Sydney is full of excellent gelato, and now there are two new spots to get around – from a team putting Vietnamese flavours at the forefront. Kreamu sits on bustling John Street in Cabramatta, the mecca for Vietnamese food in Sydney. It’s only been open since December, but it was such a resounding success that a second location quickly followed in Marrickville.

The gelateria is co-founded by siblings Amy Phan and Harry Nguyen. “This gelato store is a reflection of all the sweet treats and fruit I grew up with in Vietnam,” Phan tells Broadsheet. “My mum and dad arrived in Australia, making sweets and being distributors to all the Asian grocery stores. Desserts have been my passion for 20 years, and I decided one day I wanted to do my own unique take on gelato.”

Phan studied Italian gelato-making to learn the fundamentals. But, sticking true to Vietnamese desserts, her gelato is made with a coconut-milk base. “Coconut milk can consist of either young coconut or old coconut, which have different tastes, so we go through a pasteurisation process to ensure we get a consistent base. We don’t use any powder either – we use real fruit and blend all our puree mixes ourselves.”

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Broadsheet visited the Cabramatta OG to taste-test three of the 18 Kreamu flavours.

Soursop and tamarind

This one bites – in a good way. The sharp tang of the soursop combines with the molasses-like flavour of the tamarind. It’s sour, sweet and has a hint of saltiness – the same balance often found in Southeast Asian cuisine. The acidic flavour profile is more akin to one found in sorbet, but the texture remains rich and creamy-smooth. If you’re into Vietnamese fruit, this one’s for you.

Sweet corn

This scoop is a homage to che bap, a sweet corn pudding that’s beloved in Vietnam. The corn kernel flavour is powerful, balanced with a custardy texture. But don’t expect a smooth ride all the way through: nuggets of corn appear in every couple of bites as a welcome surprise.

Banana cashew nut

Tastes like banana, but not like the usual. The Kreamu team uses the smaller, sweeter finger bananas (not the usual Cavendish). The result is a dense gelato with a deeply caramel flavour – which combines wonderfully with the soft crunch of crushed cashews. It’s sweet, nutty and made us think “gelato-fied banana bread” as we finished the cup.

The rest of the line-up includes an avocado and durian number (based off a popular shake found in Vietnamese dessert cafes), Vietnamese iced coffee and du ua (Vietnamese yoghurt). Plus, fancier takes like ambarella and apricot; and sugarcane and calamansi.

Expect new seasonal flavours to come this winter, including a play on the dessert che troi nuoc, which consists of sticky rice balls and ginger syrup.

Kreamu
Shop 1, 73/79 John Street, Cabramatta
Mon to Thu 10am–10pm
Fri to Sun 10am–11pm

327 Illawarra Road, Marrickville
Sun to Thu 11am–9pm
Fri & Sat 11am–1pm

@kreamu.au