It’s been ages since I walked through Chinatown. So much so that it feels like I’m somewhat of a tourist. When I’m asked about the neon figurines that appear to be superheroes in the throes of defending the universe above me, I’m genuinely perplexed by them. “When did they appear?” I ask Mr NQN who shrugs his shoulders in return.
We’re here with Louise and Viggo for some ice cream. Specifically nitrogen made ice cream that is made in front of you. The crowd outside N2 gives its location away, not to mention the cloud of liquid nitrogen steam that occasionally billows out of the store. The crowds are deep and there is plenty of photo taking. The staff wear white lab coats and glasses and mix the gelato flavours housed in large corked flasks in their Kitchenaid stand mixers.
The brainchild of Min Chuan Chai, a former insolvency accountant who by his own words was doing “quite a depressing job at the time” he switched to the world of gelato as “accounting can be quite a controlled environment. Therefore I decided to pursue my passion, cooking & sweets! Gelato and ice cream is happy business and it is a fantastic outlet for creativity.”
Themes and flavours appear to change often and this week it’s a skeleton displaying the different gelato flavours. This week has a few regular sounding choices as well as a “Fish” flavour-and you can bet I put in my order for a cup of this although the rest of the flavours are quite conventional. Requests for flavours are taken on their website and I asked Min Chuan about the oddest flavour. He replies “the Cough Syrup Sorbet, we use the traditional Chinese cough syrup ‘pei pa ko’ to give the cough syrup taste, people who can associate with the flavours love it.” The quirky store has been open for four months now and while this is the first store in Australia, they are looking to open in Melbourne in Autumn or Winter of 2013.
We stand in the queue and give our order and then stand back while they make batches of ice creams. The cups are $6 each and there’s no half and half or two flavours. They’re made fresh because the turnover is high. Nitrogen is used because it freezes liquid faster than conventional methods and produces a smooth gelato in the process.
And what is the biggest challenge? When dealing with an ingredient like nitrogen, it is safety. Min Chuan says “we have a dozen safety procedures in place and our staff have to go through a rigorous training program to understand how to deal with liquid nitrogen. We have sold more than 30,000 scoops to date and we have no incidents at all. In fact we were interviewed by ABC Lateline regarding the usage of nitrogen in food (coverage from what happened to the girl in UK).”
Fig & yogurt $6
Suddenly a puff of liquid nitrogen cloud engulfs us all and then they’re calling out my name and handing me each gelato one by one. The tops are smoothed down for presentation and a spoon sits on top. The first one to come out is the other flavour I picked, fig and yogurt. This has a lovely tang from the yogurt and a light sweetness from the honey. It’s creamy and has a great smooth texture with tiny bits of fig. It is quite a serve though as it is a large scoop-even the menu tells you that you don’t need two scoops of anything.
Milk chocolate and hazelnuts $6
The chocolate hazelnut scoop is the second to come out a few minutes later and it is sweet and rich in chocolate. Viggo loves his scoop and finishes every last drop.
Maple and walnut $6
By comparison Louise’s maple and walnut is sweet but not discernible for either flavour and we would have loved a bit more of the maple. The ice cream itself stays quite firm for a while and then melts quite quickly all of a sudden so it acts slightly differently from conventionally made ice cream.
Fish flavoured gelato $6
Now they did clarify that the fish flavoured gelato was safe for non seafood eaters but not safe for those allergic to peanuts. They actually achieve the fish flavour through the clever use of green tea which can often mimic the flavour of fish (I’ve often heard people don’t like it the first time because of the fish flavour). The crumble on top is a crunchy peanut topping and I must admit that even though this does at first taste of fish, when your mind flips to green tea, it is enjoyable.
We sit outside and enjoy our gelatos on the stretch of Astroturf, decorated with a lawnmower.
So tell me Dear Reader, what is your favourite gelato flavour? And would you have tried the “fish” flavour or would you have gone for something a bit more regular sounding?
