lemon and orange and it is very refreshing and subtle but my fav is still the limone. I find HG tastes artificial. I'll Gelatiere flavours are well defined, crisp and natural tasting.
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re: icey
It really was that aerated -- as aerated as some quasi-mass-market ice-creams (such as B&R). That isn't meant as an insult, only a description -- some people clearly like a softer, fluffier, looser texture. It was NOT only soft from heat -- it was (IMO) excessively aerated.
I don't have your experience with the equipment. I only have my first-hand experience with the product. If they can't compensate for the weather, that isn't my problem -- I've had gelato from HG and ice cream from Soma on eually hot days that did not suffer in this regard. Sure, they melted fast -- but, they weren't foamy with air.
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thenurse
Aug 2, 2007 06:25 PM
Visited tonight and was impressed by the flavour. I had the Maria and MAScarpone flavours, on a cone. But, I was not impressed by the texture - it was too soft for my liking - maybe because of the heat. It was softer than a soft serve (obviously much better on all levels). I might have to visit on a cooler night to re-test the texture. Over and over again....
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re: thenurse
Might as well have been a Chowhound reunion last night. I too was there with my girlfriend sampling the Maria and the last of the Chocolate con Peperoncino. We were the ones with the black dog. This place is way too close to my home. A 5 minute walk can't possibly counteract a double-scoop cone. Oh well, I'll die fat and happy.
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TorontoJo
Aug 2, 2007 04:03 PM
OK, OK, you all have me intrigued. I'm a die hard Hollywood Gelato fan, but you've all named two of my favourite flavours that HG never has: grapefruit and cinnamon.
Heading over there in the next hour or so. If you see a couple drive up in a little blue convertible, that's me! :)
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re: TorontoJo
TorontoJo
Aug 3, 2007 05:19 AM
So we did make it last night. Had the pistachio, the maria and the grapefruit. The maria was the one I was looking forward to the most, because I love cinnamon ice cream. The cinnamon flavour was beautiful, but many of the walnuts had gone a touch stale, which detracted from the experience. I really enjoyed the pistachio -- full of pistachio flavour without being too sweet. And I completely fell in love with the grapefruit -- it was so refreshing on a hot night, with just the perfect hint of that grapefruit bite.
I agree with thenurse, though -- the consistency was way too soft. I attribute it to the hot weather, but they'll need to crank up the freezer case to counteract the heat. My gelato was already melting before they handed it to me, which was unfortunate.
Don't know if I'm a convert yet, but I'm certainly willing to do some more research!
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re: TorontoJo
I am a convert - used to frequent La Paloma - found Hollywood was way too sweet for my liking. But Il Gelatierie has anything I have ever tasted in this city beat, hands down.
I just wanted to mention that I am pretty sure that the nuts in the Maria, which is amazing IMHO, are pine nuts, and not walnuts, which might explain why TorontoJo thought they were stale.
As for the consistency, I have never found it too soft - no more so than any other gelato, so I would probably attribute it to the heat. Of course, having operated 2 gelaterias in Rome, one would think they would know how to deal with this problem.
Re: flavours - i really like the ciociolato al pepperoncino with the mint (with bittersweet chocolate chunks - yum) - it's quite a refreshing combination!
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re: fortheloveoffood
yup - they are definitely pine nuts and not walnuts for sure. I live around the corner and try to limit my visits to once a week, I'm hooked on the Maria and Ciociolato al Pepperoncino. I'm planning to visit in the next couple of days, is there a sambuca/anisette one on the menu or is it still in the development stages?
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re: fortheloveoffood
Chester Eleganté
Aug 3, 2007 02:36 PM
It was softer than usual. With the sweltering heat, the a/c is clearly tempered by the constant opening and closing of the door by the 40-50 people circulating consistently throughout the night.
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We will be there on Saturday and my hubby is trying to figure out how many ice creams he can eat in a day. In general, where is Mt Pleasant? We are going to map out our day for multiple stops.
Chilis - sounds amazing!Lazar- my lactose intolerant husband loves gelato (which does not bother him - a bouns).
He may have you beat on the addiction front.
We are going to go out and purchase a mini styro container to bring home some (2 hr ride) and are planning to get a small cooler packed with ice just for it. But I must put it in the truck, since my hubby has become quite adept at eating gelato in a cup while driving.
Sidestory: On our honeymoon several yrs ago, on the border of Switz and Italy in Locarno, for dinner, I ordered a grilled sandwich. Gelato boy ordered a $10 gelato plate (that was over 10 yrs ago, think of inflation). He was in heaven. He is thinking about going back and eating gelato in every city; he said he will have at least 2 a day. He really is addicted, and he never gets the brain freeze from eating it either.›14 Replies-
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re: itryalot
FYI, the cooler and ice will be good, but they already pack the gelato in styro containers when you buy in bulk. I bought their big container last night, half with the Macedonia (fruit salad) and half with Marscapone, $18, and drove the 20 minutes home sans air conditioning with no visible effect on the gelato.
