It’s summer in London and we have been lucky enough to have some awesome sunshine. So when my crazy vegetarian friend Sameer told me about a new ice cream place that makes ice cream with liquid nitrogen, I was extremely keen to check it out.
Chin Chin Laboratorists is London’s first nitro ice cream parlour and a theatrical delight! I read that the owners Ahrash Akbari-Kalhur and his wife Nyisha Weber have left their corporate careers and started this venture – which I am more than happy to support.
It’s a simple concept – you choose your base flavour out of Madagascan vanilla bean, Valrhona 66% chocolate (bonus points for top quality raw materials!), and a daily special which was Alfonso mango and black pepper on the day we visited. Ahrash then dispenses the liquid nitrogen into a metal jug before mixing it into the custard ice-cream base. The resultant ice cream is frozen within a matter of seconds. Chemistry class was never this fun! Ahrash is quite the entertainer also – describing the process as if I was the first person to ever ask how it all works. He explained that the method of freezing the mixture so fast results in no ice crystals and hence a denser and smoother ice cream.
We move to the next counter where Nyisha gives us the option to customize our nitro ice cream delights with sauces and toppings from beakers, flasks and other chemistry-looking jars. We select from either a caramel, raspberry or blueberry compote, and then some crunchy toppings such as chocolate pop rocks, slivered almonds, honeycomb, violet marshmallows, or brittle. Chocolate and raspberry are a match made in heaven which I just cannot go past and the chocolate pop rocks added to the experimentation of the place.
This nitro ice cream is definitely on the creamier side of ice cream – sorbet this is not, but such an experience to be enjoyed by all! I really hope this takes off, it’s such a great idea!
There are also cupcakes for sale that are made by a friend of theirs who happens to be a pastry chef, yum!
The Chin-Chin Laboratorists
49-50 Camden Lock Place
London NW1 8AF
tel. 07885 604 284
Bhargavi
August 3, 2010 at 5:53 pm
YAY! you went!! my mouth is now totally watering … um how many did you have?! xx b
Dan
August 3, 2010 at 5:58 pm
So cheeky B! Just the one for me – Chris came too!
Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella
August 4, 2010 at 12:33 am
Sounds like a great idea. I wish they would open one here!
Chris
August 11, 2010 at 9:24 am
That ice cream was sooo good! And the pop rocks… awesome!
christine
August 13, 2010 at 3:56 pm
I like the idea. These people are genius (and happy I guess because they are enjoying work!) Anyway, thanks for sharing this blog. If you wont mind I’d love to guide Foodista readers to your post. Just add the foodista widget to the end of this post so it will appear in the Foodista pages and it’s all set, Thanks!
Spencer @ Moo-Lolly-Bar
August 16, 2010 at 12:15 pm
Looks good. I’ll have to go there next time I’m back in London.