Kariton Sorbetes’ debut store in Burwood, Sydney, attracted long, buzzy lines. The longest that the lauded Melbourne-based ice-cream house has experienced, actually. So it’s no wonder the team opened a second for the state – in the Eastern Creek Quarter – just over four months later.

Western Sydney was the obvious choice for the trio of owners – chefs John Rivera and Minh Duong, and designer and builder Michael Mabuti (behind the recent revamp of Darlinghurst’s Takam.

“We’ve got a lot of family and friends growing up in the Western Sydney area,” Rivera tells Broadsheet. “So for us, it made sense to do something there and, in a way, give back and service that community. We found ourselves in a really great spot, with other young Filipino businesses, like Sir Manong.”

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Kariton is named after ice-cream carts in the Philippines and churns artisanal Filipino and Southeast Asian-inspired scoops.

“We wanted to bring something that’s a little bit different – closer to home,” Rivera says. “For me and Minh, growing up as Filipino and Vietnamese immigrants here, we never really saw our flavours celebrated in desserts.”

A bestseller is the signature ube halaya, a fudgy purple-yam gelato with blackberry jam and caramelised coconut. And the buko pandan, a green dream of coconut and pandan sorbet with pandan jelly and the crunch of shredded young coconut and toasted rice flakes. The turon is a take on the sweet Filipino banana spring roll. At Kariton it’s a banana gelato with muscovado sugar and chunks of jackfruit with a caramelised spring-roll wrapper as a wafer.

ECQ will have slightly fewer core flavours than in Burwood (10 instead of 14). And there will be two fortnightly rotating specials. After expanding its references beyond the Philippines, to Japan, Indonesia, Malaysia and Vietnam, Kariton’s now looking to the Middle East.

“Our next specialty we’re taking cues from that viral pistachio chocolate from Dubai. The new special will be called Hi from Dubai. It’s our milk gelato, and we’re going to smash through chunks of dark-chocolate-coated pistachio kataifi pastry.” That particular scoop is available from next week.

Kariton joins other standout Filipino spots – like Sir Manong, Burger Point and Hanmade in the western suburbs. And just recently Sydney welcomed Tita, Smoky Cravings, Mix Mix and Mesa. “We’re opening it the outer west ‘cause that’s where a big chunk of Filipinos are,” Mabuti says. “Not that Filipinos are our target market, but they’re our cheerleaders.”

“Growing up in New Zealand and here in Australia, my parents always kind of subconsciously taught me to fit in,” Rivera says. “We certainly celebrated our culture within our own home and community. Now, I guess my generation is a little bit … like, we're Filipinos – this is our culture, this is our food.”

Kariton Sorbetes
159 Rooty Hill Road South, Eastern Creek

Hours:
Mon to Thu 11.30am–9.30pm
Fri to Sun 11am–9.30pm

karitonsorbetes.com
@kariton.au