Ecco Un Poco

Stumble into this West Third gelateria, and you'll be tempted to ask about the large framed photographs of corgis posing in front of In-N-Out, Handy’s and other iconic California joints. This will lead to husband-and-wife team Alessandro Restelli and Alejandra Unger possibly telling you all about their love affair, which began in Buenos Aires. He's Italian and she's Mexican, and when they considered where in the world they should open a gelateria, Los Angeles was at the top of the list. 

You’d be remiss to come to Ecco un Poco and not get the Bronte pistachio, made with special pistachios from the volcanic slopes of Mount Etna in Sicily, where mineral-rich soil and a certificate of origin—champagne rules, essentially—give the nut a flavor you simply cannot reproduce anywhere else. The hazelnuts, too, come straight from Piedmont, another protected geographical indication producing “the best hazelnuts in the world.” Purists will appreciate the traditional and milky fior di latte (sweet cream), and those seeking novelty will appreciate sorbets centered around seasonal fruits. During my last visit, that included watermelon, melone (cantaloupe), and peach. What sets the sorbet here apart is the maximalist treatment: made with 45 to 50 percent real fruit when most shops settle for 15 to 25 percent. In other words, you can really taste the fruit. And look out for granita (Italian ice), only available during the summer months. Recently, strawberry, lime and almond were on deck. Come winter, keep an eye out for the pear-Parmigiano, a flavor Alessandro traces to his childhood as a picky eater, when his grandmother would pair a wedge of salty cheese with sweet pear so the two would balance each other out. 

Once a year, there’s a special "Over the Rainbow" flavor, a fior di latte laced with seven different fruit sauces, so every scoop tastes a little different. It was created in memory of Chimichurri, the first of their three corgis—all three were named after an Argentine dish. Mark your calendars for June 27th, and be sure to give your condolences when ordering.