Review: Ciao Bella Mint Chocolate Chip

Filed under Amazing Yet True: I had never tried gelato until Ciao Bella Mint Chocolate Chip. Well maybe I dabbled with the Italian dessert once or two before but this was certainly the first time I actually went out and bought the stuff.

I actually had gelato on the brain for quite a while when I went shopping a few weeks ago. After all it's a new decade and Frozen Food Journal is headed for better and brighter things. Ciao Bella, with its clean and hip packaging, stood out in the freezer section. The fact that it's all natural didn't hurt neither.

So my first foray into gelato didn't get off to a great start. The Ciao Bella container has a hard plastic lid that requires a little more effort to open than I'd like. But thankfully it serves as the gateway to a fine dessert.

The gelato has a refreshing finish but expect a mint flavor that's sweeter than most frozen desserts. I'm sure part of that extra tastiness is due to the little dots of Belgium chocolate thoroughly sprinkled in. They're imperceptible on their own impact every spoonful. The bigger chunks of chocolate possess a tinge of bittersweet flavor that works well as with the sweet gelato.

I really like the smooth consistency of Mint Chocolate chip and it's also very dense. Not as thick as Arctic Zero Chocolate but I had no problem getting multiple servings out of one pint. I got my pint for $5 at Whole Foods in Los Angeles. Use the Ciao Bella Gelato search to see if a pint is sold in your area. If you live near a major city chances are good. As a last resort you can also purchase Ciao Bella from an online store but I highly discourage this method unless you feel like paying a ridiculous amount in shipping (my estimate was almost $30 to send one $7 pint).

The product page is, err... a little light on information. Perhaps Ciao Bella is trying to avoid having to mention the 230 calories, 13 grams of fat (with a staggering nine grams of saturated fat) and 22 grams of sugar in each half-cup serving. The gelato is primarily made from milk, cream, sugar and corn syrup while the chocolate chips are comprised of chocolate liquor and cocoa butter. Decadence at a price.

In conclusion this product is quite delicious, very unhealthy and expensive. I enjoyed Ciao Bella Mint Chocolate Chip as a one-time treat but probably won't buy it again. However I look forward to trying more gelato and other Ciao Bella flavors.