12/05/2016: The Helados Jauja team have announced that they will not be renewing their lease. We'll miss them!
July 27, 2013
Helados Jauja has been churning up Lygon St's richest, creamiest ice creams for a couple of years. Recently owner/manager/recipe developer Po Lin contacted us because she's keen to extend their repertoire to more vegan friendly options. We shared what we knew about dairy substitutions and a month or two later she's bounced back with chocolate sorbet! Free of dairy, soy, nut or any other kind of milk, this is a dark chocolate delight with all the taste and even some of the texture of a high-cocoa-content block.
Helados Jauja pride themselves on all-natural ingredients and no extra colourings, and thus their fruit sorbets have been incidentally vegan all along. The lemon is striped with real zest and has only the gentlest acidity, while the black currant (pictured above, in a $7.50 cup) offers a tarter contrast to the chocolate. There'll likely be many more fruity flavours appearing as the weather warms up too. Though nothing's unambiguously marked, I believe 'sorbet' is code for 'vegan' - in any case, the staff are sweet to a fault and open about their ingredients so step in and quiz them to your animal-lovin' heart's content.
These icecream artisans have also introduced a weekend brunch menu centred around panqueques, (non-vegan) Argentinian crepes stuffed with meat, mushrooms or dulce de leche. Po Lin treated me to a taste and I think I'll be back to order more.
Casa Del Gelato across the street still have the widest range of vegan-friendly gelati, but I'm excited to see a soy-free alternative. I'll be keeping a keen eye on Helados Jauja's flavour rotation this spring.
Po Lin offered me tastes of a half-dozen ice-cream flavours and cooked me complimentary crepes. I paid for my own ice cream cup and am blogging of my own volition, 'cause I dig businesses that dig vegans.
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You can read about our first visit to Helados Jauja here. Since then it's received much blog love (with the occasional exclamation about the high prices), see MEL: HOT OR NOT, Let Me Feed You: Melbourne, I'm So Hungree, dear melbourne,, Let's Get Fat Together, new international students, Ballroom Blintz, Ichigo Shortcake, The Not So Lonely Planet, Poppet's Window, EAT AND BE MERRY, FOR TOMORROW WE DIE(T) (comped), Yellow Eggs, Popcorn & Toast (comped), a moment with Madam Meko... and Gastrology (comped); thoughts are more ambivalent on sakiikas and PETIT MIAMx.
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Helados Jauja
254 Lygon St, Carlton
9041 2927
ice cream cups $4.70-11.60
http://www.heladosjauja.com.au/
Accessibility: The ice cream counter is a single step up from the main footpath, plus there's an alternative ramp (see photo above). In good weather, stools out front can be rearranged to your preference; inside is more crowded. I ordered and paid over the high icecream display case.
ice cream cups $4.70-11.60
http://www.heladosjauja.com.au/
Accessibility: The ice cream counter is a single step up from the main footpath, plus there's an alternative ramp (see photo above). In good weather, stools out front can be rearranged to your preference; inside is more crowded. I ordered and paid over the high icecream display case.
But will they let you put dulce de leche on the chocolate sorbet? That is the question.
ReplyDeleteMmmm, yum! Very cool that they consulted you too, good to know that they care about their customers!
ReplyDeletethanks for the referal
ReplyDeleteThanks, I'll be checking this place out with the fam :)
ReplyDeleteIF ONLY I WORKED RIGHT DOWN THE ROAD FROM HERE. OH WELL
ReplyDeleteThat's fantastic news! I'd stopped even trying to find vegan options at ice cream shops. Can't wait to try it.
ReplyDelete