It was a scorching hot day after we walked through Malioboro and Pasar Beringharjo from our hotel. So, I decided to get refreshment. The other day, I saw gelato sign. So I thought to take my mom and Ray there. I love gelatos and I thought even in this place the price would be reasonable. My mom and Ray never had gelatos so it was going to be the first experience for them. As for me, it was just another gelato place.
When I first arrived at this area, I spotted a sign “ Massimo Gelato” with a small italian flag. The place looks quite fancy with a nice patio. I thought well, why not try getting gelato in this place rather than in another place. I was expecting the place to be some kind of artisan gelato just like in Tempo Gelato where I often visit.
How To Find Massimo Gelato
As you walk around Malioboro, you can easily spot the sign of the place. It is located in the complex of Inna Garuda hotel. So, this place is quite noticeable from the street.
So, I walked to the staff and screened through the menus. For a small 2 scoops of gelato it was 30.000 IDR or equivalent to 2.1$ .It was a bit more expensive than Tempo Gelato which is only 1.8$ for the small size. Since we were three people, I decided to get a medium one for 2.8$ for three flavors. Looking at the price, it was more cheaper and more reasonable.Along with gelato, I was also ordering bottled water. In that place, we made fun of that expensive water bottled and ray said it should have gone to the museum and preserved.
“ One bottled water please” I said.
“ That’d be 15000” the cashier said. The equivalent of 1.1$.
My mom and Ray were quite astonished. It was just regular bottled water that in the store would cost about 0.2 cents. I am someone who drinks 8+ph water or alkaline water and it was still even cheaper than the bottled water that was sold there. Knowing that, I also ordered french fries on the side just so I could round up my expenses.
After a bit of waiting, the staff finally asked us which flavors we wanted to get. There are plenty of flavors in this place. So, while waiting for my mom and ray picking the flavor, I was taking pictures around. They also sell beer in this place with Bali Hai, Stout, and Bintang. I was about to order the beer but my mom would flip out since alcohol is a no-no for someone with GERD. So, that was for later.
What's our verdict?
Finally, my mom and Ray picked their flavor. It was raspberry yogurt and mango yogurt. I chose espresso because I had been craving the taste of coffee. In this gelato, it was written that the ingredients are 100% natural. That couldn’t be far from what we tasted. Ray mentioned there were pieces of mango and also raspberry for my mom. Meanwhile, I could taste a bit of coffee grains in the gelato. So it was quite worth it for the price that we paid. However, as for my mom and ray, they would prefer eating McDonald sundae than gelato.
As for the place itself, there was nothing special. It was just like a mini bar playing italian bossanova. As I glanced through the bill, apparently this place is attached to the INNA Garuda which is a 4 star hotel in the area. So not only was there a service tax, there was also another tax which made regular items way overpriced. This is something that I recommend to keep in mind while visiting places like this.
I am okay with hotel services but the bottled water made me feel like I was being ripped off. At least, if they want to sell bottled water at such a steep price, they should have picked a better brand, not just the regular one. And to be honest, this is the problem with bottled water in cafes and restaurants. I am fine with them selling it a bit overpriced but at least pick a quality one. But I would feel ripped off, if they choose regular bottled water but selling it at a steep price.
I don’t really think I would go back there again. First, I know a better gelato place with better staff and ambience. Second, it was a bit more than what I usually pay. And always ask what kind of water bottle they serve if they are going to charge a steep price for it. That's the lesson learned from this trip.
You can also check my other travelogues here :
 | Mac covers technology, philosophy, nootropics, books, productivity, minimalist lifestyle, cybersecurity, and languages. Other than those, she is passionate about cooking and travel. In her free time, she enjoys learning various things. Hive is the only social media and blog that she has. |