Special thanks to Milkissimo for extending this food review invitation.
Update: This business has ceased its operations.
It is easy to overlook Milkissimo (ミルキッシモ) at Gurney Plaza as it is located off the beaten path. However, being located at this location has its merits – the dining section is spacious indeed. In fact, Milkissimo positions itself as a family-oriented eatery which not only serves ice cream, but other kinds of food as well.
Milkissimo is a popular chain of ice cream kiosks from Hakodate (函館), a city in the Hokkaido (北海道) Prefecture of Japan. To date, there are more than 10 outlets in Japan. This outlet in Gurney Plaza marks Milkissimo first presence in Malaysia. Just recently, Milkissimo just opened a second outlet in da:mén in USJ.
Milkissimo specializes in gelato ice cream. Combining Italian gelato-making techniques with premium cow’s milk from Hokkaido, the result is an ice cream dessert of unparalleled quality. To highlight the marriage of these two geographical regions, Milkissimo emphasized that Hakodate and Rome are both located at 41o N. Actually, both cities are located slightly north of the 41st parallel north.
There are over 30 different flavors of gelato at Milkissimo, but in the interest of maintaining freshness, not all flavors are available at all times. It takes approximately 30 minutes to prepare a new batch of gelato. As required by the master franchise, Milkissimo uses a Carpigiani ice cream maker, which is considered the “Rolls-Royce” of ice cream makers.
To ensure that the gelato here is identical to the ones served in the Land of the Rising Sun, Milkissimo requires that all ingredients are prepared upfront in the Japanese central kitchen. Even fruits like strawberry and blueberry are sourced from local farms in Hokkaido. As Milkissimo is steadfastly committed in using fresh milk and ingredients, no artificial flavoring and coloring are included in the preparation process.
There are many ways to enjoy Milkissimo’s gelato. The most straightforward (and satisfying) approach is through the Triple Scoop Gelato (RM17.90, extra RM1.00 for each premium flavor). My choices of gelato today are Fondant Chocolate, Hokkaido Strawberry Milk and Cream Cheese. Gelato is scooped by hand. This requires some expertise as the gelato is rather dense.
Fondant Chocolate (フォンダンチョコラー) is enriched with genuine dark chocolate, satisfying even the most hard-core cocoa lovers. Meanwhile, Hokkaido Strawberry Milk (北海道いちごクレマ) carries fruity sourness which teases the tongue in a pleasing manner. Lastly, Cream Cheese (ミルキッシモレアチーズ) is significantly denser than others, and carries intense cheesecake-like appeal in a gratifying fashion.
Customers are welcome to request for samples before placing their orders. In my opinion, other popular flavors that I find particularly appealing are Northern Hascup (ハスカップノルド), Purple Sweet Potatoes (むらさきいも), Passion Fruit (パッションフルーツ) and Blood Orange (アランチャロッソ).
The newly-introduced Mango Tango Parfait (RM18.90) contains two scoops of Mango (マンゴー) sorbet, served in a tall glass with crispy rice, yogurt, mango cubes and mango marmalade in the lower layers. The refreshing sorbet and its mango sweetness make the parfait a satisfying dessert indeed.
Another specialty at Milkissimo is Triple Cheese Galette (RM18.90). Galette is a French pancake made from buckwheat, the very same cereal used to make soba (蕎麦) noodle. It is prepared in similar way as crêpe, but galette is usually considered “savory” rather than “sweet”. Three types of cheese are used here: cheddar, mozzarella and parmesan. The galette is topped with a scoop of Vanilla (バニラ) gelato, as well as light drizzles of honey.
As for drinks, coffee is prepared from an espresso machine. This glass of Caffe Latte (RM9.90) is acceptable in terms of presentation and smoothness, considering the fact that coffee is not the main focus of Milkissimo anyway.
Name: Milkissimo (ミルキッシモ)
Address: 170-01-K5, Plaza Gurney, Persiaran Gurney, 10250 George Town, Pulau Pinang
Contact: 04-228-8837
Business hours: 10:00am-10:00pm
Website: http://www.milkissimo.com
Coordinates: 5.43661 N, 100.30934 E
Directions: Milkissimo is located at Level 1 of Gurney Plaza’s new wing. Gurney Plaza has basement and multi-level parking garages.