Kori Ice Cream

392 Bourke St
Melbourne, VIC 3000
https://www.kori-icecream.com.au/

If you ask me, we’re reaching a bit of a saturation point when it comes to Asian-inspired gelatos and ice creams. But there’s always room in my stomach if a new spot turns out to be tasty and conveniently located, and Kori Ice Cream checks both those boxes. With a fun and modern take on Japanese flavours, as well as rotating seasonal specials and collaborations, Kori is a great place in the CBD to get that after-dinner fix.

Rating: 13/20 – but really, Kori is good for any time of the day.
Tried and would get next time: Axil coffee (a coffee-snob calibre collab that will 100% wake you up), matcha pistachio (more pistachio than matcha, but super delish)
Tried but didn’t get: caramel purin/Hokkaido cheesecake (mild and creamy, yummy but doesn’t stand out; in fact I couldn’t tell these apart), Fuji apple (has real apple bits, but the apple flavour is indistinct), tiramisu (if you like coffee, just get the Axil coffee flavour)

Miso Banana Caramel/Black Sesame ($8.5, 2 scoops)

Though there are more eye-catching flavours, the Miso Banana Caramel ($8.5, 2 scoops) is such a hidden gem. The sticky banana caramel combination is tempered by burnt caramel swirled with unexpectedly salty miso, which mutes the bitterness of the caramel, letting the toffee notes shine. The Black Sesame ($8.5, 2 scoops) on the other hand is a classic flavour, and it’s done perfectly here with a beautifully smooth and creamy texture, highlighting the robust nuttiness of the toasted sesame.

Lychee Pocari Sweat ($6.9, 1 scoop)

Because it was a super hot day, I also wanted something fruity. After being encouraged to try about 6 other flavours, I landed on the very popular Lychee Pocari Sweat ($6.9, 1 scoop), which was refreshingly light and floral, with just the faintest hint of salty citrus for its namesake drink.

Genmaicha/Milky Peko Chan ($8.5, 2 scoops) with Lucky Cat Cookie ($1.5)

As you’d expect of an Asian dessert place, the Genmaicha ($8.5, 2 scoops) here is lovely, with a silky-smooth texture and a strong but balanced flavour that showcases both the green tea and the roasted rice notes individually. It goes really well with the Milky Peko Chan ($8.5, 2 scoops), which has a deliciously sweet and milky flavour reminiscent of White Rabbit candies, and mellows out the bitter, grassy notes of the genmaicha. The Lucky Cat Cookie ($1.5) is more for social media than actual flavour, but it is very kawaii, and doubles as a tasty edible ice cream spoon.