Grayslake's Gelato goes far beyond ice cream
March 26, 2009
By LEE A. LITAS Contributor

Joe and Jim DiBartolo don't just sell gelato; they sell a divine gelato experience!

Operating out of Grayslake, the fairly innocuous location boasts a far from timid dessert. In fact, to label DiVino's Gelato a simple ice cream would be an understatement as this artfully-presented feast for the eyes and palate can easily be the whole meal, if one were to measure it purely on a satisfaction scale.

Gelato from DiVino in Grayslake. (Photo by Joe DiBartolo/DiVino) DIVINO 821 E. Center Street, Grayslake, parking free and ample. Phone: 847.223.2500. Wholesale: 888.R.Gelato. Hours: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday to Saturday; Closed Sunday. www.divinogelato.com

The DiBartolo brothers, collectively representing some 30 years of restaurant experience, are old hands at 'reeling'em in.' One can find Jim on any given day standing with taste sample in hand as customers walk in. The reaction is immediate and visceral: "Mmmm, this is good," said one customer after another at their first tastes of the icy treat. Gelato is much denser than American ice cream so, consequently, the flavor is more concentrated. The major difference between American ice cream and Italian gelato is the way in which they are made. The 'churning' process is called 'overrun' which, in laymen's terms, requires the infusion of air into the automation. "Americans have 100 percent overrun so when we buy a gallon of ice cream, 50 percent of it is air," explained Joe DiBartolo. Not surprisingly, this makes ice cream a very profitable product to sell at the expense, however, of taste. To get back the creaminess, premium ice creams increase the butterfat to where some contain as much as 18-22 percent fat. Alternately, gelato has an overrun of 40-60 percent which means that it is more dense and its flavor that much more creamy and robust. This eliminates the need for extra fat which makes gelato a healthier alternative to boot at only 0-8 percent fat. The FDA defines ice cream as a frozen product with no less than 10% butterfat so gelato can't even be called ice cream because it is under the allowable fat content, said Joe DiBartolo. DiVino carries some 40 flavors, many of which are proprietary blends, but lest you think that this is just a premium 'gelateria,' DiVino's offerings extend to freshly-made pizzas, pastas, salads and Panini. Their homemade breadsticks are made to order and, much like their gelato, to call these 2x6x2 inch twisted creations that come sprinkled with Parmesan cheese, garlic and tangy dipping sauce mere breadsticks would be a misnomer (8 for $3.99). They also serve what is known as a "white pizza" meaning that it has all the ingredients minus the tomato sauce. Can't imagine your pizza without the red stuff? Wait 'till you taste this: The Margherita is made with fresh basil and natural mozzarella. The Bianco is made with ricotta, roasted red peppers, spinach and roasted garlic. Hand-tossed crust or thin (Indiv $9.99 / Med $12.99 / Lg $14.99 / XLg $16.99). For a healthy and satisfying entree, their sausage, green peppers and onions are 'seasoned to perfection' ($6.99). "We first wanted to promote as being healthy but most Americans think that if it's healthy it doesn't taste good. So now we let the customers try (our food) and then say, 'Oh, by the way, it's also less fattening and better for your health," said Jim DiBartolo.