If we had you at ‘hello’, we know we’ll lose you at ‘yogurt’.

Just like you, we’re sick of all the frozen yogurt joints populating our street corners, food courts, Twitter time lines and where-to-get dessert debates. So much so, we were quite certain that Bandra’s new Dolcemente Italia wouldn’t be getting prime real estate in the bpb newsletter.

But when a cute Italian boy tells you that he’ll give you Italian lessons in the back of his frozen yogurt shop, it makes you re-consider.  Could one more frozen yogurt shop really hurt anyone?

When In Rome

But that’s the thing, chatty Italians aside, Dolcemente Italia is different. For starters, it serves just the original yogurt (no flavours) and does lovely things with it. They put yogurt in between biscuit sandwiches; rolled in waffle cone flutes; inside chocolate covered lollipops or just in cups to eat with toppings. For those who don’t like yogurt, there’s also four flavours of gelato, and a bunch of other sweet plates including fruit salad, waffles, muffins and banana split.

The other differentiating factor is space. A sweet strip here leads to an egg-shell coloured café out back, with tables that can seat about 25 people who’ll have at their disposal, free Wi-fi. This browser supports cookies! Here they plan to hold regular screenings of Italian movies and also hold Italian conversation classes (that’s what we were referring to earlier in the story).

Sandwich Shop

Standing by a chocolate fountain, we started with a trial cup of their yogurt (Rs 120 for a medium cup) – velvety and slightly tangy - which is tasty enough to eat plain.  And now for all the ways in which it has been re-imagined. First up, a big round sandwich (Rs 130) featuring a biscotto top, a thick slice of yogurt at the centre and a base of sponge cake – our favourite on the list. The yogurt-filled lollipops (Rs 70), seriously grande, are tasty but a little clumsy to eat unless you’re home with access to a bib and a plate. We got the Golosone White version, coated with white chocolate and studded with pistachios, but we suspect the dark chocolate coating would have complimented the yogurt better. The wafer roll (Rs 70), dipped in chocolate at both ends, was just alright, a little soggy and unlike the other treats here, not well endowed.

Speaking of small, see the pretty mini desserts, truffle-sized wafer cups filled with yogurt and topped with fruity-chocolate icing that can be packed in fun gift boxes.  Eat in a single mouthful to experience its crisp-velvety-soft textures at one go. The idea of using yogurt and not vanilla gelato in all of these dishes, we were told, was to mitigate the sweetness that comes with ice cream and add a fresh taste. Also, special  mention for the neat thermocol take-away and delivery boxes.

Also nice are the cookie and dark chocolate gelato flavours, but these can be eaten elsewhere in the city too. We ended with the hot chocolate, a cup that was too rich for this Scouter, but you’ll ask for one more if that’s the way you like yours.

Fell(ini) in Love

Now Dolcemente Italia isn’t the cheapest yogurt joint in town, but the offerings are well-thought out. Plus, there’s a possibility of watching Fellini’s 8½ while getting a brain freeze. Sounds lovely.

Getting there: Dolcemente Italia, unit 6, Silver Gaft, junction of 16^th and 33^rd Road, in the lane opposite Mini Punjab, Bandra (W), call 33787662, Rs 60 for a single gelato scoop, Rs 85 for a yogurt cone.

bpb reviews anonymously and pays for its own meals.