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re: itryalot
FYI, There's lots of other foodie destinations in the area, too....Wanda's in the Kitchen with Dinah, Dinah Koo's amazing prepared food store combined with Wanda's Pie in the Sky is further north on Mt. Pleasant, just above Sherwoord, north of Eglinton. Over on Yonge, north of Sherwoord, you'll find Dufflet Pastries and Alex Farms Cheese's Yonge St location (thought the St.Lawrence and Bayview Ave location are superior). Then there's the Cupcake Shoppe south on Yonge, and if you head over to Bayview, south of Eglinton, there's Rahier Patisseries (earth-shatteringly good croissants), Cumbrae Butcher, Cobbs Breads (love the capeseed loaf myself), Epi Bakery, and hey, even another Gelato place, Hollywood Gelato, though we seem to agree it doesn't compare. That should keep you busy, anyway :)
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We may have an HG convert in our midst! After several summers home from university spent within walking distance of Bayview, I thought Hollywood was all there was - nice nutty flvours, rich chocolates with chunks of various candy bars, light, fun fruity flavours. But now that I'm done school, and back in my own place, now walking distance of Il gelatiere, I don't know if I'll ever go back (well, for carrot cake flavour, maybe...). I had the maria (pine nuts and cinnamon) and OH MY GOD. Amazing. The stratiacella was good, but didn't hold its own next to the maria. I can't wait to try them all....the walking distance, I'm sure, burns the calories.
Oh, and hands down more efficient service than Hollywood Gelato. No nicer, but a lot less confusing!›1 Reply -
Royaljelly
Aug 1, 2007 12:08 PM
After driving 20 mins to get there from home, we decided to buy a big tub to bring home. For $18, it's pricey, but at least now we can have the delicious pomelo gelato every night...
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re: Royaljelly
estufarian
Aug 1, 2007 01:56 PM
But they didn't have Pomelo yesterday! When did you get it?
And they quoted me $15 for 500gms (which is the smallest size normally available in grocery stores - actually 500ml is but 500 gm is roughly the same amount). Hardly a 'big tub'! And I don't believe that 'bulk' food is taxable.
And on the size issue - yes, they have the smallest portions I've found - not that that matters if the quality is there - but for comparison, the $3.90 serving at Il Gelatiere is 100ml and the smallest serving at Hollywood (essentially just down the street) is $4.25 for 200ml, so you're paying almost double (per 100ml) at Il Gelatiere (and to complete the comparison, 500ml at Hollywood is $7.00).
But, of course, you can still get a "fix" at either place for under $5 - compare that with most other pleasures of life!-
re: estufarian
JonasBrand
Aug 1, 2007 06:08 PM
Awesome. If you haven't been yet... go! Authentic Gelato better than many spots in Italy. FYI... saw Pomelo today. And yes it was real panna (Italian whipped cream).
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I'm going tonight again. Looking forward to trying the pepperoncino and getting my own scoop of the marscapone!
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re: merlot143
Lazar
Aug 1, 2007 08:14 PM
I am not ashamed to say that over the last 2 weeks, I have been there at least 9 times....I went again today (after a spicy bulgogi dinner at Sushi & Tea, which is just a few doors down and I thoroughly enjoyed it) and I got the pompelmo & chocolate....finished off the chocolate first and then onto the pompelmo...and I have to say that the Il Gelatiere's grapefruit (pompelmo) is the BEST pompelmo gelato in the city...refreshing tart and not too sweet. And of course the chocolate is outstanding...intensely rich.
And in case anyone is wondering, I do not live in the area...right now, I am living in North York, and soon I am moving to St. Clair West, where there is a La Paloma just down the street...but I don't care...I will make the pilgrimmage to Mount Pleasant....call me crazy...but that's just the way I roll....
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Just came back from Il Gelatiere today. This stuff is heavenly! I had the chocolate with pepperoncino (spicy) and the maria (cinnamon and nuts). What a great combination. Nothing like walking down Mt. Pleasant eating this stuff! (I recommend it in a cone -- that way the flavours mix). The maria flavour was really intense -- lovely. I haven't tried their fruit flavours yet. This place is not cheap though, so I can't do this all the time.
I feel bad -- I love Solferino gelato, which is also bit less expensive, but this stuff is heaven in a cone.ETA: the first time I went, I was a bit turned off by the service (stand-offish), but, really, who cares after tasting their gelato
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JonasBrand
Jul 27, 2007 09:09 AM
Better than Dolce?
Does Il Gelatiere serve gelato con panna (the italian less sweet whip cream)?
