Ice dream

Food InterestingAmbiance AttractiveService SincereCost ModerateVerdict 15Given our predilection mdash bordering on obsession mdash for all things ice creamy and that too in one of our favourite iterations of the treat soft serve we couldnt wait to give this new storeinstore creamery a whirlhellipor should we say swirlOffering a range of both innovative signature swirl sundaes and the usual buildyourown kind of soft serves Xoco 57 the candy pink and whitehued kiosk nestled in the heart of the Pedder Road branch of a grocerystore chain is an interesting place to find oneself in on a sweltering October afternoon Sharing its space with a chocolate counter to its right and a mithai one to its left we werent surprised to see it enjoy the most action with hordes of teenagers and kids accompanied by their parents making a beeline for itFrench crispFeeling particularly indulgent that afternoon we ordered for a range of their sundaes that we could see being assembled in front of us built from an assortment of toppings sauces and sprinklesWith a levered machine dispensing only vanilla chocolate and vanillachocolate combination softy bases we did wish that there were a few more base options available A tart berry or zesty citrus one would have hit the spot But alas we had to make do with the various concoctions featuring the good old vanillachocolate duoVanilla soft serveThe peanut punch 195 with its creamy chocolate soft serve base is a confection that is sure to win the heart of a peanut fan for its generous sprinkling of slightly salted crushed peanuts that are covered in a drizzle of warm chocolate sauceAdding further nutty heft is a mighty splodge of peanut butter that seals the deal perfectly Topped with French crecircpe crisps and the same chocolate sauce the French crisp 195 won us over with its vanilla soft serve that had actual flecks of vanilla beans peeking out through the ice creamSignature soft serve cup PicsAshish RajeBlending the words adulting and ice cream expertly was the strongly flavoured Xoco 57 signature soft serve 225 with its spicy pink peppercorn and dark chocolate bark toppings melded with a vanillachocolate baseFor our final signature swirl we tucked into one that reflected the latest international trend of birthday cake flavoured confections Simply called birthday cake 250 it turned out to be the unanimous favourite among the three of us ice cream friends Fudgy chocolate brownie morsels a spoonful of Nutella and a shower of rainbowhued sprinkles sitting atop a vanillachocolate base made this one a treat well be back forAttempting to satiate our desire for something tart and fruity was the vanilla soft serve cone 95 mdash we had the option of upgrading to a waffle cone for 125 mdash topped with a raspberry coulis 25 extraThough not bad at all it sadly tasted like any ordinary grocery storebought raspberry syrup and not like a coulis actually made with the berryWhile wed sure love to see a few more base flavours and fruitbased toppings added as part of their offerings this creamery seems to get it right for the most partAt Xoco 57 by Foodhall Kanchanjunga 72 Pedder RoadTime 9am to 11pmCall 23871442Soft serve or gelatoIce cream is served at 12 degrees celsius while a soft serve at 6 degrees celsius This and the fact that soft serve contains less milk fat and more air makes it creamier But while a soft serve is made by incorporating air into the ice cream during the freezing process Gelato has a higher proportion of milk and a lower proportion of cream and eggs or no eggs at all45 Exceptional 35 Excellent 25 very Good 15 Good 055 Average Xoco 57 didnt know we were there The Guide reviews anonymously and pays for mealsCatch up on all the latest Mumbai news crime news current affairs and also a complete guide on Mumbai from food to things to do and events across the city here Also download the new midday Android and iOS apps to get latest updates