Hollywood: Inventive (and Boozy) Flavors at GelatoVino

The sad fact is that you can’t get a scoop of Thrifty ice cream from Rite Aid at 11pm. I was lamenting this reality while leaving the Belle and Sebastian show at the Palladium on Sunday night when Josh said, “I know a place!” He then lead me to GelatoVino, the latest entry in George Abou-Daoud’s Sunset Blvd. restaurant corner, which includes Delancey (fun!), Tamarind Avenue Deli (delicious!) and Mission Cantina (eh…).

The small, purple-velvet-clad gelataria has two tables, an inventive assortment of flavors, and a wall of dessert wines for pairing. The vibe is very welcoming, and sampling is encouraged to help you choose from options like Campari, Butter Brown Sugar with Bacon, Bulliet Bourbon, Downtown Brown (beer flavor) and Earl Grey. The authenticity of these flavors is pretty stunning, even if some are a little much for a whole scoop.

I got two scoops: Chevre with Sour Cherry and Chocolate Orange. The chevre was rather mindblowing and included smooth chunks of tangy goat cheese—I loved every bite. The chocolate had a brownie-like crumbly texture and bits of candied orange rind, which provided intensity to the semi-sweet flavor.

Josh’s pairing was a little more sophisticated than mine. He chose the very-roasty Roasted Almond Fig, contrasting its richness with a slightly tart Strawberry scoop. I wondered if the Meyer Lemon would have taken the complexity even further.

We didn’t have any wine because we’d already had enough at the concert, but I look forward to getting the complete experience soon. GelatoVino is open until Midnight everyday.

-Valentina

GelatoVino
5940 Sunset Blvd (Map It)
Los Angeles, CA 90028