The M.O. is presto chango at Sub Zero, Naples’ first molecular gastronomic ice cream parlor. Design and watch your own flash-frozen treat get whipped up licket-y split, be it ice cream, custard, yogurt, or a lactose-free or vegan formula. One of the staff’s friendly food chemists helps guide you through the process, and it’s often the owner himself, a longtime Collier resident who fell in love with the concept after seeing it on TV.
You pick a base, add a flavor—we counted more than 35, from dulce de leche to cotton candy—and then watch as the 21st century version of a soda jerk spins a creamy concoction out of thin air (well, technically liquid nitrogen registering at 300 degrees below zero!). Choose a complimentary mix-in or add more fixin’s a la carte, and voila. Every major candy bar, fresh fruits and nuts are behind the glass divider, plus a few sophisticated surprises like espresso powder and dark chocolate flakes.
If only we could eat all the ice cream we wanted and magically whisk away the calories—oh wait, we can (at least partially) with Sub Zero’s low-fat and fat-free options. Now that’s totally cool.
To plan a visit:
Galleria Shoppes at Vanderbilt
2395 Vanderbilt Beach Road, Naples
(239) 260-5716
Scroll through the shots below for a look at the sweet madness!
