I stumbled upon this quiet gelato house while on a stroll along Baldwin Street in Toronto. It’s hard to find anything online about Kekou other than a humble website which appears hidden among the relics of the Little Video Shop reviews during a google search. Gone are the copies of John Hughes and Die Hard movies but the gelato remains..this time infused with Asian flavours synonymous with the Baldwin Street experience. Take, for example, the variety posted on their website:
Ginger Milk
Cashew
Peanut Sesame
Black Sesame
Jasmine Tea
Vanilla Lotus Seed
Green Bean Coconut
Vietnamese Coffee
Red Bean White Chocolate
Jackfruit
Durian
Lemon Chrysanthemum
Guava Plum Salt
Mango
Spicy Mango
Strawberry-Lychee
The last five are dairy free. I’m unsure if all (dairy or non) are available all the time but the variety was great when I popped in. Sampling is available, so I tasted the durian, intrigued by whether the stinky fruit would translate into an icy treat. It worked. In the end, I opted for Spicy Mango and Strawberry-Lychee together in a small cup for $3.75. The mango was creamy despite no dairy (I have a friend of mine who swears no dairy will do wonders for my skin). It had an ever so subtle spicy kick. The strawberry-lychee was icy good, well balanced and refreshing.
The store itself is as humble as the website. Hand-written tags and an old school ice cream parlour sign hang in contrast within the otherwise pristine and modern decor. I’d like to witness the Effe Vertical mixer in action in their open kitchen but it was dormant during my visit.
My Take
In a city where the gelato juggernauts seem to reside in midtown, the resurrection of the cold treat is a welcome addition to Baldwin street, this time with an Asian flavour twist. It’s a quiet recluse and although I can’t walk out with a copy of the Accidental Spy (great ice cream scene by the way) , it might end up a quiet little spot I hit during my regular jaunts up and down University Avenue and if the heat happens to make me a little smelly, I’ll just blame the durian.
Fare..Eat..Ales 