April 2005

Changes are afoot at Isee Icy. But fans of the Argentine-style gelato parlor in Georgetown shouldn't worry--the rich, deeply flavored gelato isn't going anywhere.

From now on, the cafe will be known as Dolcezza ("sweetness" in Italian). Owners Robb Duncan and his wife, Violeta Edelman--who met in the Amazon jungle, lived in Buenos Aires, then moved to DC--have imported a churros machine, and on weekends they'll serve the freshly fried dough stuffed with either dulce de leche, chocolate, or sweet cream. They've also started a line of gelato cakes, popular at children's parties.

You can chill out in the upstairs cafe, painted in Crayola colors and now wired for wi-fi, while sipping hot chocolate with cinnamon, Mighty Leaf tea, or espresso drinks made with coffee beans from Counter Culture. Duncan's iPod plays jazz and tango music.

"We want to be known as a palace of sweet," Robb says, "but the focus will always be gelato." Argentine-style gelato uses more cream than Italian gelato and no eggs. In the display case we found a wonderfully earthy pistachio, a dulce de leche that trumped ones we've had in Argentina, and a summer-light mascarpone studded with berries. Don't miss the most popular flavor--the Sorrento lemon sorbet.

Dolcezza: 1560 Wisconsin Ave., NW; 202-333-4646; dolcezzagelato.com. 

Open Monday through Thursday 10 AM to 11 PM, Friday and Saturday 10 AM to midnight, Sunday 10 AM to 10 PM.