Amadora Gourmet Ice cream & Sorbet, Wallace Garden, Chennai

Over the last few months, I’d been hearing plenty from my bestie in Chennai about how her bro and hubby both love the ice cream at this newly opened gourmet ice cream place called Amadora. So of course, when I visited last month, I wanted to go check it out. I am not a huge ice cream person, preferring my sugary sins in the form of pastries and chocolate, but err, it’s Chennai; it’s hot, and the word gourmet grabbed my attention! So, off we went to this little place, that’s tucked away in Nungambakkam, in the Wallace Garden neighborhood. I know this street well from my childhood and it was a sorta deja vu feeling being there. Amadora, on a busy Saturday night, was bustling with activity. It’s hours are 11.30am to 12 midnight, so you can get your fix pretty much anytime, and the crowd was mixed; people in their going out best and others in their home duds.

The decor is simple, with high tables and chairs and a gleaming ice cream display case; old fashioned, where you can peer in and choose your flavor. And taste them first, bien sur! On a huge chalkboard that dominates one wall is an impressive array of handwritten flavors with cutesy names, and on any given day, one can choose from over a dozen options. With perennials like vanilla and mint, to more exotic choices like Dark Chocolate & Orange, Earl Grey Tea & Chocolate Truffle, Filter Coffee ice cream, and sorbets like grape and watermelon, there really is something for everyone! Amadora also offers choices of handmade waffle cups or cones, if you don’t want your decadent dessert in just a plain ol’ cup. Or, should you prefer, go the shake way, and treat yourself to a rich milkshake.

The ice cream is rich and creamy, made right there. Its finally close to ice cream you get abroad, in texture, taste and tone. Already garnering a ton of praise and doing things like conducting workshops and participating in international exhibitions, this place is a welcome addition to the food scene in Chennai. I do wish Amadora would open an outlet in Bangalore, so I don’t have to wait for another trip to Chennai to enjoy Amadora again…

Ed: Cover photo not from this establishment.