Lemon Mint Sorbet Gelato Garden is a name that some might probably find familiar within the local F&B scene in Singapore â if it does, it is because these folks have been mentioned for quite a bit on social media not too long ago. Whilst it has been less than a year that these folks had established their presence in Singapore with their very first location that is situated in the buzzy and hip Haji Lane neighbourhood, Gelato Garden has since opened their second store â this time being within the area of Smith Street that was also previously the Chinatown Food Street which also sees other brands like Boon Tong Kee, Killiney Kopitiam and Starbucks occupying the stretch of shophouses in the coming months. Gelato Garden is the very first F&B establishment to have opened their doors in that area; their location at Chinatown is larger than that of their first store in Haji Lane â in fact, their Chinatown store does seem a little more well-organised whilst also a bearing a slightly different theme from that of their Haji Lane location. One would notice how the Chinatown location is decked in a slight more retro vibe, with the decor being a little simple but still similar to that of the nearby Cafe GUI and DuoDuo Dou; the interior decor seeing the use of wooden and metallic elements in its furniture and fittings that sports white, brown and beige accents â all of that further complimented by the use of faux flora and fauna throughout the space with neon lighting used for the logo for the store. Most of the seating located in-store caters to groups of two (2) pax, though there are two dining tables within the store that caters for groups of (4) pax; there are also seating located outside of the shophouse unit which are well sheltered by the giant overhead structure installed at the former Chinatown Food Street with air circulation units installed as well. Gelato Garden at Haji Lane is particularly noted for their freshly-churned ice-creams that are stocked in display chillers that operate independently as churn machines to ensure the freshness of their gelato offerings; the same is also installed in its store in Chinatown at the counter area as well, allowing patrons to have a good view of the gelato flavours that they have to offer. Apart from gelato, Gelato Gardenâs menu at Chinatown is also further expanded to include a line-up of bakes and pastries that are also prominently displayed at the counter, whilst it also does seem that espresso-based specialty coffee are being served up here as well.
The variety of gelato flavours that are being stocked up at Gelato Gardenâs display churners at its Chinatown location comprised of flavours that are a little more on the conventional side of things; that being said, the Lemon Mint Sorbet did stand out to us being a sorbet, whilst the combination of lemon and mint isnât one that is particularly common elsewhere either. The Lemon & Mint Sorbet is one that comes with a texture that is almost akin to a slushie, yet it is noted that the display churner kept the sorbet in the right texture where it is consistently soft without carrying any icy bits within. The main flavours of the sorbet here would be the zingy notes of lemon that was not particularly sweet â definitely works as a good palate cleanser especially after a heavy meal, while one can also observe the specks of mint leaves included, the flavours of mint are a lot milder and lingers at the back of the tongue in the finish without being particularly stark; still a pretty refreshing flavour that would cater to those whom love their sour desserts well.
During the same visit to Gelato Garden, we had also given their Wild Bilberry Greek Yogurt Gelato a go; whilst this is similar with the Lemon & Mint Sorbet where it caters to those whom prefer sour flavours than indulgent and sweet notes, the Wild Bilberry Greek Yogurt Gelato is one that is still creamy given the use of yogurt in the process of making the flavour. Available only during the Chinese New Year period as a limited time-only flavour, the Wild Bilberry Greek Yogurt Gelato does showcase the difference of their freshly-churned gelato made with their display churner that helps to fold and whip out air bubbles and icy bits within the gelato. The result is this smooth, creamy and slightly sticky gelato that one would typically expect out of Italian gelato served from Pozzettis, while the Wild Bilberry Greek Yogurt is creamy whilst carrying different dimensions of tanginess from the yogurt and the berries â one which saw the flavours of the two seemingly blended into each other that was actually quite alluring and got us going for more.
Whilst Gelato Garden does seem like a hit at their location in Haji Lane where they are able to attract a decent crowd of both tourists and locals alike looking for a cool treat whilst exploring the area, the outlet of Gelato Garden at Chinatown is comparatively a lot quieter. The location does seem to be one that is pretty challenging given the fast turnover of the F&B establishments located across from Gelato Garden and for how Chinatown Food Street also saw its demise operating in an environment with two notable hawker centres being walking distance away from it; that being said, the crowds might start to stream in once the other dining establishments like Boon Tong Kee, Killiney Kopitiam and Starbucks have opened their doors â that may start to draw some crowd to Gelato Garden for the after-meal dessert. We also do hope that the folks could perhaps considering switching up their source of supply of their bakes to offer a range that might better appeal to their target audience â the current line-up being a tad uninspiring and a little off from the usual that is being served up by other similar establishments serving up gelato / ice-cream as their core offering; this might help them in attracting patrons to try more than just the gelato and sorbet that they have to offer. For those whom like the brand and find their Haji Lane store a little cramped and crowded, their Chinatown outlet is one worth considering to drop by if in the area.
_(1)425_original.jpg?w=980&q=75&auto=format)
_(1)425_original.jpg?w=576&q=75&auto=format)