This spot was more than just a place I checked out to beat the heat, it was actually a spot I have been meaning to try for sometime now and finally got the chance to. In this blog post I will explain why I was excited on trying this spot and what my honest thoughts are of the gelatos and some of the vegetarian options. Before reading the blog post below, feel free to check out more vegetarian and vegan content on the blog or via my socials by following on Tiktok, Instagram, and Facebook! See below for a visual teaser and POV inside the store!
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About and Location
Ksira Gelato has two physical locations one in Markham, and this one, in Ajax. The Ajax location is 1901 Harwood Ave North with a lot of parking available, but keep in mind as the plaza can be busy depending on the time. The reason for why I wanted to check out this spot is because I have been a fan/supporter of the owner for several years now, Chef Roshan Kanagarajah aka Kitchen Guerilla. I remember seeing some of his posts on social media but it wasn’t until I was at the Tamil supermarket and bought his very own marinade and seasoning products. Not only did they taste great, he even gave me some recommendations on what to make with those marinades and seasoning. I remember when his gelato line was exclusively online and needed to be ordered in advance, so it is great to see that he has now scaled it to a physical location. I believe he started this business by recreating his mother’s Watalappam (a staple Sri Lankan pudding dessert) as a gelato and then experiment with new flavours while incorporating his Tamil heritage and culture. That’s also a big reason for why I have been supportive of his business and was curious to check this spot out as well.
Taste
What some people may be surprised to know is that this place does have various different items on their menu and I tried a few based on some staff recommendations and my own curiosity.
Gelato
I have to start with the main reason why I went, the gelato. At the time, I went near the middle of the day but there weren’t too many options available, nonetheless I was still satisfied with what I got. The white chocolate almond was pretty good but I did get a bit of grainy and coconut taste, so it might not be for everybody. Nonetheless, if you are someone that does enjoy tasting various flavours in your ice cream/gelato I would recommend this. In terms of Mango, it is very hard to mess that up and thankfully they didn’t. It was really nice and had a bit of zest in my opinion so I would strongly suggest this one.
Mains
I wanted to grab some food and since I am vegetarian I had a feeling I would be limited in terms of my options but I was intrigued with what they had recommended that was available. The staff working recommended the sinni sambal but I wasn’t too sure what to expect because I usually see it is on it’s own or in a bun but I was shocked that it was a sandwich and that it genuinely tasted really good. It reminded me of a Tamil version of a mushroom swiss grilled cheese as you get a hint of spice and savouriness which contrasts the sweetness by itself. The toasted bread does neutralizes it a bit but would prefer maybe a better bread such a brioche bun or even a rye. If you want a combo, you can add fries for $2 more but you need to eat them hot and was okay, so would recommend just getting the sandwich itself.
The other main item I got was the cassava fries. I appreciated the fact that they were heavenly seasoned and spiced. I ate some after I ordered and some more after driving home, and I did enjoy the texture and you do get a decent amount in terms of portion.
Latte
I really like the vanilla latte and I wish I was near this place because I would 100% get it again, that’s how much I liked it. There was a good amount of vanilla with coffee which didn’t overpower each other but gave a refreshing taste.
Price
In terms of pricing, it really does depend on the item to state if it is expensive or not. For the gelatos, they were $6 each and although it may look small that one cup is more than enough so I think that is a fair price! The vanilla late was only $4 which is a great deal in my opinion. What I would say was not worth it for the price was the cassava fries as it was $12. Sure, there was a lot but frankly, after a couple of bites it was hard for me or my family to eat it. I would suggest maybe cutting the price and portion in half to make it more reasonable. The seeni sambol sandwich for $10 is also pricey, I think if there was a more premium bread used then maybe $10 would work but as of right now it is more on the pricey side.
Overall
All in all, I am happy to support a Tamil creative who is passionate and continuously working to improve himself and customer satisfaction. Nevertheless, even if I didn’t know who he was I would still give this place a positive review especially because I did enjoy the food and the store has great potential. It would be cool to see him selling more food items that incorporate his signature marinade or seasoning. For example, I remember via IG he mentioned that his jerk marinade would work well with paneer, cauliflower, and tofu so it would be cool to see something like that available at the store. Nonetheless, I hope he continues to maintain his gelato flavours and cafe beverages as he incorporates more Tamil culture into his menu. If you have tried Ksira or planning on trying it, please let me know your thoughts below in the comments or on social media by following on Tiktok, Instagram, and Facebook as I will be posting more vegetarian content!