Ciao Bella Ice Cream at "Where's Ivan?"

Where’s Ivan? You know that cool guy who used to own the ice cream parlour in Maho Village? Well, after selling the Häagen-Dazs shop and spending some time in a humdrum office, Ivan Crittenden realized he missed the interaction with his friendly clients. So now he’s back with a new spot in Simpson Bay, offering happy customers a different kind of frosted scoops. Don’t be mistaken, it’s not an ice cream shop. It’s a Gelatoria (we’ll explain later) where they also happen to sell delectable pastries, flavourful sandwiches and paninis, and tasty crêpes.

One of the plus sides of being a reporter is the occasional free tasting that comes along, and boy did I get a good licking (and a bite or two) at “Where’s Ivan?” Yes, since his loyal patrons where continuously asking for him, Ivan decided to name the place like that. Although, once people have found his new place, he might want to change it to “Ivan’s Here!” – just a minor suggestion.
Back to the Gelatoria. Where’s Ivan? does not serve ice cream, but gelato ((jeh-laht-o), an Italian-style ice cream. “It’s contains less butter fat than most other ice cream brands and it’s not as rich, but it has a lot more flavour to it,” Ivan said.
To be a bit more precise, Ciao Bella contains 20 per cent air by volume, compared to 60 per cent in most American brands, and contains 12 per cent butterfat versus 16 per cent in typical ice cream. Ciao Bella's gelato, based on a family recipe from Torino, Italy, is primarily hand-made in small batches with high quality ingredients. As a result, the gelato is smoother and creamier in consistence, with a dense texture and an intense flavour.

It’s not just a sales talk; it’s true, as I got to sample it myself. Now tastes may differ, but one bite of this scoop will have you agree and be tempted to taste as many flavours as possible.
At Ivan’s you can indulge in a rotating selection of 24 different kinds and don’t let some of the unusual combination hold you back – the Rhubarb Crème Fraiche might make you frown, but one lick will smooth it out. It’s sweet and creamy and nothing like anything you’ve tasted before.
Of course there are plenty of safer options: the Caramel Heath Bar Crunch is simply yummy, Tahitian Vanilla is much richer than the regular one, the Banana tastes like, well, a banana, and my favourite (and that of every other cocoa buff!) the French Chocolate Valrhona is pure ecstasy!

If you’re going to sabotage your diet, this is the place to do it. Those in denial can order one of the sorbets packed with morsels of fruit and convince themselves they're having a healthy snack. Ciao Bella’s sorbets are a blend of 70 per cent-80 per cent fruit with just a touch of water and sugar to achieve a smooth constancy. They contain neither colouring nor any artificial ingredients and they’re also dairy-free, fat-free and cholesterol-free!
Some are even infused with wines like the Blackberry Cabernet; doesn’t that make a perfect dessert? You can even keep it kosher with the grapefruit, mango and other fruits flavours. Every bite is chock full of fruit. Yum!!!
In case you haven’t noticed, Ciao Bella is a delight for the senses. The ice cream is sold by the scoop and put hand-packed pints to take home and you can come back and find new flavours every time. Other stand-out flavours include Figs in Port, Key Lime with Graham Crackers and Malted Milk Balls. As I’m writing this my tongue’s hanging out of my mouth going “gggggaaaaaahhh!”

But the gelato is not the only thing you’ll go gaga about. Wait till you see and sample the scrumptious looking and tasting dessert made by the in-house French pastry chef. The selection is modest, but what they have to offer is made with lots of attention and eye for detail. Each and every one of those artistic creations is a piece de resistance.
The dessert named after the place consists of soft and creamy chocolate mousse with a surprising heart of caramel and peanuts, all enveloped in a shell of chocolate. It also comes in three layers of chocolate and in an exotic passion fruit mousse. You can also indulge in home baked cinnamon rolls, cakes and several other petite fours that will make you drool.

But that’s not all. Ivan’s not just a place to satisfy your sweet tooth, as you can also get quick lunch offers, including flavourful sandwiches and homemade paninis (topped with beef, chicken, cheese and cream or bacon cheese and pickles or a la Bolognaise amongst others) galettes (ask Ivan!), salads, crêpes and turnovers with a different filling every day.

“Where’s Ivan?” is open every day from 10:00am till 11:00pm. They’re located in Simpson Bay Yacht Club, right on Welfare Road in Cole Bay. Have a look and dig in! Buon Appetito!