July 4, 2008

Oh gelato!

My very first review, yay!

Fusion Montréal Crèmerie artisanale


Address: 1000, de la Gauchetière West (RC-28)
Phone: (514) 759-0608
Website: http://www.fusionmontreal.ca
Style: gourmet ice cream parlour, frozen desserts eatery
Hours: Mon - Fri 7 AM to 7 PM
Saturday 11 AM to 6 PM
Sundays closed

Fusion is my new favorite hang-out spot. It's practical (just a stone's throw away from the South Shore bus terminal at Bonaventure), delish and air-conditioned. Air conditioning is crucial for me in summer---I cannot properly enjoy my eating experience if I'm sweating and wiping my face every two seconds!



(Sorry for the crappy pictures---these were taken with my webcam before I got my camera!)


The menu here is gourmet dessert eatery. Emphasis is being put on local products, good old-fashioned homemade foods and overall yumminess. The star is by far the freshly-spun gelato, but the store also sells crêpes, gourmet cupcakes, chocolates by local artisan Marie Pommette and a slew of other fair-trade products (coffee, jams, etc.) Perfect for gift-baskets or a late-afternoon snack stop! Customers can also mix and match various fresh fruits, candies and toppings to a gelato base in order to create a one-of-a-kind, personalized "fusion" frozen treat (hence the name of the store).




Owners Hazem and Mona (picture above) are super-nice and always willing to let give you a sample, whether it's taste of their latest gelato infusion (like baked apple pie, mmmm) or a shot of their old-fashioned hot chocolate. In fact, they're so nice that they even let me: a) write my English class watering hole review on them, b) interview and take photos of them, and c) plaster them all over Internet. Really, customer service doesn't get much better than this.



(Hmm...so many flavours, so little time!)


Prices are a little steeper than at your average shopping-mall ice-cream stand, but it's worth it for the extra flavour and love put into the gelato. A one-scoop construction nicknamed "J'aime" ("I love") sells for 4.25$ taxes included, whereas the two-scoop "J'adore" ("I adore") is 6.00$ and the three-scoop "J'en ai de besoin" ("I need it")is 7.74$. A real treat for the tired soul is a mango-truffle-daquiri "J'ai en de besoin" in a waffle bowl drizzled with hot chocolate. Mmmmmm. And since gelato, especially homemade ones like Fusion's, contains skimmed milk and less air than regular ice-cream, it's healthier (not to mention yummier) too! A win-win situation for waistlines AND taste buds everywhere.

Another favorite frozen treat of mine is their absolutely sensational milkshakes. Made with two scoops of gelato and milk, it's yumminess on the go for 6.00$. Pistachio, coffee and neige (white chocolate, coconut and truffle) are all amazing.

In fact, they're so amazing that I'll think I'll go grab one tomorrow, hmm....

In a nutshell:
If you live in or around Montreal, be sure to check out Fusion! Get a scoop of gelato to take outdoors on a hot summer day, or go enjoy their old-fashioned hot chocolate after a turn at the Atrium indoors skating rink. It'll be a ~gelatastic~ experience that you won't regret!

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

Just got back from work to see THIS on mah flist. Seriously I am SO excited you're finally doing this. My mouth is already watering. A milkshake sounds absolutely AMAZING right now.

Aventurière Zeta said...

You HAVE to try their pistachio milkshake Meg!

Anonymous said...

...Wow, and I walk past that place like every day. .o. ...Maybe when I'm not working? XD; Never knew you were a gourmet, though. o_O; XD;

Aventurière Zeta said...

JUST STEP INSIDE AND GRAB A MLKSHAKE TO GO WITH YOU. *wags finger*
(Kinda ironic that you're working in an ice cream parlour too...)

Yeah, I'm a wannabe-foodie. ;)

Anonymous said...

(b'_')b Will do one of these days. [strike]Or you can show me around personally on a day we're not working? XD;[/strike] (I know the tag doesn't work here but still ;;;)

...Yeah but we serve cheap run-off-the mill ice cream. >O>; ...Speaking of Gelatos, there's this one small store I walk past that sells Gelato and Cupcakes, artisanale as well... Every day to work. I never went in there, but the decor looked cute and it's not exactly empty. Would you check that place out? XD; /random

Aventurière Zeta said...

Of course!
What days do you work?

Oooh, where is that place? I'd love to check it out!

Anonymous said...

...Next week, Tue-Wed-Thurs, only because on Friday I have a doctor's appointment and on the weekends it's Otakucon. >_<; OTL...

Yanno the metro Place D'armes, and the Notre-Dame Cathedral? Basically instead of heading towards Chinatown once you come out, you go to the opposite direction, straight up, pass the Cathedral, and start going down. You'll pass a Christmas store open all year long, and on the left lane of the street you'll eventually see it/walk past it. It's impossible to miss since it's a straight walk with no turns whatsoever, and I went past by it today; it looked busy. ...And the decor is cute. >W>; /repeat So yeah... hahaha. ;;;

Aventurière Zeta said...

Lol, we schedules sure don't go together.
Maybe next week?

Christmas store open all-year long! I'll go find that place, thanks!

Anonymous said...

Sure. ♥ Can you tell me which day? So I can take it off in advance. ... I can't on a fireworks night though, so basically the weekends. ;;; I'll come back to you on that?

...Btw, msn y/n? XD;