Sushi for dessert
The creaminess of gelato and the spiciness of wasabi
The creaminess of gelato and the spiciness of wasabi
The word affogato translates to ‘drown’ in Italian, referring to the scoop of gelato that is drowned by a shot of piping hot espresso.
At the end of a wonderful lunch at the Gelatofix (GF) Lifestyle Cafe last week, the waiter came with dessert: a colorful platter of sushi. Certain that our hosts had made a terrible mistake, we sent it back to the kitchen. The waiter came back with the sushi, politely insisting that we were going to have sushi for dessert.
We bit into one and were surprised—the sushi-looking creations were sweet, not savory, and among the best desserts we’d had. The picture-perfect Gelato Sushi had the creaminess of gelato and the spiciness of wasabi.
Gelato Sushi showed off the restaurant’s major attraction—gelato (Italian ice cream), which we enjoyed also in affogato, a very Italian creation that’s catching on around the world.
AFFOGATO
The Italians have given us pizza, prosciutto, Parmesan cheese, pasta sauce, risotto, lasagna, tiramisu, and the list goes on. The latest Italian treat to add to our repertoire is the affogato, a dessert-beverage.
The word “affogato” translates to “drown” in Italian, referring to the scoop of gelato that is drowned by a shot of piping hot espresso. The Merriam-Webster Dictionary lists the first known use of the word affogato in the English language as 1992. The dish started gaining popularity worldwide around that time.
Like most great Italian dishes, the affogato is simple. It is a blend of two delicious Italian essentials: espresso and gelato. Thus, the affogato is the trendy solution for people who are at a loss for dessert suggestions.
The introduction of affogato to American culture has resulted in a boom, with Italian-inspired restaurants and small coffee bars adding the dish to their offerings. Starbucks unveiled a line of affogato-inspired drinks at coffee bars across the United States, taking the trend mainstream. And now, affogato is starting to get a foothold among foodies in the Philippines, as shown by the size of the local and foreign lunch crowd during our visit.
WINNING COMBINATION
The world-class café, which initially enticed customers with gelato creations and exquisite Italian cuisine, has ventured into new territories with entrees created by awardwinning chefs, Gelato World Cup Champion, master chef Filippo Novelli and Gelatofix master chef David Chang. Most popular is the big bird, a huge portion of golden fried, boneless chicken with special herbs and spices. It comes with gravy and honey on the side, much like the country fried chicken served in American breakfast joints.
Another winner is braised lamb shank simmered for hours and topped with brown sauce and gremolata. The shank was more than enough to be shared by two to three diners.
Mexican and Italian cuisine blend perfectly in Asada Pizza, which blends fresh and cured toppings.
For pasta lovers, there’s an array of pasta selections led by prawn apricot pasta, which is both sweet and light in the palate. The prawns were large white Pacific farmed shrimps, which ecology warriors label as sustainable. Unlike black tiger prawns (sugpo), the white prawns stay tender and juicy even when fully grown.
The risotto al funghi easily became a crowd drawer because of the familiar and well-loved flavor of mushroom absorbed by imported short grain rice cooked al dente.