N2 Extreme Gelato - Melbourne

So this place isn't new to me. When it first opened in Sydney I kept nagging my BF about it and how we have to go when we are in Sydney...... That was over a year ago

Now N2 has hit Melbourne and having a sweet tooth I went to check it out again. For those of you who are new to the concept, N2 makes ice cream on the spot for you using liquid nitrogen. Hmmm is it just a gimmick??? Yes it is, but making the ice cream itself is a show .... but there are benefits of using liquid nitrogen to make the ice cream as it comes out a lot smoother due to small ice particles within the body of the ice cream. Now that you have the background, onto the main part; the ice cream flavours!

First up is Creme Brulee, this was the flavour that won first place in the recent world gelato tour. It has the flavours of a creme brulee and topped with burnt caramel (yes a flame torch on ice cream). This was extremely popular but it wasn't my favourite. The evident flavours of creme brulee is in the ice cream but in terms of taste i like something with a bit more excitement. That's not to say it was bad, it's just I liked the next 2 flavours a lot more.

 
Prezella and Pandan were definitely my 2 favourite flavours. Being the Asian that I am, I am a real sucker for flavours like Green Tea, Red Bean, Kaya and I'm normally disappointed when these are made into ice cream. Let's start with Pandan, this was a smooth pandan flavour with shortcake crumble in between. I love the fragrant taste of the Pandan and the shortcake was a good play on texture. I need to say though, I did notice inconsistency. I went 3 times over 4 days (yes call me nuts, but I do love my ice cream and I had different friends who wanted to try it) and the level of sweetness differed each day. The first time I got it, the Pandan flavour and sweetness was spot on. Then the second visit I found the ice cream to be sweeter.. Either way, I still liked it a lot.

Next is Prezella!! Nutella + Pretzel, chocolatey hazelnut goodness with salty pretzel bits. This combination just works magic. It may not be as complicated to make as the creme brulee but it's definitely something I had and loved... twice!

Cocolime, is coconut and lime sorbet which is a nice alternative if you don't want something too rich. There was also mango sorbet to cater for the lactose intolerant. Very velvety smooth mango flavour.

Black salted caramel was another option on the menu, this tasted like a very classic toffee flavour. The black salt is an interesting concept too. My friend who got this was even happy to pose for a photo! Quite rare that he ventures out to try these things with me, as he always complains my taste is too expensive. It was a rare moment I had to capture on camera!

Finally there was pavlova, very passionfruity. Not bad but it doesn't shine compare to the rest.


Overall 17/20, the price is decent for the gelato serving quality and size and being handmade! Best of all, the changing menu and watching them make it, is always fun!