N2 Extreme Gelato
43/1 Dixon St, Sydney, NSW 2000
Open 1pm-11pm 7 days a week
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46 Comments | Add your own
Hmmm, I think I ‘d skip the fish flavour – I like mango sorbet.
fave gelato:
–green tea & red bean gelato in singapore
–vanilla bean gelato sprinkled with milo
–jackfruit gelato
i would try chilli gelato next time though
I think the fish flavour would be a bit extreme for me! LOL
I’d try it but I wouldn’t pay $6 for a whole cup.
I loved my trip to N2!!
The rose and pistachio was my favourite flavour
Extreme is right, it is like a crazy scientist experiment with delicious results
I love the milk chocolate hazelnut ice cream look!
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
What a great concept! Good on you for trying the fish flavour for us
I’m quite sure I would have gone with a conventional flavour. My favourite ice cream is Maggie Beers burnt fig hands down. I tried to make it once and got a little but close but far from the cigar.
Oh yes, I have no doubt you were one of the power bloggers invited to Julia’s place last night. Did you take a plate? How was it?
The lovely Paolo near Bagni di Lucca makes delicious pistachio, but I also love his nocciola and fico caramellata (hazelnut and caramel fig) I want one now!
Hi Ladybugfunk! No I wasn’t invited to Julia’s place last night
Not sure if that is a bad or a good thing!
Wow I never knew green tea tasted of fish. How strange! I’m usually quite predictable loving mint, hazelnut, vanilla and ferrero rocher. I do love the crazy flavours at Messina though.
I managed to try the infamous n2 gelato myself the other day and stuck with the simple mango sorbet. I was amazed at how it was made, and how beautiful it tasted after. I’m such a sucker for the gimmick and I loved how the scene was exactly like a lab!
I think I’d have to try the fish flavour. What an amazing place. GG
I don’t think I could handle the fish flavour, but maybe a nice chilli-chocolate combination? My favourite flavour of all time would have to be pistachio or straciatella.
Not sure that I have a favourite flavour, but definitely sure I wouldn’t have ordered fish flavour. Good on you! xo
Always try the fish flavour! We’re here for a good time, not a long time, right?
wow, a fish ice cream for vegetarians! But I would like to taste a little before I commit to an entire scoop!
We also have a good ice cream place in Auckland called Giapo that experiments a lot with flavours and different combos, plus they make everything from scratch (i.e. they make the cookies for the cookie and cream ice and the mascarpone for the tiramisu…) but I am not quite sure if they use nitrogen. I’ll ask next time I am there.
Ciao
Alessandra
They sound like a load of wank, the turf with the lawnmower and all… – modern art, anyone? and have nothing on Messina – many more flavours and a lot of options plus great prices. I would not go to this place.
I would have definitely tried the ‘fish’ flavour because I love matcha and actually find that ‘fishy’ flavour quite nice hehe but i’m really weird…I love really strong matchas and also herby Chinese teas maybe that’s why.
My favourite type of gelato would have to be PISTACHIO and anything Salted Caramel
I see you made a trip to N2! The fish flavour does sound interesting haha. I love how they always rotate their flavours every week (:
Love it, love it, love it! I’d love to take my own little scientist along for some fun. I would have to try a few different flavours- including of course some quirky ones as well
Cool concept, no pun intended. I actually made nitrigen ice cream a few years ago with fellow Montreal food bloggers…one of them is a physicist so we had access to the liquid nitrogen. It was fun. would like the fish one too once I know it is green tea.
Life’s too short NOT to try!
Am food adventurous is WHY!
Think once the brain can process fish gelato, TRUE!
My mind would be more open to the and any experience too!
Italian Nougat & Tiramisu and Pear and Rhubarb & Chocolate Fondant appeal to me!
NOW a gelato I want NOW to see!
Fish flavor? I think I’ll pass this one, but glad to try all the other flavors.
