Holy Gelato! A Heavenly Treat For Your Taste
Buds
Jason Hom and Lauren Wu
With the memories of summer still fresh in our minds, we decided to pay
a visit to Holy Gelato one windy afternoon. We stepped into the store
and entered a space filled with light streaming in from the large storefront
windows. Shelves lining the walls are stacked with all sorts of goodies
that you can peruse while savoring your gelato. In one visit, you can
purchase a vintage toy, pick up a mug depicting a Star Wars or Disney
character, or bring home a lunch box for your kid (or yourself). If you
would rather stock up on edible items, the store, which is located inside
S.F. Tea & Coffee, also offers several selections of chocolate, dried
fruit, jams and teas. Other unique items include herb rubs and bisque
soup mixes.
Now on to the important business — the gelato! The counters are filled
with bins of colorful and creamy-looking gelato, taunting the indecisive. The
proprietor recommended the spiced rum raisin gelato as the flavor to choose.
We tried it and found it to have a sweet, subtle and unique flavor. So how were
the other flavors? Fortunately, we had a large number of dessert connoisseurs
with us, so we were able to sample many different flavors and get multiple opinions.
Overall, the general consensus was that the fruit selections at Holy Gelato were
the best choices.
The strawberry gelato was described by second-year medical student Harras Zaid
as an extraordinary “orgasm of flavor” that he highly recommended.
Others praised the flavor and consistency. The mango sorbet was complimented
by an anonymous second-year medical student as being “very refreshing,
tangy and fruity — perfect for a summer day” if they actually existed
in the chilly Sunset. Kiwi sorbet was also pleasing to the tongue, as well as
to the eye. The intense green sorbet speckled with black seeds was simultaneously
tart and sweet.
The spumoni and chocolate hazelnut were described as “classic.” One
reviewer commented that the chocolate hazelnut had strong peanut butter accents.
The amaretto and the black sesame were favorably viewed. The black sesame was
described as lightly sweet and nutty; a reviewer pointed out that the black sesame
might be an acquired taste.
The caramel was described as a particularly sweet flavor reminiscent of caramel
syrup and caramel frappuccino. According to one reviewer, the Thai Tea flavor
was “not bad” but did not fully capture the flavor of actual Thai
Tea.
The reviewer who tried the chocolate coconut flavor would not recommend it; she
described it as unexpectedly sour and somewhat watery. On the other hand, the
coconut gelato was described favorably as having a pleasant and balanced flavor.
The green tea was similarly well-liked, with one reviewer stating his satisfaction
with a simple “mmmm” and another recommending it as an excellent
choice. The white pistachio was a unique flavor; a generous amount of whole pistachios
was mixed with the gelato. While the flavor was excellent, there were a couple
shell fragments in the white pistachio gelato.
It was easy to relax and immerse ourselves in the icy treats as we crowded around
the two tables in the store. The place is clean, well-lit and has several more
seats along a counter facing the street. Waves of patrons would come in, ranging
from high school students to families with babies. It isn’t the ideal study
spot, but at this store you would rather chat with your friends than memorize
the intricacies of the immune system.
Gelato does tend to be pricier than ice cream, with the mini cup (one to two
flavors) costing $2.95 and the large cup (choose up to six flavors) $5.95. You
also have the option of eating your gelato from a waffle cone (25 cents extra)
or packing it in a container, so you can enjoy the whole thing at home and evade
your friends’ eager spoons. Gelato drinks are also on the menu, as are
hot coffee and tea. After reaching the bottoms of our gelato cups all too soon,
we noticed the recycling bin for the cups and spoons, which was a nice touch.
The gelato at Holy Gelato comes from three different suppliers. One particular
attraction is their vegan offerings. Another is the fact that, unlike many of
the Sunset eateries, their doors stay open late into the evening. Overall, we
would recommend it as a fun and tasty dessert experience, a great choice after
dinner at one of the many restaurants in the Inner Sunset.
Holy Gelato
1392 9th Ave. & Judah St.
681-3061
www.holygelato.com
Open until 11 p.m. Sunday-Thursday and until midnight Friday & Saturday
Jason Hom and Lauren Wu are second-year medical students. |
