Dessert – Page 4 – Check Please!

Danish ice cream in Ho Chi Minh City: Osterberg

While not artisan gelato, Osterberg is an interesting departure from the international ice cream chains that dominate Ho Chi Minh City: it hails from Denmark and it is a family business. In Vietnam the business is managed by Cathrine, who makes all the recipes herself and has a background in Food Science from the University of Copenhagen. The ice cream is freshly made in Ho Chi Minh City with modern equipment.

The visit

In Ho Chi Minh City they have a small ice cream shop in District 2.

They offer a nice assortment of flavors inspired both by their Nordic origins and by the fresh ingredients available in Vietnam. This means flavors such as liquorice, elderflower, buckthorn and blackcurrant (recommended!) on the one side and red dragonfruit, soursop, jackfruit, and lychee on the other.

My personal favorite is their chocolate sorbet (in general I find their sorbets – basically ice cream without the milk – better than regular ice cream flavors). The chocolate flavor emerges so neatly.

I particularly like their ice-blended option: around two scoops of ice cream are blended with milk and ice: the resulting beverage has the right density for me and retains the original flavor.

UPDATE (July 2019): They discontinued the ice blend option for lack of demand. Travesty!

The check

A single scoop, like in the cup pictured in the previous section, is 55,000 VND (2,4 USD). The ice blend was 75,000 VND (3,2 USD).

If you are in district 2, Osterberg is an ice cream experience that I recommend (well, a lot less now that they discontinued the ice blend).

Where in Ho Chi Minh City:
94 Xuan Thuy, District 2
Website: http://www.osterberg-ice.vn/
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/osterbergvn/

Ice cream in Hong Kong

Here’s my top picks for ice cream in Hong Kong.

Tre Italiani

Tre Italiani is a very nice ice cream parlor and cafe in Causewaybay, at 535 Jaffe Road (they also have other locations, check their website). It is creamy ice cream coming both in traditional and innovative flavors. A cup with two scoops is 65 HKD (8.30 USD). They also have coffee and chocolates. What I like about their shop in Causewaybay is that they have seats and tables for a more relaxed experience.

Oddies

Oddies’ claim to fame is their egglets filled with ice cream. They also have a selection of 12 daily flavors that they claim to produce according to artisan standards (not tried yet). In the picture above, for 69 HKD (8.80 USD) one of their signature eggete parfait (small size) that combines one of their egg waffles and soft serve ice cream, in this case with some nutella sauce. I wish the filling was creamier. Beside, a place to try. The place is quite small, they only have a few high chairs, so you will most likely eat it on the street. Oddies is on 45 Gough Street, Central (a bit uphill).

Venchi

Venchi is an Italian gourmet chocolate manufacturer based in Turin. In recent years they expanded internationally and also went into ice cream. Gianduia and cuor di cacao in the picture. Their chocolate flavors, in particular gianduia, should not be missed. They have three locations in Hong Kong: one in the mall Festive Walk, one on 44 Stanley street, Central, and one in Harbour City. 65 HKD (8.30 USD) for two flavors. They clearly also sell chocolate and do not have much space to sit inside.

Encountering the Bingsu in Seoul

Bingsu (or bingsoo) is a dessert originated in Korea. It is a combination of shaved ice and other sweet ingredients. In the past, the accompanying ingredient was usually red bean paste (potbingsu), but now it can go almost with everything. Mango bingsu is one of the most popular. While this dessert has been around for decades, in recent years it has become popular outside South Korea and can be found in many Asian metropolis.

The visit

I tried my first bingsu in Seoul in an outlet of the all-popular Sulbing 설빙 Korean Dessert Cafe. There are outlets all over South Korea.

I chose their bingsu tiramisu that came in a huge bowl topped with a large piece of tiramisu cake and along with a shot of espresso coffee. The shot was provided to be added to the bowl (similarly, I noticed that the green tea bingu came with a shot of green tea… not sure if this applied to all of the available flavors).

I was extremely skeptical about this dessert. But after digging into the mountain of shaved ice covered with cacao powder I changed my mind. It was actually quite good. Nothing comparable to artisan ice cream, but a very refreshing dessert.

Below the mountain of shaved ice there was also a good amount of jelly cubes (in this case chocolate flavored).

I could not finish it all by myself.

The check

This bingsu cost 10,900 WON (9.65 USD). This is pretty much the standard price for a premium bowl. More traditional flavors can cost a little bit less. It should be noted that the bowl could be easily shared between two people and the cafe offered comfortable seating, so overall it was not a bad deal.

