On a budget? Stella Jean's brings flavors from around the world to you

On a budget? Stella Jean’s brings flavors from around the world to you

The University Heights scoop shop worked with chefs to develop unique ice creams influenced by Thailand, Mexico, France, Brazil, the Middle East and the Philippines

San Diego Union-Tribune

Aug. 29, 2019 1 PM PT

Consider it culinary tourism at its easiest: Stella Jean’s scoop shop has gone global for its latest unique ice cream flavors.

Co-owners Gan Suebsarakham and Steven Torres have collaborated with local chefs to create six tasty treats that capture the essence of Mexico, France, Brazil, Thailand, the Middle East and the Philippines.

We tasted all six flavors here at U-T food central — in the interest of journalism, of course — and while we loved them all, the top vote-getters were Pâtisserie Mélanie’s French lavender with butter cookies, Simsim chef Ibrahim Alsharief’s Middle Eastern Mahalabia, with orange blossom, dates, pistachios and phyllo dough cracklings, and Suebsarakham’s Thai tea ice cream with chunks of condensed milk cake.

Available on the weekends, Scoops From Around the World kicks off Friday with Thailand and the Middle East, then it’s on to Mexico Sept. 7 (chef Claudette Zepeda’s sweet and spicy cinnamon), France on Sept. 14, Brazil on Sept. 21 (chef Yara Lamers pineapple and dulce de leche) and the Philippines Sept. 28 (Cowboy Star’s Jamie Decena’s toasted buttered pandesal with pandesal toffee swirl).

Scoops From Around the World

Friday through Sunday and weekends through September. 4404 Park Blvd., University Heights. $3.50-$$8.50 for cones; $9.50 for pints. (619) 501-8252. stellajeans.com

Eat | Drink Restaurants

Michele Parente

Michele Parente is the Dining, Wine + Lifestyle reporter for The San Diego Union-Tribune. Her areas of expertise include the Valle de Guadalupe wine region, fashion, television, women’s issues and coverage of aging, such as the impact of Alzheimer’s and dementia and family caregiving. Michele is the former Sunday and features editor, where she oversaw profiles, special projects, such as the Legacy of WWII and in-depth reports on a variety of topics. She joined the U-T in 2003, supervising coverage areas that have included features, fashion, TV, Food, Consumer Health and Arts & Entertainment. Previously, Michele was the assistant features editor at The Oregonian, in Portland, as well as the Portland City Hall reporter. She spent 10 years at New York Newsday as a reporter on the crime, education, state legislature and New York City Hall beats. She was part of a team that won the 1992 Pulitzer Prize for Spot News Reporting. A native New Yorker, Michele received her B.A. in political science and Italian Literature at UC Berkeley. In 1980, she studied at L’Università di Urbino, in Italy. One of her life’s goals is to make her way through each of the world’s great wine regions.