Rita's Italian Custard Ice Cream and Gelati, Alabang Town Center
Rita's Ice Custard Happiness surely became a hit when it first arrived here in the Philippines. I witnessed how foodies were all willing to withstand the long queue just to taste the famous custard ice cream and the Italian Ice. However, it seemed like the craze started to fade fast, and I kept hearing from my friends how the desserts are not that "sulit" here in Rita's. Now, just recently I was able to put this into test.
Busting a myth?
When my friends and I happened to end up in Alabang Town Center (ATC) on a fine Sunday, we didn't let the chance slip for us to try Rita's and challenge the existing perception about the dessert. During this visit, we were able to try out Gelati and the Custard, but before that let's talk about the place first.
Overly simplistic interior
The interior of Rita's here in ATC is "overly plain" considering the premium paid for the desserts. The design is minimal yet lacks the appeal to make it look elegantly simple. Match this up with the not-so-cool temperature of the room and you'll end up somehow unhappy with your experience.
Custard Ice Cream || P145 - Regular || P180 - Large
The custard ice cream is surely "special" with its ultimate thickness and creaminess. The flavor is also prominently potent and coast the palate very well. The price unfortunately negates the happiness derived from the dessert. It also exhibits steep diminishing marginal utility. Each spoonful becomes less and less enjoyable as it saturates the buds.
Gelati || P150 - Regular || P180 - Large
Layers of Italian Ice and Custard
The Gelati is far better than the custard ice cream alone as it cures the saturation with its incorporated flavored Italian Ice. It does not cure however the "expensiveness" of the dessert. Hmmm, well actually, it somehow does as this is more "sulit" than the ice cream. A suggested combination would be chocolate for ice cream and cookie dough for the ice.
Ritas - Overall Ratings and Summary
Note: Unshaded stars are equivalents of half-stars. The ratings apply solely to this dining experience.
Place ★★
Taste ★★★
Service ★★★
Value for Money ★★★
Budget: at least P150 each for a personal gelati or custard ice cream
Honestly, the ice cream can be considered special on its own, but when you start factoring in the price, you start doubting the dessert. This is exactly what happened to us. It felt like something was lacking in the experience. The service and the ambiance didn't help as well in lifting the foodie experience up. Now, with this kind of experience, I am left doubtful in giving it a second try.
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Rita's
Location: Ground Floor, Alabang Town Center, Alabang, Muntinlupa City
Operating Hours: 10:00 AM - 10:00 PM daily
Service Charge: None (Pay as your order)