Italian Gelato in Seoul: Zucca and G. Fassi

In every major Asian city I visit I try to see if I can find some Italian style ice cream (gelato). In Seoul I visited Zucca’s Artisan Gelato and I also came across the Asian outpost of a famous gelateria from Rome, G. Fassi.

Zucca’s Artisan Gelato

Located in Itaewon, the Seoul’s neighborhood famously bordering the massive American Military Base, Zucca’s Artisan Gelato now enjoys a fully gentrified surrounding with a lot of international eateries. Zucca in Italian means pumpkin, but in this case is just the family name of the owner.

The space occupied by Zucca’s is mostly used up by the counter, but there are a few seats. They also serve Italian coffee and a few other desserts such as tiramisu cake.

As the name suggests, they should make their gelato according to the Italian tradition.

I had two scoops, chocolate and crushed figs. I found them excellent with actual pieces of caramelized figs.

Two scoops cost me 5,500 WON (or 4.85 USD), a good price as compared to other Asian locations.

Where in Seoul:
129-2, Itaewon 1-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul (just a short walk from Itaewon metro station)

G. Fassi

Heralded as the oldest gelateria in Rome (dating back to 1880) the Palazzo del Freddo di Giovanni Fassi is an institution in the Italian capital and they now have affiliated shops in Los Angeles and Seoul.

I came across their kiosk in the food court of one of the branches of Kyobo bookstore near Gwanghwamun Station (actually, you can get to the food court by taking exit 4 from this metro station).

I was pleasantly surprised by the variety of original flavors and in the end I opted for chocolate and black sesame.

The two scoops, that were meticulously weighted by the staff, cost me 5,500 WON.

Finally, I should note that they were also selling a gelato bingsoo. I did not have time to try it, but I appreciate their attempt to experiment (bingsoo is the quintessential Korean dessert).

Where in Seoul:
1, Jong-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul
Address in Korean: 서울특별시 종로구 종로 1 (종로1가)
I understand that they also have other locations, this is probably not the largest.

Finding Italian gelato in Tianzifang, Shanghai

Tianzifang is a gentrified maze of narrow alleys located south of Xiantidi in Shanghai. I have a love-hate relationship with it. Sometimes I dismiss it as a tourist trap, but sometimes I go back and I kind of like the crowded alleys full of small eateries and cafes. One problem is that shops and eateries usually do not survive long. In October 2018 I was surprised to come across some Italian gelato.

The visit

Here and there you can find ice cream in Tianzifang. But my attention was caught by their sign on a small kiosk claiming to produce artisan gelato from scratch. Actually, if you look at Movo website you discover that Movo is an Italian company selling pre-mixed ingredients for ice cream parlour, so I do not know to what extent this claim is accurate.

The place is called Movo and it is just a small kiosk selling four or five flavors at any given time.

They claim to make their gelato daily with a shelf life of just 12 hours. This means natural ingredients with no additives.

I had chocolate and hazelnut. The flavors did remind me of artisan gelato: they were not strong like ice cream with chemical flavors, but still distinct.

The check

Two flavors cost me 48 CNY (around 7 USD).

Where in Shanghai:
In one of the corners of lane 248, Taikang Road.
Address in Chinese: 上海市卢湾区打浦桥泰康路248号

Gelato dal Cuore in Shanghai

I was made aware of this ice cream shop by the owner of Mammamia in Tokyo.

The visit

Gelato dal Cuore (from heart) is located in a quiet street in Jingan.

The interior is contemporary and well designed. Some seats are available.

I quick scan of the counter shows both classic and original flavors: dark chocolate, tiramisu, hazelnut, but also mango lassi, mint chocolate, pumpkin, strawberry milk and black sesame. They produce small batches of gelato freshly made daily in the traditional Italian way.

I had chocolate and tiramisu. Both flavors were strong and creamy. A perfect specimen of Italian ice cream.

The check

Two flavors cost 35 CNY (5 USD) and three flavors 48 CNY (7 USD). They also have some hot drinks.

Highly recommended.

Where in Shanghai:
600 Shaanxi Bei Lu, Near Xinzha Lu, Jingan district
Address in Chinese: 静安区陕西北路600号
Check out their Instagram account.

Mammamia! An authentic Italian gelateria in Ueno, Tokyo

Finding original Italian ice cream (more correctly I should say “gelato“) is always a challenge in Asia. For this reason Gelato Mammamia immediately stands out as an authentic experience that has no comparison elsewhere in Tokyo.