Does anyone serve gelato con panna in the GTA?-----
Dolce Gelato
679A College St, Toronto, ON M6G1B9, CAIl Gelatiere
647 Mt Pleasant Rd, Toronto, ON M4S, CA›6 Replies-
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re: Lazar
Okay it's confirmed.....Lazar needs an intervention. In what may be a first in
Chowhound history we happened to be at I'll Gelatierre at the same time today. As I was telling the owners about all the buzz they are getting on the site and that one guy actually said he was addicted to the stuff, 'Sambuca boy' I think she called him....guess who walks in....Sambuca boy in person. It was sooooooo funny, she starts yelling and pointing at him....that's him, that's sambuca boy!!!! It was hysterical I gotta say. He was with Sambuca Girl and Sambuca Mom. I was with Mr. Millygirl. And this just in.....we all got to try from the R & D back room the newest flavour - BAILEY'S IRISH CREAM. What can I say - heaven!!!!!
Thanks I'll Gelatierre!!!-
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re: Lazar
I am sooooooooo addicted to this stuff. I think about it every day and have to talk myself out of stopping by on my way to work, home from work, running up there during my lunch break....AAAAHHH! Yesterday I enjoyed the pistachio, but was ENRAPTURED with the cioccolata pepperoncino. OMG...a cold and hot explosion. The only flavour I haven't loved was the coconut which tasted soapy to me.
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re: chiujason
Lazar
Jul 27, 2007 06:28 AM
I think I may need help, I may have become an addict....
I found myself driving by last night around 10:40 (they close at 10:30 on weekdays) and they were cleaning up. The door was still unlocked, and I asked if they were open. They remembered me (they called me Sambuca boy) and I almost begged for some gelato. Even though half the bins were empty, and they were cleaning the rest, they went in the back, and got me a Zabaliogne & Tartufo (they even remembered what I liked). Once again...unbe-f***ing-lievable.
I may have to mover closer....and if anyone is planning an intervention, forget it, it won't work...
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I had a totally different experience. I loved the lemon and pomello great and refreshing but I found the pistacio almost plastic tasting. I also found the service quite unfriedndly and the portions quite small, It was if the tool the guy was using didn't fit the bowl properly. Much better experience always at Hollywood!
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How about the new gelateria on Roncesvalles - Bravo Gelato. Comments/reviews? We went last night and tried a few sample spoons - very friendly service. I felt the pistachio was overwhelmed by an almond essence flavour. The ginger was very nice - good "mouthfeel". But I can't really write a review having only sampled a few. anyone else?
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Lazar
Jul 26, 2007 07:49 AM
Yesterday was a terrible day, and I found myself in front of Il Gelatiere in a foul, bitter, bitter mood. I walked in, and ordered the chocolate w/ chillis, and zabaliogne. They didn't have zabaliogne (which just added to my bitter, bitter mood), so I got the crema instead. Before I got my order I asked if they ever make Anisette, after some conversation with the...gelatier (is that what you would call a gelato maker?) he said that he sometimes makes it, but not right now....then he told me "aspette"...not sure why I was waiting...then he came out with one of those itty-bitty spoons, and upon it was a HUGE heaping sample ( 4 of them could have filled their small size cup) of the gelato he was preparing at that moment. It was Tartufo with rum...unbelievable...it was amazing. As I walked back to my car, I finally was able to eat the gelato I ordered ....again... unbelievable. The heat of the chili with chocolate, and the cooling, coating taste of the crema...my bad mood just melted away with the gelato.
I never really had a gelato place before...but now I will be a regular.
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Ok, I just got back from this place and I have to say I have to agree with millygirl!!! I've tried Hollywood and La Paloma, and neither comes close.
I had Maria (cinnamon and pine nuts), chocolate with chili, and pistachio. The pistachio is simply the most wonderful pistachio flavored anything that I have ever had. None of that fake, cloying pistachio flavoring so rampant in pistachio ice creams and cakes everywhere.
DH had banana (excellent) and Nocciola (hazelnut) which was wonderful too. We also had tiramisu and stracciatella (both very good).
I'm excited to try the other flavors. But I will definitely go back for the pistachio.
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I live in the area and have been there about a dozen times since it opened. I am not a fan of Hollywood Gelato, but have frequently made the long trek to La Paloma at St. Clair and Landsdowne. The gelato at Il Gelatiere is excellent especially the ciociolato al pepperoncino (chocolate w chili) and the pompelmo (grapefruit). The Maria with cinnamon and pine nuts is also great as is the limone. The anguria (watermelom) was a little too subtle for my taste.
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Royaljelly
Jul 23, 2007 06:34 PM
My favorite so far is the pomelo (grapefruit), but the 4 times that I've been there, only twice have I seen it. My wife asked them why that is, and apparently they have 60+ recipes for flavours but only a limited number of slots per day. Makes you want to know their rotation schedule. :)
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aser
Jul 23, 2007 02:47 PM
Il Gelatiere has no competition right now, clearly superior to hollywood/la paloma/solferino/soma, etc.
Their pistachio is out of this world, a depth of flavour that can't be found anywhere else in Toronto. High marks for their banana, kiwi, and pineapple also. The only so so flavour I've had so far has been papaya, although it might have more to do w/ the quality of the raw ingredient than anything. Great papayas aren't exactly abundant here.
I've been 3 times in the last month and plan on squeezing more trips in before the summer is over.
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