The other night someone mistook our work for that of a serious food news outlet. It happens. As such they invited us to the Official Opening of La Divina Gelateria and Cafe in the French Quarter. Peter was busy being busy in his third year of law school, so I went. And if lived in the Quarter or visited as often as I liked, I would be double amped, triple stoked, and entirely pumped for the opening of this treat filled goody box.
La Divina began when the owners, Carmelo and Katrina Turillo, returned from a stint in Florence. The story goes thusly. They noticed the Italians spent evenings walking around and stopping in the gelaterias, scooping creamy gelato, catching up, and spying on one another. The owners thought this will work in New Orleans; and they were right.
Their first foray into gelato is on Magazine. Now, along with partner David Marinello, the couple opened La Divina Gelateria and Cafe on St. Peter's in the French Quarter. The location should provide plenty of foot traffic from nearby Jackson Square, however on a nice day I would walk over there from the CBD for a delightful journey and even more delicious treat.
The shop will offer ice cream, paninis, coffees, and other Italian treats. Last night I sampled a few of the gelatos and here are some thoughts. I generally dont like sweet potatoes as cooks tend to over sweeten them. The Sweet Potato Gelato however was subtle and reminscent of Pumpkin Pie, Thanksgiving, and Fall, so right there they had me. The Creme Brulee had those familiar flavors and textures the name implies but with a greater creaminess. The Stracciatella is the Italian question for chocolate chip ice cream and showcases the 70% cocoa perfectly. Finally, I had the Peach Prosecco sorbetto to accompany the glass of prosecco I could not refuse. All very good with a decadent mouthfeel and a burst of flavors.
"You like the peach...thats the last batch. We only use fresh, seasonal ingredients. All our gelatos are made from scratch and without using pastes, powders, or bases. We are the only business that can say that," Marinello said.
Also, had a panini with portabella mushrooms. That was really good with a nice balsalmic note.
Anyone up for a field trip one day for lunch? I am.
La Divina began when the owners, Carmelo and Katrina Turillo, returned from a stint in Florence. The story goes thusly. They noticed the Italians spent evenings walking around and stopping in the gelaterias, scooping creamy gelato, catching up, and spying on one another. The owners thought this will work in New Orleans; and they were right.
Their first foray into gelato is on Magazine. Now, along with partner David Marinello, the couple opened La Divina Gelateria and Cafe on St. Peter's in the French Quarter. The location should provide plenty of foot traffic from nearby Jackson Square, however on a nice day I would walk over there from the CBD for a delightful journey and even more delicious treat.
The shop will offer ice cream, paninis, coffees, and other Italian treats. Last night I sampled a few of the gelatos and here are some thoughts. I generally dont like sweet potatoes as cooks tend to over sweeten them. The Sweet Potato Gelato however was subtle and reminscent of Pumpkin Pie, Thanksgiving, and Fall, so right there they had me. The Creme Brulee had those familiar flavors and textures the name implies but with a greater creaminess. The Stracciatella is the Italian question for chocolate chip ice cream and showcases the 70% cocoa perfectly. Finally, I had the Peach Prosecco sorbetto to accompany the glass of prosecco I could not refuse. All very good with a decadent mouthfeel and a burst of flavors.
"You like the peach...thats the last batch. We only use fresh, seasonal ingredients. All our gelatos are made from scratch and without using pastes, powders, or bases. We are the only business that can say that," Marinello said.
Also, had a panini with portabella mushrooms. That was really good with a nice balsalmic note.
Anyone up for a field trip one day for lunch? I am.
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EDIT: Because I was unable to attend the grand opening, I feel that I need to proove that my absence from the event does not overshadow my love for gelato. A picture is worth a thousand words. - Peter
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4 comments:
The opening of La Divina in the FQ is one of the best things ever to happen to me, Reader 5000. It's so close to my work that I can amble over during the last few minutes of my lunch hour and enjoy an Azteca in Jackson Square, which is awesome, and is quickly becoming a daily ritual. It really does make you feel like you're in some European square gettin some cultcha.
The thing that has struck me about the Magazine Street location is the intensity of the flavors. Their gelato reminds you how moderated flavors are in ice cream.
Paninis at La Divina are almost as good as the spectacular gelato. I'm a fan of La Bomba--goat cheese, proscuitto, & hot sauce.
That is the face of happiness.
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