I'm shocked I didn't write about DeLuca Gelato on 9/16 when I first visited.
Tonight Valerie and I had dessert at this fantastic gelateria for the second time. I can tell you, having eaten the real deal in Italy, that these folks really know what they're doing. It's the first authentic Italian ice cream I've eaten in Virginia, and completely obliterates the little competition put up by Gelati Celesti.
One of the best parts of DeLuca is that they have a huge selection of sorbetto as well as gelato. For those of you unfamiliar, sorbetto is like a non-dairy gelato, or sorbet. This gelateria had some of my favorite flavors from Italy as well, like frutti di bosco (mixed berries), fragola (strawberry), and limone (I sure hope you can guess that one). They also have plenty of flavors I've never tasted such as cocco (coconut), lampone (raspberry), and mirtillo (blueberry). And that's just the sorbetto! I've also tasted the nocciola (hazelnut), cannolo (like cannoli filling, with shell pieces!), and the tartufo al bacio which tastes just like Perugina's Baci candy.
It's obvious from tasting the various flavors that real craftsmanship goes into the preparation of the gelato. I could taste the hint of nutmeg in the cannolo, and Valerie's menta (mint chocolate chip) clearly contained high quality mint oil.
I've definitely found one of my new favorite places to eat in the greater Richmond area, even if it IS in the Gayton Crossing shopping center.
Tonight Valerie and I had dessert at this fantastic gelateria for the second time. I can tell you, having eaten the real deal in Italy, that these folks really know what they're doing. It's the first authentic Italian ice cream I've eaten in Virginia, and completely obliterates the little competition put up by Gelati Celesti.
One of the best parts of DeLuca is that they have a huge selection of sorbetto as well as gelato. For those of you unfamiliar, sorbetto is like a non-dairy gelato, or sorbet. This gelateria had some of my favorite flavors from Italy as well, like frutti di bosco (mixed berries), fragola (strawberry), and limone (I sure hope you can guess that one). They also have plenty of flavors I've never tasted such as cocco (coconut), lampone (raspberry), and mirtillo (blueberry). And that's just the sorbetto! I've also tasted the nocciola (hazelnut), cannolo (like cannoli filling, with shell pieces!), and the tartufo al bacio which tastes just like Perugina's Baci candy.
It's obvious from tasting the various flavors that real craftsmanship goes into the preparation of the gelato. I could taste the hint of nutmeg in the cannolo, and Valerie's menta (mint chocolate chip) clearly contained high quality mint oil.
I've definitely found one of my new favorite places to eat in the greater Richmond area, even if it IS in the Gayton Crossing shopping center.