GIOIA in Kuala Lumpur
A maze of roads lined with heritage shophouses with facades overrun by time, some serving as spaces for under-the-radar art galleries, chic cafes, snazzy bars, and boutique hotels. This is Kuala Lumpur’s Petaling Street for you.
There are more than enough things to do in the vibrant area for a day, though the scorching heat will get to you at some point.
Fret not, the new kid on the block is a gelateria named GIOIA – an idyllic gelato shop that has everything to cool you off on a hot afternoon: a large air-conditioned space and loads of luscious frozen treats.
The newest gelato parlour in Petaling Street
At a corner of a bustling crossroad, near the Pasar Seni train station, stands a large two-levelled colonial structure that looks almost like a museum.
Instead of ancient and culturally significant relics, the soft-hued blue building is KL’s newest gelato parlour – GIOIA. Step inside and you’ll be met with the buzz of workers scuttling behind the counters, customers poring over the menus, and patrons chit-chatting at the seating area, with the distinctive scent of sugar lingering in the air.
If you’re picturing the typical mountains of brightly coloured gelatos on display at most touristy gelaterias you’ll see in Italy, you’ll find none of that at GIOIA. But there’s no need to be disappointed. In fact, the true mark of authentic gelato is when the gelato stays completely hidden and well-packed in a metal container.
Here, rows of churning metal pits are filled with creamy concoctions that don’t look suspiciously dyed, so rest assured, you’ll sink your fangs into the freshest, coldest gelato possible.
Past the counter of churning gelatos, there’s also a display of baked sourdough goods. Feast your eyes on mini baguettes, danishes, bagels, and rolls that have been baked by GIOIA’s sister brand BakeTouch Microbakery.
Order these on their own, or opt to pair them with the icy treat – there’s nothing like a hot-pastry-and-cold-ice-cream combo that’ll warm the cockles of the heart.
Ambience at GIOIA
The vast space of the gelato shop isn’t limited to one floor.
Head up the staircase to the 2nd floor where you’ll be greeted by a somewhat classier ambience, more seating options in a lounge area of plush cushions and long flowy curtains, and yet another counter of churning gelatos in different boozed-up flavours.
GIOIA+ is for the grown people, the crowd who needs a little more jazz to their otherwise a-little-too-bland gelato treats.
The gold-branded counterpart will spike up the sweetness with their bolder offerings of alcohol-infused flavours such as Scotch Whiskey Avocado (RM27/scoop), Zenzero Ginger Wine (RM27/scoop) and Moutai Sicilian Pistachio (RM42/scoop).
Glorious cold scoops at GIOIA
POV: The temps outside aren’t letting up and you find yourself caving into the temptation of a decadent cool dessert at GIOIA.
It’s hard to ignore the pang of guilt for succumbing to a not-too-healthy snack break, this quintessential Italian treat isn’t all too terrible for the health. Gelato contains less cream and fat compared to a traditional ice cream, but still possesses a more intense flavour due to the lack of fat coating and its denser consistency.
GIOIA promises the real stuff, with premium ingredients, authentic churning methods, and various flavours which run the gamut from good ol’ classics such as Pistachio and Madagascar Vanilla to more complex fare such as the Hibiscus and Musang King.
Seasalt Butterfly Pea Flower with Sourdough Coconut Milk Belgian Waffle
Booze-infused gelatos are undeniably elite, but we settled for the tamer flavours – after all, a good gelato does not need any elaborated additions to be able to show off.
We asked for the gorgeous royal-blue Seasalt Butterfly Pea Flower (RM13/scoop) to be perched atop the intriguing black-tainted Sourdough Belgian Waffle (RM9), and we spent a minute revelling over the vividly contrasting colours.
As blue puddles began to form within the ridges of the warm waffle, we tucked into the gelato quickly before it could disappear into a melted mess.
The salty notes hit us first, but not in a way that makes the sweet treat savoury. Rather, it enhanced the sweetness and flavour of the gelato. Both elements paired decently well, with the coconut notes of the waffle complementing the decadence of the gelato.
Hibiscus and Fruitti De Bosco
For the next two flavours, we requested them to be served in a single-cup size. To our surprise, it arrived in meagre portions – we expected more for the slightly exorbitant price. While we were aware that gelatos tend to melt faster than a typical ice cream, they were sweating at a rather alarming speed, even without the aid of a toasty carb beneath them.
Nonetheless, the flavours were spot on.
The Fruitti De Bosco (RM13/scoop) is a delightful concoction of strawberry, blueberry, and raspberry, which was refreshing and lush all at once. The visible specks of berry bits and seeds reassured us that the sharp fruity flavours cutting through was all-natural. But a few mouthfuls in, and the unusually strong aftertaste shaved off some points for us.
Hibiscus (RM27/scoop) was the flavour that fascinated us the most, and it did not disappoint. We were startled by the tang which came unexpectedly for a flavour that’s named after a flower, but it soon settled into light floral notes that does not perfume the mouth.
Texture-wise, these were velvety smooth and ridiculously silky, but lacked the rich creaminess that would elevate them to excellence.
The verdict
GIOIA is Italian for “joy”. Apart from the Instagrammable-corners in the hip gelateria and some adequately delicious flavours, the joy from our experience here was fleeting.
If you can get past the smaller portions and the heftier prices, you’ll delight in the deep flavours. Otherwise, a convenience store popsicle or fast-food chain’s soft-serve will do well-enough to curb the sweet cravings or quench your thirst.
Address: 183, Jalan Tun H S Lee, City Centre, 50000 Kuala Lumpur
Opening hours: Sun-Thu 10am-10pm | Fri & Sat 10am-12am
Contact: 011-1864 9168 | GIOIA Instagram
For more sweet treats in Klang Valley, read:
Photography by Jia-Ju.
Cover image adapted from: TheSmartLocal Malaysia