The visit

I easily reached my destination following Google Maps. The ice cream parlor is located just a short walk from Ueno Hirokoji station. It is not a cafe, it is more like a kiosk and there is no indoor seating.

The display featured both traditional flavors and more exotic ones. We spoke to Andrea, the owner and master gelataio, who personally makes the gelato from scratch working with the machines inside the parlor that can be seen from the street.

Andrea shared that over the past 3 years or so he experimented with over 150 flavors, building on local quality ingredients. Recently he was the first in Tokyo to offer a red chocolate flavor

All the flavors available were very tempting. I settled for a classic, lemon, and for a red shiso. Shiso is a perennial plant that has multiple uses in the culinary Japanese tradition. Its leaves are used to serve sashimi and during the summer a red shiso drink is very popular. This juice was the starting point to obtain the shiso sorbet on offer. I enjoyed the two flavors as very refreshing. The lemon was made from top class ingredients and the flavor was very distinctive.

The gelato is made according to the Italian artisan tradition with no artificial flavors, artificial colors, corn syrup, animal gelatins and other chemical additives so often found in ice cream nowadays.

The check

I enjoyed the payment system: the parlor is equipped with a ticket machine (similar to those found in some ramen joints). I found this system very practical because it avoids the gelataio inside to handle banknotes and coins with all the unpleasant consequences.

The ticket for a cup with two flavors was 450 yen (around 4 USD), a very reasonable price given the quality and also the generous amount of gelato poured into the cup.

For those who like authentic Italian artisan gelato Mammaia is a must-go destination. I will certainly come back in my future trips to Tokyo.

Where in Tokyo:
3-42-11 Yushima, Bunkyo 113-0034, Tokyo
In Japanese: 3-42-11, 文京区, 湯島 (a short walk from Ueno Hirokoji station)
Check their Facebook page for the latest.
Currently open daily in the afternoon (2-7pm), except on Mondays.

Three cafes in Tokyo where to enjoy food, stationery and fountain pens

Tokyo is certainly not short of themed-cafes: animals, anime characters, monsters, historical periods, everything is fair game. In this post I will show you three cafes that are relevant to fountain pens and stationery enthusiasts.

1. Cafe Stylo at Itoya

Itoya is probably the most amazing stationery shop in the world. It has many locations, also outside Japan, but speaking of Itoya means speaking of its flagship location in Ginza: 9 floors filled with every conceivable stationery item. And if that is not enough, you can visit their annex for more pens, inks, paper and notepads.

Probably the most interesting floor is the third reserved to high-end writing instruments.

The display cabinets are filled with pens worth thousand of dollars; entry level fountain pen models start at around 40 USD (in the annex you can find cheaper pens).

If you go, check if they have any store exclusive item. In my September 2018 visit, they were introducing a number of exclusive Lamy pens, a few available only at Itoya (I love Ginza pens) and others only available in other two stores in Tokyo. These are the kind of items that get collectors go amok.

Cafe Stylo is located on the 12th floor and is accessible using the elevator on the back entrance.

Their menu sports breakfast and lunch items as well as desserts and drinks for a quick stop. They are open from 10am to 10pm, with last order to be placed before 9pm.

They proudly claim to source their eggs from Kurofuji farm in Yamanashi where chicken are kept free range at 1100 meters above the sea level. Consequently, their organic Benedict egg dishes, while a bit pricey, are highly recommended for a hearty breakfast.

I can vouch for their desserts, like this chocolate mousse sadly no longer available on their menu.

Where in Tokyo:
2 Chome-7-15 Ginza, Chūō, Tokyo 104-0061, Japan
Check their website to see the menus.

2. Maruzen Café

Maruzen is a historic chain of bookshops that can be found around Japan. They also carry amazing selections of fountain pens and stationery.

The basement of their flagship Nihombashi location (just across the street from Takashimaya) offers one of the best selections of Japanese and international fountain pens that can be found in Tokyo. They are also one of the few stores to carry Nakaya pens. In March they organize a fountain pen fair where they release a truckload of limited edition pens and inks (see the pictures above from March 2018). When browsing the shelves in the basement, look for the Athena inks that are exclusive to Maruzen.

The third floor in Nihombashi hosts the namesake café (now operated by Café de Cléa).

It is a relatively spacious location, with seating both for solo diners (like in the picture above) and large groups.

In my September 2018 visit I had their signature lemon mousse that I highly recommend.

But Maruzen Café is a place where you can also have a full lunch or dinner. In particular, look for their curry and Hayashi rice dishes. I recommend to try their curry hamburger steaks (pictured one with omelette) that are different from Westerner hamburger, and make for a satisfactory meal. Also the Hayashi dishes should not be missed since lore has it that the dish was invented by Yuteki Hayashi, the founder and first president of Maruzen itself.

