Travel Canada: Sweet Vancouver

THE STORY OF THE END OF A MEAL AN ERA

The night is warm as we leave downtown. To the right is Chinatown and some of Vancouver’s poorer neighbourhoods, dark and quiet. To the left is a deserted field. We wouldn’t be stopping here but for the little store ahead that shines like a lighthouse in the dark of night. In the attached parking lot and seating area swarm young adults, families with children, tourists, and locals of all ethnicities alike. We have all come for the same reason: to soothe our hot bodies and excite our palates with famed Italian gelato.

Inside La Casa, people are packed from serving station to serving station. We pay for our cone tickets before easing our way into the crowd, making our way to the freezers to choose flavours (one for each scoop).

Oh, what to choose?! Classic vanilla bean? Double chocolate? Bubble gum? Lychee? Wasabi? Durian? 218 flavours to select from… I will ask for a sample! After many samples, we walk out with our double cones and go outside to enjoy our treats.

This was two years ago. Sadly, La Casa Gelato has sinced changed management and reviews are rife with disappointment. Poor service. Poor quality product. I brush the tears from my eyes…

With fond memories of the nice lady who served gelato in Firenze, whom I visited daily for the five days I spent exploring there, I now wholeheartedly recommend Mario’s Gelati and their retailer, Amato Gelato. Mario’s has a smaller selection than La Casa, but service is friendly and the gelato is delicious.

Other recommended Vancouver restaurants specializing in dessert:

Cheesecakes, Etc. located at the South end of Granville Street bridge has cheesecakes to die for.
A wider selection is available at True Confections, a popular place to go for a late night treat.
And finally, we cannot have a selection of desserts without including Parisian pastries. Visit Ganache Patisserie in Yaletown for a heavenly end to your meal.