While it's tough for most new businesses, restaurants happen to thrive particularly well in Lafayette. Judging by the scores of hot and decaffeinated throngs at Carpe Diem! Gelato-Espresso shop the past two weeks, this shop is one more success.
While it's tough for most new businesses, restaurants happen to thrive particularly well in Lafayette. Judging by the scores of hot and decaffeinated throngs at Carpe Diem! Gelato-Espresso shop the past two weeks, this shop is one more success.
Monday night was the official ribbon-cutting for Carpe Diem. After two weeks of a "soft open" it was time to make it official or, as some say, "put a ring on it."
There are three things going go for this shop: the gelato, coffee and the pastries.
Gelato is arguably the most popular dessert in Italy, the country from which owner Silvia Bertolazzi hails. According to the press release, gelato is "similar to ice cream but with a smooth, creamy consistency, and bold flavor. It's all natural ingredients include milk and sugar often combined with fruit, chocolate, liquor, spices, or nuts. Unlike ice cream, gelato often does not contain cream, and has substantially less fat than ice cream, making it a healthy, high quality gourmet delicacy." Since the final Harry Potter film opened last week Carpe Diem had hordes of people blowing up Twitter and Facebook talking about the butterbeer gelato in celebration of the event. Butterbeer is the drink of choice in the Potterverse and taste like a sasparilla got fresh with a vanilla bean. It's delicious, as is the rest of the many choices that range from the fruity to the truly decadent.
The pastries are made by Petticoat Pastries of Lafayette.
Finally, the coffee is real. Rejoice, coffee snobs everywhere, and stop into Carpe for an explanation of why its kyoto method of brewing is the best.
Councilman Sam Dore was on hand to congratulate the shop during its official opening. Guests enjoyed complimentary coffee and gelato and were able to meet and greet with the staff of Carpe Diem. The crowd was filled with people who either had become regulars of the shop the past few weeks or people who had heard about why the other half were regulars and wanted to taste what all the fuss was about. Go see for yourself Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., Fridays 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., Saturdays 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sundays 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday is their day of rest.