Where in Tokyo:
2-3-10 Nihonbashi Chuo Tokyo
In Japanese: 東京都中央区日本橋 2-3-10 日本橋丸善東急ビル３F

3. Bunbougu Cafe

Finally, in the Omotesando area, there is a full-fledged stationery themed cafe called Bunbougu Cafe (“bunbougu” means stationery in Japanese).

The cafe is located in a basement level.

All kind of stationery and cute products are for sale.

A selection of pencils, crayons and some decorative tapes (called washi in Japanese) are available for free to all customers.

If you go, make sure to try their stationery-themed gashapon: these vending machines dispense random stationery contained in a plastic ball.

Above is pictured what I got for 200 yen (less than 2 USD): a pterodactyl-shaped eraser and a roll of washi tape.

In my September 2018 visit I just had a drink (grapefruit juice). In a previous visit I enjoyed a massive parfait that was no longer available on the menu. They have food suitable both for a meal or for a drink with friends. A simple drink starts at around 600 yen after tax.

But there is a bonus! If you are in this part of town and are interested in stationery and fountain pens you cannot miss the Tokyo branch of Bung Box, a very popular destination for fountain pen enthusiasts. The shop is just 50 meters from the cafe and, while tiny, it is filled with the sought after Bung Box inks (made by Sailor), their shop exclusive limited edition pens and more. It must be noted that the two places, even if they share a very similar name, are not related (for what it matters to my knowledge Bung Box came first). It is worth a visit, but check opening times on the website because their schedule is quite irregular.

Where in Tokyo:
4-8-1 Jingumae, Shibuya, Tokyo
Check their website for a preview of the menu.

Final thoughts about a possible itinerary:
1. Start your day with a breakfast at Stylo Cafe (Itoya) based on organic Benedict eggs.
2. Head to Maruzen Cafe for a substantial lunch based on Hayashi rice.
3. Move to Omotesando for a drink or a sweet treat at Bunbougu Cafe.

The best chocolaterie in Vietnam: Maison Marou in Ho Chi Minh City

I am hardly unveiling anything new. Chocolate Marou was covered by The New York Times a few years ago. Still, I feel compelled to write about it since their Maison Marou in Ho Chi Minh City is, in my opinion, is one of the best dessert experiences in Vietnam.

Chocolate Marou was founded by two French gentleman, Samuel Maruta (also of Japanese heritage) and and Vincent Mourou back in 2011 (now you can guess where the name comes from). They were not chocolatier by trade, but they did learn fast and had the brilliant idea to exploit local coco bean varieties, each with its own unique texture and aroma depending on the place of origin (the so called terroir).

But this review is not about the chocolate itself, rather it is about Maison Marou, a chocolaterie that is a coffee shop, but also an atelier, but also a miniature chocolate factory, but also a shop, but also a learning center and now even a tourist destination.

The visit

I have patronized Maison Marou since its opening. It is just a great place where to meet friends or just have a solitary dessert. It is quite busy on weekends; weekdays in the early afternoon is probably the best time to go.

At Maison Marou you can shop for Marou chocolate bars, pralines and other souvenirs. You can see the machine roasting the coco beans in action (you can even taste a raw coco bean).

But the star of Maison Marou is represented by their chocolate pastry creations. In my latest visit I tried the tiramisu that was excellent and certainly not an easy dish. In the past I also tried their opera cake, eclairs (love the hard slide of chocolate inside, instead of the regular soft cream), tarts, and other seasonal treats. I have never been let down. One comfort food that I strongly recommend is their giant chocolate chips cookie. It is a great blend of chocolate and cookie paste. They also serve coffee and hot/iced chocolate (and a few other drinks) to complete the experience, otherwise iced water is complimentary (as customary in Vietnamese coffee shops).

In my last visit I also tried one of their new products, a sort of power bar called Ironbar. The balance between the chocolate and the various grains and fibers was good.

The check

For a tiramisu and the chocolate energy bar I spent 210,000 VND (or around 9 USD). The eclair is 70,000 VND (3 USD), but most desserts are priced around 150,000 VND (6.55 USD). By Vietnamese standards, it is not cheap. However, it is difficult to quibble about the price if you take into account the quality of the ingredients and the attractiveness of the venue. For reference, a sampler with 6 bars of their chocolate costs 600,000 VND (around 26 USD). It is pleonastic, but yes, good chocolate is not cheap nowadays.

