Despite the huge crowd around the counter, the disorderly 'queue' progressed rather quickly. Having sampled a few flavours, we opted for one safe and one adventurous option, namely Hazelnut and Two Strokes.
While the hazelnut was pleasant overall, with a nice hazelnut aroma, there was definitely something lacking within. While I can't quite pinpoint it, I had an inkling feeling that there was too much milk within, which diluted the depth in hazelnut flavour.
Two Strokes was also enjoyable, though proved a bit too sweet for my palate. The actual bits of candied hazelnut was extremely crunchy and provided a nice contrast in texture as well as a sudden burst of sweetness. The flavour of the gelato itself paled in contrast though. While there was a hint of coffee within, it wasn't nearly enough to cut through all the sweetness of the white chocolate and hazelnuts.
Overall, Messina does serve up a pretty decent ice cream. Admittedly, iI did enjoy it despite being overly sweet Two Stroke, and their ever evolving special flavours are always nice to try and makes me come back for more.
In saying that, it's certainly not the best Gelato I've had, both in Melbourne and internationally. I just don't quite understand all that hype.
Sure, but only for their 'special' flavours. For me though, Pipdapipo undeniably still holds the crown for the best Italian gelato in Melbourne.