Fro Yo and Gelato at ‘Gelayo Gusto’ is Coolio

I scream, you scream, we all scream because plain old ice cream just gets boring.

Fortunately, the new Gelayo Gusto provides another cool, mouth-watering alternative to ice cream in time for the warming weather. The Gelayo Gusto is named after its specialties, “gelato” and “yogurt,” and is jam-packed with enough style and taste to leave anyone full. Its main feature is gelato: thick and rich Italian ice cream that is notable for its decreased amount of air.

Located on 856 West El Camino Real near Castro Street in Mountain View, the gelato place is open until 12 a.m. on Sundays to Thursdays and until 2 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. Convenient, comfortable and modern, this is the hot new place to go for all the cold-treat addicts out there.

Perhaps the first notable characteristic of the dessert shop is its great ambiance. The store owners, a young Korean couple, are warm, friendly, outgoing and willing to let customers try out as many flavors as they like without feeling guilty about it. The store itself is cool, inviting and modern, with awesome orange chairs and bright lighting, colors and hues. The the Gusto itself is small and can seat only 25 people, it has already garnered much enthusiasm and attention.

The place has been pretty crowded with people since its recent opening in December. Still, parking is very convenient. Plus, there is also free wireless Internet access. The Gusto is a great place to hang out if one can just find seats.

This chic, modern gelato place offers a wide range of soups, salads, sandwiches and hot and cold drinks, but it specializes in superb sweets. A tantalizing display of fruit tarts lavished with colorful berries, Korean shaved ice, waffles smothered in syrup and cream, freshly-baked cookies and an impressive display of over 20 flavors of delicious gelato create a mouth-watering sight.

The most popular gelato flavor, Cookies n’ Cream, is more generic but is still appetizing, sweet, thick, unimaginably creamy and laden with yummy cookie bits. This timeless dessert is incredibly popular with both kids and adults. Other flavors that are worth a try include the buttery caramel balsamic, the super-intense Espresso and the York-patty-like mint chip.

The gelato is absolutely heavenly, and each bite is refreshing, thick and satisfying. Each serving also comes with a cute little vanilla wafer that is super flaky and melt-in-your-mouth thin.

Plus, for all the weight-watchers out there, no worries! Gelato has 35 percent less fat than regular ice cream, so one can indulge without it showing up on one’s tummy.

And as for price: One can get three flavors, or five ounces, for a nice $3.50. Thirteen ounces of gelato is only $7. Overall, it isn’t too bad. The scoops are generous and each cup of Gusto’s gelato is dense, handmade and worthwhile. For a reasonable price, customers can savor some of the best gelato in Mountain View.

Compared to the nearby Gelato Classico on Castro Street, the Gusto has fewer flavors, but like Classico, it is conveniently located near Castro Street’s abundant eateries and is warm and fun enough to make trips really enjoyable. Though Classico has rounded up award after award for its delicious gelatos, it will not find it an easy task to hold its own against this new, inviting and all-around fabulous gelato place.