Chocolate and seaweed, gin and tonic, and caramelised milk and sea salt are among some of the flavours entered into a taste of Taranaki gelato competition.
And while they still run Joe’s Garage as it was, Little Glutton has gone, to be “replaced” by State Pasta and State Gelato, and Gover St Bistro, which mainly catered to functions, is now State Bistro, a fully fledged restaurant.
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Maunder and Lucas opened State Bistro on Gover St last week. “It’s felt really good to have the place open as a bistro,” said Lucas, who has a background in marketing and hospitality. “We really fell in love with it.” Lucas said she felt the businesses were helping reinvigorate the eastern end of town, which is growing in reputation as a spot to grab a bite to eat.
“How are you going to eat four ice creams,” visual journalist Andy Jackson asked. I stared into space, and it was then that I realised four ice creams was a huge amount of food. Probably more than was healthy or even possible. But I couldn t let myself show any calorie-intake weakness. “I’ll be fine,” I said confidently. “Will you?” “Hell yeah,” he replied, though I couldn’t help but wonder if his bravado was as misplaced as mine.
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Paradise Valley Berry Farms in Bell Block makes real fruit ice creams from berries grown on site. As we pulled up to the berry farm, which makes real fruit ice creams, I already knew what I wanted – a strawberry ice cream made with the berries growing just metres away from me.