Sometimes you'll stumble across something in your life that makes you feel completely content. I try and make this 'sometimes' weekly, and the 'something' is in fact
Messina Gelato,
Darlinghurst.
This retro-spec little cafe of dreams sits in the bustling Victoria Street, a few hundred meters down from
St Vincent's Hospital. On a typical night you'll see the icecreamery full of all types - gallery visitors wandering home, families, young hipsters, inner-city yuppies. The two display units of gelato take up the length of the shop and if you can narrow your flavours of choice down to two within five minutes then you are a better person than I am.
Where to begin on their flavours? Coming from
Sicilian heritage, the flavours are rich and full. They use real ingredients, the best quality everything, low fat content dairy and are inventive with their flavours. I am a sucker for Poached Figs and
Marsala, White Chocolate and Salted Caramel or their unique but lick-a-licious Burnt Butter and Sage.
If you get there early enough they might have some of their new flavours available - '1985' - a colourful mix of all things that are so bad for you they are good, and their other new flavour '
Elvis the Good Years' with peanut butter, brioche and chocolate pushing through to your tastebuds.
There are a large range of icecream cakes too, but I find it difficult to look past two scoops in a waffle cone.
That part of Victoria road has a beautiful European feel to it, it is cosmopolitan, there is pavement seating wherever you look, and it is bustling with pedestrians always.
Messina is great for an after-dinner snack, a pre-
movie munchie or a delightful treat for anytime of the day. Pull up a pew if you can get one, and get licking. If you are on the pursuit of happiness, you've found it with Messina.