Have a great week Lorraine!
I want pistachio and licorice. I’d try someone else’s fish, but not order it myself!
An amazing venue that i’m starting to hear more and more about. Love the sound of the fig and yoghurt … but can’t say the same for the fish flavour!!! Thanks for sharing.
Interesting. I like flower flavors, like violet and lavender. The strangest flavor I have ever had was shrimp and tequila, from a nearby town in Mexico known for its odd flavors.
haha that fish flavour is bizarre! I had a chat with him before and think he was going to roll out a smoked salmon and dill one but not sure if he’s done that yet lol
This is such a different concept isn’t it and how brave you were Lorraine to try the fish flavoured gelato – I don’t know that I could have done it. Give me hazelnut or coffee, oh and of course chocolate too. The fig and yoghurt looked really yummy as well. Can’t beat a good gelato really.
Oooooh you have just made my day – I stayed in Chinatown about a month ago (I’m from Melbourne) and discovered N2. I suggested to them then that they should open a shop in Melbourne, so I am so happy that they are!
While I was there I tried the buttered popcorn, goji berry cheesecake and earl grey caramel. They all are now my favourite flavours haha.
I still don’t think I could drink nitrogen!
Oh wow… it looks more like a science lab than a gelato bar…
My favourite gelato flavour is pistachio and hazelnut. OK, perhaps, a bit ordinary, but nothing’s wrong with that, right?
I’d probably give the ‘fish’ flavour a go…
Would definitely try fish flavoured gelato!
Favorites are probably peanutbutter chocolate!
Great post!
Fish gelato? OMG, at first I thought they might be using fish sauce in it. But green tea? I’m going to have to re-try my stash of green tea, because I’ve never thought of it as being fishy tasting. But you have me totally intrigued now.
Love this place! I think its so cool you guys tried the fish flavour although I think that would be a bit too far out for me .. I usually stick to conventional flavours
That sounds like a fun place. Font think if try the fish flavoured ice cream!
What an amazing place! Always visit Chinatown when I’m in Sydney and there’s always something new and interesting. This is a defo for next trip. But not fish, absolutely not fish. Best ice cream I had was in US, heaps of coconut and sour cherries, even the biggest scoop was never enough.
Hmm…original, weird, creative but is it real ice cream? I’m a traditionalist so I don’t think I would like it half as much as ‘normal’ ice cream. I will give it a go just to confirm and definitely wouldn’t spend $6 on one that tastes like fish, EeeeW!!!
I loved the Prickly Pear gelato when in Sicily last and Messina puts out a nice ice cream to satisfy any craving!
I thought the dangling bird cage on Angel Place in the city were pretty neat but the neon superheroes look so much cooler!
And what an awesome gelati place (reminds me of Breaking Bad and speaking of which, you’ll be glad to know that I’ve caught up and am up to date – looking forward to its return next year!) – I’d be down for that fish gelati, even if it DOES sound strange!
I didn’t find N2 all that amazing, I prefer Messina Gelato overall. Great place for some novelty fun though
That is so geeky… Which means that for me, it’s true love! Must go there next time I’m in Sydney.
Green apple sorbet is a winner every time. Or plum. Both are sweet and tart at the same time.
We’ve had different creams and honeycomb put in nitrogen before at Alchemy Restaurant- it was definitely an experience. Sounds like a fun little ice cream outing- definitely not your average ice-cream run haha
OMG I would love to go here, I am sitting here agape.
On my list when I visit in March
Well I would skip the fish for sure. I like any other flavour. I really want to visit here
Raspberry is my favorite flavour and I’d give the “fish” a try.
What a fun place and so unusual…I’m afraid I would have gone with a more traditional flavor myself.
I can resort to pei pa koa as my friend used to give it to me when I was sick in uni.Not sure how it will taste in this gelato.
Have tried the N2 Earl grey, but I was sad when it melted quickly, so next time I will have to finish them quickly.
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