Where in Ho Chi Minh City:
169 Calmette, Phường Nguyễn Thái Bìn, District 1
Open daily from 9am to 10pm (11pm on Fridays and Weekends).
Check their website and facebook page for updated information.
They also have a Maison Marou in Hanoi.

Learning the difference between Gelato and ice cream at Ralf’s Artisan Gelato in Ho Chi Minh City

One of the pluses of Ho Chi Minh City’s food scene is that it still leaves room to compelling personal stories. Sure, international chains are already everywhere, but if you are patient enough you can still find self-motivated individuals that just want to do the right thing. The owner and artisan behind Ralf’s Artisan Gelato has one of these stories to tell. For him gelato was a destiny, Vietnam is probably an accident. He first tried to take over a gelato parlor in Germany when he was in his mid-twenties, but the Italian owner called off the deal. So he went on another professional trajectory for 30 years or so. Finally, he was able to acquire a gelato parlor in Germany and spent the past 10 years learning and perfecting his trade. Finally, life brought him in Vietnam where all what he learnt finally came together.

The visit

I was introduced to this gelato parlor (you will see why I cannot write ice cream in a moment) by a good friend of mine in 2017. Now, every time I visit Ho Chi Minh City a stop is mandatory. My latest visit dates back to July 2018 and on this occasion I had a chance to speak to Ralf and I was even given a tour of his laboratory.

Certificate of membership Gelatieri per il Gelato

Ralf’s Artisan Gelato is a representative of the Italian tradition, but using the Italian term “gelato” to designate its creations is not just an homage to Italy. Rather, gelato indicates a distinct production process that leads to something different from ordinary industrial ice cream. The key is that gelato contains less fat (less cream and more milk is used) and less air than ice cream and it is served at warmer temperatures. This results in a more organic, intense flavor and a richer texture. The association Gelatieri per il Gelato (Ralf is their only Asian member) also stresses the use of fresh, natural, high quality ingredients and the production in small batches.

But there is more. Even in Italy, the vast majority of gelato parlors use semi-finished products to quickly produce their gelato. Ralf is among the few artisan that produces his gelato from scratch. This means that he picks the best ingredients and turns them into gelato step by step. For example, producing a batch of passion fruit may involve a week-long process that starts with letting the fruits mature to the right point, harvest the pulp and so on. This is not a process that can be easily scaled and, not surprisingly, real gelato artisan operates small shops.

These points were optimally illustrated by my choice, a scoop of coffee ice cream and one of Marou chocolate (Marou is a Vietnamese brand of chocolate… more in another review). The coffee flavor was intense, but not pungent like in some industrial ice cream I experienced elsewhere and the texture of the chocolate was closer to a mousse than regular ice cream.

Before leaving I also tasted a few of the more exotic flavors available. Ralf created a fish sauce flavor that is scoring very well with locals (not my cup of tea, but fish sauce is so intimately part of the Vietnamese culture that I am not surprised the flavor can have a lot of admirers). I liked another Vietnam-inspired flavor, yogurt and black rice (a typical Vietnamese dessert). Finally, I would recommend trying the pumpkin seed oil that has a nutty back-taste and is made with pumpkin oil imported from Austria.

The check

One scoop currently sells for 60,000 VND (2.62 USD). Two scoops like in my order make a good portion, so you will spend between 2.60 and 5.20 USD to taste this labor of love. I find the price point more than reasonable considering all the work and dedication necessary to get to the finished product. Besides, industrial ice creams sell for around the same (sometimes even more). I am not even comparing these prices with Shanghai or Hong Kong where prices are higher, but the quality is spotty. The gelato can be tasted in a cup or in a cone (I prefer the former). The shop also has tables and I and a friend enjoyed the gelato indoor with complimentary iced tea, but, of course, it also makes sense to enjoy it as a street food (in this case cone is the right choice!). So, all in all, I want to say thanks to Ralf for teaching me something new about food and for having brought this tradition to Vietnam. I hope to visit him again and again.

Where in Ho Chi Minh City:
39 Đặng Thị Nhu, Phường Nguyễn Thái Bìn, District 1
At the time of posting it is closed on Mondays and opens at 1pm during the week, at 11.30 on weekends and keeps open till 10pm. Check their Facebook page for up to date information.

UPDATE
I also would like to share this gelato drink popular in Germany and Austria that Ralf has on his menu:

It is basically a chocolate drink with two scoops of gelato (also the coffee version is available). It is an extremely rich drink highly recommended to chocolate lovers.