Gelato cafés have peppered the Los Angeles area over the years, but the fad-factor seems to have resurged as lines inside them have started snaking out the doors again. What makes gelato different from ice cream? many would ask.
Beats me. But trusted sources (namely the World Wide Web) have revealed that the difference between gelato and ice cream is that gelato has less fat and no air added, which accounts for its rich creamier taste and denser consistency.
For the moment, it seems ice cream aficionados are jumping ship and climbing on board the gelato craze, but whether it’s due to preferences in taste or the more colorful and sophisticated aesthetics of a gelato cafe as opposed to that of an ice cream parlor remains a mystery. What also remains to be seen is whether ice cream can reclaim its crown as the king of frozen desserts from the cold clutches of gelato.
You can see evidence of the phenomenon off the Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica. Brightly lit, colorful, and inviting stands Angelato Café. Through its glass face, you can see dozens and dozens of flavors neatly lying side by side in the long cooler that stretches across the entire café. There are over 100 flavors, and in the smorgasbord you’ll find everything from tequila lime to cola float and even buttered popcorn!
With the staggering options you’re faced with, you could spend a good half-hour alone balking at the glass case and deciding what to order. In fact, quite a few people do, which partly accounts for Angelato’s crowded storefront and long lines.
So if you have nothing to do for a good while, and especially if you haven’t had the pleasure of indulging in gelato yourself, stop into a gelato café and decide for yourself if it lives up to the hype.
To find out more about the history of gelato visit this site http://www.angelatocafe.com/history.htm
—Jane Rothstein
Angelato Café
301 Arizona Avenue
Santa Monica, 90401
Phone (310) 656 - 9999
