Ice as nice

ICE CREAM FOR BREAKFAST, LUNCH AND DINNER SHOULD BE LEGISTLATED - AND IN SUBIACO, THERE ARE PLENTY OF PLACES TO SATISFY YOUR CRAVING FOR THE SWEET STUFF.

BY Gail Williams

SENSATIONAL SUBIACO – THE suburb that lends itself to some sneaky alliteration while playing home to a Willy Wonka-style smorgasbord of saucy, smooth, stunning sweet treats.

To see satisfied – and adorable – Subi sweettooths in action, head to Baskin-Robbins, where there is always a regular gaggle of glamorous Subiaco grandmas and their gorgeous little offspring licking and slurping away on heaven in a cone or a cup.

We popped in on a Saturday and found love was definitely in the air. That is, the place was jam-packed with adoring grandies looking on wistfully while remembering the days when a Peters Ice Cream cone was all the go and Neapolitan was the height of sophistication.

Who better to ask about Subi’s favourite sweettooth spots than the new generation of tiny experts on all things dairy as they made new friends, discussed the finer points of eating ice creams and showed off a few of their own jewels? While it might have been like trying to interview and photograph mercury

Photographer Matt Jelonek and I managed to get these gems from Subi’s youngest food critics in between the ice cream action.

Leanne Potter and Amelia Potter-Hancock (22 months)

Gran: “Amelia’s favourite ice cream is vanilla mixed with blueberries. We always go to Subi Farmers Market on a Saturday and get a gingerbread man from the patisserie there.

Amelia: “I love ice cream! Hooray!” (arms fly up in delight).

Sue Piperis and Chloe Gouldson (4 and a half)

Grammy: “Some of our biggest smiles come when we share an ice cream together. We often share a bowl together in the backyard at home.”

Chloe: “Mummy takes me to Baskin, where I always order chocolate, but Grammy and I have a special treat at home. I like my ice cream to be creamy, cold and smooth. Yum!”

Lee Arnott and Paige Vlahov (5) “Fridays with Nonna after school is my favourite treat. I always have chocolate chip. It makes me very happy.”

Julie Teraci and Edith Teraci (22 months)

Gran: “We have a family dinner every Sunday night, and the grandchildren are allowed to have ice cream. If one of the others gets the ice cream first, Edith will start saying “Ice cream! Ice cream!”. She definitely knows that word.

Edith: “Purple, purple!” (bubblegum) A critique delivered with big doe eyes and a bright smile.

And the verdict? “I scream, you scream. We all scream for ice cream.”

But there are some other special sweet spots to satisfy the need for a sugar high.

Here are a few to try, whatever age you are:

223 Bagot Road Subiaco

Ph: 0483 844 103

Subi Farmers Market louisboeglin.com

It’s easy to spot the Louis Boeglin Patisserie stall at the Subi Farmers Market. As little cuties chow down on strawberry vanilla rhubarb, giant cookies, and lemon meringue tarts, their grandparents and the littlies are groaning with delight – and some eye-rolling – at the side serve of humour that comes with the delectable desserts.

Louis entertains his customers with truly awful Dad jokes as he doles out treats handmade by him in the Swan Valley. The intricate pastries are the result of four years of chef training in Alsace, France.

The jokes are his own. But he has established a cult following with gems like: One cow says to another, “Moo!” The other cow says “I was just going to say that!” Boom Boom!

YOU CAN ALSO INVENT YOUR OWN WILD AND WHACKY SUGAR-FILLED CREATIONS CONTAINING EVERYTHING FROM CRONUTS TO FAIRY FLOSS.

Believe me, the choux caramel is worth such assaults on the sense of humour.

While the oldies groan, the little regulars often try out their own jokes on Louis and – sadly – add to his repertoire.

Louis knows that if it takes a village to raise a child, it takes a special provider of sweet treats to keep both grandparent and grandchild happy. And here’s our joke, but please don’t pass it on to him: What do you call a pastry chef who came up with a new recipe for a cake?

Answer: A pie-oneer

Whisk

151 Rokeby Road, Subiaco

Phone: 08 6162 2948 whiskcreamery.com.au

If you’re in the market for a freakshake, Whisk is the place to be, especially if you like your chocolate brownie served in a milkshake with lashings of cream and Belgian chocolate, just one of many frothy, photogenic options in this decadent den with several awards to its name. You can also invent your own wild and whacky sugar-filled creations containing everything from cronuts to fairy floss. Or just go plain old vanilla. Never boring here.

Baskin-Robbins

4 Subiaco Village Shopping Centre, 531 Hay Street, Subiaco

Phone: 08 9381 3100 baskinrobbins.com.au

It might be a chain, but there’s nothing cookie-cutter about this popular haunt in the village, serving up lashings of caramel praline cheesecake in a cup along with kiddie favourites such as cotton candy.

The kids are getting their tongues around cooling mango tangos and perennial favourite cookies and cream while the big kids go for the sophistication of sticky date puddings and Belgian waffles.

And, for some, the good news is they can all be delivered to your doorstep before they melt.

Yours Truly 284 Hay Street, Subiaco

@Yourstrulysubiaco Instagram

There are no words for the Boston cream pies, cookie scrolls, glutenfree cherry coconut brownie slices and apple pies – courtesy of Kim’s Creation – in this tiny little cupcake of a place. An emoji will suffice – the one with the blushing face surrounded by hearts. Customers get a say in what’s on the constantly changing menu, with Asher Weller, the manager, taking heed of feedback. The biggest decision is just which sweet to have with the Nitro Cold Brew coffee served here.

Regular pleasure seekers have been known to spurn dessert for a week just so they can indulge here. Heaven on a stick? More like heaven in a lick.

51 Rokeby Road, Subiaco

Phone: 0402 911 686

Who knew that food tha looks so colourful, creamy, inviting and Bacchanalian could actually be healthy too?

Head to Little Cultures – not just for smoothies and cleansing juices, but for an acai bowl brimming with healthy goodness but satisfying a guilty pleasure.

Don’t believe me? Try the lemon strawberry cheesecake. It has almonds, cashews, raisins, dates, buckwheat, coconut, maple, lemon, strawberry, coconut sugar and vanilla – enough wholesome goodness to make you feel pious for a week.

Still not convinced? Go for the raw’reo Notella Cheesecake made with cacao butter and powder, almonds, cashews, coconut, raisins, buckwheat and dates. Raw’reo? Raunchy!

1/23 Railway Road, Subiaco Ph: 08 62432075 pitcherandiron.com.au

Fans of humble peanut butter know that it is anything but humble. At Pitcher and Iron they take it to the next level, drizzling it with salted caramel over a Brussels Liege waffle dressed with bananas, strawberries and roasted peanuts. If that’s not indulgent enough, they add a scoop of fresh cream. Seriously. Good.

And don’t get me started on their Strawberry Fields – a hot ticket item. Let me take you down. You know I know when it’s a dream.

Yes.

Strawberry Fields forever!