From blue cheese to milk chocolate bacon: quirky ice creams to try in Mumbai

This week, Papacream, an ice cream café set up shop at Churchgate. Ingredients that usually surface in restaurant menus are de rigueur at this ice cream café. Papacream offers savoury ice creams like Cheddar Cheese and Jalapeno Ice Cream with spiced nachos, Thai Ice Cream Sushi, and Pani Puri sorbet.

Owner Tanvi Chowdhri was introduced to the concept of savoury ice-cream in New York City and immediately took to it. Papacream uses liquid nitrogen to freeze the ice creams and guests can watch the process. “The instant freezing by nitrogen creates smaller ice crystals and a smoother texture. It allows us to make the ice creams instantly,” she says.

Papacream is one of many ice cream parlours in the city that use innovative techniques and offer a unique mix of flavours. While liquid nitrogen rules the roost at many spaces, vegan, artisanal and handcrafted ice creams are also quite popular.

Where: Shop 18, Cambatta Building, Churchgate

Call: 6517 7272

Cost: Rs 450 onwards (for half-litre tub)

Here are some quirky ones:

Blue cheese ice cream, anyone?

Started by two Le Cordon Bleu-trained chefs, Caramel Carousel offers combinations like Blue Cheese and Honey, Milk Chocolate Bacon and Dark Chocolate Truffle (made with mushrooms). Ice creams are made with organic milk and are free of preservatives.

Where: Savia Building, Rebello Road, Bandra (W)

Call: 98336 45888

Cost: Rs 600 onwards (half litre tub); Rs 900 for dark chocolate truffle (half litre tub)

Say freeze

-301*F, the pan-India liquid nitrogen ice cream parlour serves creamlettes or a roll of ice cream. It is made on a live counter, within a couple of minutes. “When ice creams are stored in a freezer for six to eight hours, water molecules form ice crystals. But our methods are rapid and water molecules barely get time to crystallise, resulting in creamy ice creams,” shares Deepak Nihalani, co-owner. Try out their unique combinations like Banoffee Pie and Choco Peanut Butter.

Where: Bandra, Kandivali and Ghatkopar

Call: 98208 54485

Cost: Rs 150 onwards for combination ice creams

An artisanal touch

Ice creams at artisanal ice creamery Sucres Des Terres are made using fresh milk, fruits, and in small batches. “Most products are hand-processed,” says owner Kunali Chandaria-Dattoobhai, who has studied at Le Cordon Bleu, Paris. Dattoobhai recently collaborated with The Spotted Cow Fromagerie to make Camembert ice cream. Try the Sweet Heart Lemon Tart (lemon sherbet) and Dark Side of Ginger (dark chocolate and candied ginger).

Where: Dr Annie Besant Road, Worli

Call: 99209 85880

Cost: Rs 650 onwards

Your ice cream went vegan

Started by Samir Prasad, a vegan practitioner, and Hemali Gala, a raw food chef, Vegan Bites recently launched a range of dairy-free, handcrafted gourmet ice creams. They offer flavours such as Raw Cacao with Cacao Nibs and mango and blueberry. Sugar-free variants include Choco Almond and Fig Walnut, which are sweetened with dates. They are currently working on flavours like Mint Spirulina and Moringa Chia seed. “We don’t use cream or thickening agents. Our fruit ice creams contain 50 per cent fruit, and not preserves or extracts,” shares Prasad.

Where: NM Joshi Marg, Lower Parel

Call: 76665 86430

Cost: Rs 450 onwards (500ml tubs)

Churn it right

Bina’s Ice Cream, started by home chef Bina Doshi, offers hand-churned ice creams in flavours like jasmine rice, chai biskoot and chocolate wasabi. “Slow-churned ice cream is made in a wooden sancha, using ice and salt. The process involves stirring the milk with the ingredients till it turns into ice cream naturally,” shares Doshi.

Call: 99303 12998

Visit: facebook.com/Binas-Homemade-Icecream

Cost: Rs 250 onwards per tub

Also watch out for

* Movenpick’s ice creams are sourced from Switzerland and are available in flavours like Creme Brulee and Panna Cotta.

* Liquid Nitrogen Bubbling Kulfi at Spice Klub is served in an open-mouth jar with toppings such as blueberry, chocolate and caramel.

* Drunken Cream’s ice creams blend rum, beer and whiskey.

* Nice Kream offers ice creams in flavours like Whiskey Misty and Nice Kola (similar to Coca Cola). The highlight is their toppings, which includes macadamia nuts with sea salt, and sauces injected with a syringe.

* Guilt Trip offers ice cream cupcakes where you choose the cupcake base and ice cream frosting to go with it. Try their Red Velvet Cupcake with vanilla ice cream topped with cream cheese.