Based on MSPD’s comment here, and a private suggestion from him in an e-mail last week, Kim and I made a stop at Luxury Sweets Gelateria located next to the now defunct Jan’s Brown Bag Deli and across from my other personal favorite, Two Guys from Italy.
We walked inside and found the large space quite empty. It wasn’t that there weren’t people inside, it was just that the available space wasn’t taken up by much. It was slightly uncomfortable but it kept my sights on the prize: the gelato.
I’m not a huge ice cream fan in any way. Kim, however, loves it. We don’t have Carvel ice cream stands out here in the Midwest (hell, there aren’t many — if any — left much of anywhere else either) but when I am in the mood, soft ice cream is my idea of good stuff. Gelato is a cross between hard and soft but offers some interesting flavor combinations while taking out the butterfat and extra crazy calories and adding in real fruit pieces.
After perusing the various items on display or for sale, one of the owners asked if we were interested in some gelato. I told her that I was and that I came specifically because the word on the street is that it is very good. She was surprised to hear this and asked if I saw anything I liked. Well, there were so many options, I really didn’t know what to start with. I asked her opinion on what she enjoyed and she directed me to the marscapone and strawberry. I went with a small cup of that and waited for Kim to taste the watermelon.
Kim said later that she thought that the watermelon would be the best option as it was the tub with the least gelato left but she found that it wasn’t for her. I gave her a quick taste of mine and she immediately settled on that and we were both very glad that we went with the smallest portion ($3.20) because it was piled on huge.
We paid and sat down inside and watched the steady trickle of people come through the door. There was never a line but there was always someone buying, trying, or licking their spoon. It was nice to see but I really can’t believe that Luxury Sweets will survive with that low of volume.
Now, with the new water feature filled Kelley Park across the street attracting what seems like just about everyone in Apple Valley with children, I would be there with a cooler full of gelato to give out samples. People would quickly make it a tradition to buy the ice cream and head over for some fun in the new park.
Overall, Luxury Sweets’ gelato comes HIGHLY recommended even from this ice cream hater ;) I loved the marscapone/strawberry and found that the gelato itself was on-par with some of the most excellent gelato that I have had elsewhere (including the East Coast!)
Kim and I will be back and we’ll be looking for something just as yummy. I have a feeling we won’t be disappointed by the variety.
See all the pictures from today here (mobile).
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July 17th, 2007 at 9:30 am
Bill,
Thanks for the mention and I’m glad you liked it. I really hope these guys get out in the community and market their store. They, like the folks at Satay 2 Go, are really gracious and love to share information about gelato…IF you enter the store. Last time I was there, they had a portable cart sitting there so maybe they have plans to get out to the park, etc. If I ran the place, I’d be talking partnership with Kami, asking the people at the new LA Fitness if I could demo there some time, making friends with the Dunn Bros and (gasp) Two Guys From Italy crowd (hmmm…gelato and Italians…maybe I’m onto something) and getting face time in every public event in Apple Valley, Burnsville, Rosemount, Farmington and Lakeville.
I was bringing my kids there all winter last year and it was pretty quiet. Granted they had just opened and winter and gelato don’t mesh well but that’s all the more reason for them to get cracking on marketing and filling that huge space now while the getting’s good.
p.s. Bill, thanks for hosting this site. I appreciate this opportunity to publish my comments and to read others’ with the hope that those that are opening/running businesses in Apple Valley and the south metro can find useful, HONEST criticism and commentary from everyday people (as opposed to the glossy gladhanding they probably get all too often).
July 17th, 2007 at 9:34 am
Dave,
Kim was wondering how they will survive the winter and I mentioned that they did survive last winter. I’m sure that has a lot to do with their lack of inventory filling the vast expanse they lease.
I agree with your comments that they should be out there attempting to make partnerships with the local restaurants (going as far as Copper Bleu and beyond IMHO).
As for your PS: glad to offer the service and thanks for your excellent comments of late, I appreciate them far more than the “shutup you assface!” that I get all too often.
July 18th, 2007 at 9:02 pm
Went for the Gelato per the recommendation. I tried a sample of the lifesavers and it was good, but it wasn’t quite what I was looking for. I went with the lime instead. It was very tart instead of the sickly sweet lime flavor you typically run into. It really hit the spot. The wife tried the chocolate. The chocolate was to die for! Not the typical chocolate… a much more three dimensional flavor. My daughter ordered the apricot. Her comment was that there was a whole lot of apricot flavor in a little tiny bite. We will be back. Thanks for the heads up on this place!
July 20th, 2007 at 10:30 am
I stopped by Luxury Sweets recently also and I loved the gelato. It was all I expected it to be and I’ll certainly be going back. I had lime and passion fruit, yum!
September 18th, 2007 at 6:47 pm
I love Luxury Sweets, I love all the choices of Gelatio, if I am looking and can’t decide on a flavor the owner offers a sample. There are alwasy new flavors some way out there but taste great. The chocolate case is wonderful, homemade carmels, chocolate covered smores and the homemade breads and muffins are yummy. We stop by and always clear the case out of the chocolate covered orange slices. Try the truffles!!!
September 19th, 2007 at 2:09 pm
I’m always happy to hear another voice of support for Luxury Sweets. I continue to enjoy it and hope they do well for years to come.
As I’ve mentioned before, I hope they step up the local marketing presence. My concern is greater now that Ring Mountain Creamery is open just off of Cliff Road and 35E in Eagan. Ring Mountain offers a huge selection (about 30 flavors at any given time) of very good gelato, but also about 30 flavors of ice cream, as well as coffee, sandwiches and salads.
Personally, I like the availability of both but I hope one doesn’t cause the other to go belly up (based on its location right next to a movie theater vs. a boarded up deli and boarded up kid’s theme restaurant, I worry a lot less about Ring Mountain).
January 8th, 2008 at 7:26 am
They are closed on Mondays during January.
January 10th, 2008 at 11:30 am
Thanks for posting that, Bill! It looked awfully dark in there when I was driving home from work on Monday. (I figured if anyone would know what was up, you would!)
January 10th, 2008 at 11:37 am
(I figured if anyone would know what was up, you would!)
Damn straight Patti! :)