Art of Flavors
Samples – Sassafras Root Bark, 70% Chocolate, Cookie Milk, Toasted Peanut Coconut Brittle, Juliette the Goose Egg and Sage Flowers, Ripe Banana Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Cookie Dough, Jalapeno Chili Cocoa Sorbet
Caramel and Roasted Honey Carrots, Cornbread Irish Whiskey Milk Jam on a Vanilla Waffle Cone
Caramel Filled Churro
Chocolate Brownie Cookie
Oatmeal Cranberry Cookie
Quite literally made famous by Desyree Alberganti, one of the most beloved faces in Las Vegas’ culinary community later taking her talents south to Gelatology for reasons that remain unconfirmed rumors to this day, it took some time to consider a return visit to Art of Flavors on South Las Vegas Boulevard, mixed opinions from trusted sources paired with dinner at SLO-Boy finally providing impetus to stop in for a taste.
Now owned and operated by Douglas Taylor, himself a veteran of the local frozen treats scene after stints with Mario Batali at the Venetian and Palazzo, Art of Flavors opted to keep its name while significantly changing up the décor as well as the offerings and although the gelato case remains front and center the in-house baking program features everything from cookies and cones to biscotti and churros, the prices actually a bargain when considering the nearby competition, especially those casino-based.
Visiting around seven o’clock, Taylor only briefly passing through as bites were being enjoyed at stylish wood tables located next to the freezer case and a collection of cookbooks on shelves, it was with several samples offered on long metal spoons that initial opinions were formed of a product compromised by a freezer not performing adequately, many of the flavors downright brilliant though several contained ice crystals created through cycles of thawing and refreezing while others were slightly firmer than cold soup.
Eventually settling on a $4.99 two-flavored “small” atop a $1 Vanilla Waffle Cone, the gelato dripping through the bottom before the bill was paid, suffice it to say that Chef Taylor’s cones set a new local standard as the texture is crisp yet slightly flexible and although a few licks were no doubt lost on the floor, shirt and napkin the flavor of both Caramel and Roasted Honey Carrots as well as Cornbread Irish Whiskey Milk Jam were as rich and complex as the names are cumbersome, the former particularly special by way of the vegetal sweetness while the samples such as “Juliette the Goose Egg and Sage Flowers” and “Ripe Banana Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Cookie Dough” were simply too clever for their own good, the latter gritty and the former just short of “bathroom floral.”
Turning attention to the bakery stock, cookies and biscotti stacked behind glass while hot oil awaits churro dough, both the $1.50 Chocolate Brownie Cookie and its Oatmeal Cranberry counterpart were of the thin variety with crisp rims and soft centers, the same actually applicable to the $2 yardstick of a doughnut piped full of salty caramel, most certainly not your run-of-the-mill Churro but instead something best sat down with to enjoy slowly with a knife and a fork.
TWO AND A HALF STARS: Massively affected by storage temperatures far warmer than would seem logical, the result a product that fails texturally no matter how good the flavor or intent, one wonders if this is a choice or an effect of machinery, because taking into account the rest of the offerings and prices it seems a few simple tweaks could see a former favorite shine again.
RECOMMENDED: Caramel Churro, Waffle Cones.
AVOID: Gelato, unless sampling shows texture to meet personal tastes.
TIP: Parking in the small lot seems worse than ever and vagrants seem to have free reign to use the AoF Restrooms, then pester patrons for “A Little Help” with no interference from Staff.
WHAT THE STARS MEAN: 5 World Class, 4 Excellent, 3 Good, 2 Fair, 1 Poor.
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Art-of-Flavors