Marcello Mauri spoke in rapid Italian to the vacationing couple from Rome who entered his gelateria on Broadway last week.
After making them espresso in tiny demitasse cups, he offered them his laptop so they could check their e-mail.
That focus on service is one of the singularities that owner Mauri hopes will distinguish his new gelato shop, Tutto Amore, from a gallon of frozen confectionery competitors.
The store opened last Friday after a long construction period, in the same location where Baskin Robbins once held reign.
Tutto Amore’s competition is especially fierce: Golden Spoon Frozen Yogurt is across the street and many other stores offering yogurt, gelato and ice cream are all located within walking distance.
A Coldstone Creamery was proposed in the space, but was turned down by the City Council, which prizes individuality and uniqueness in downtown shops. Tutto Amore filled the bill.
Mauri, originally from Seveso, Italy (near Milan), also hopes to differentiate his shop with his family recipe, created more than 30 years ago by his father.
There are now more than 100 stores worldwide affiliated with the family business; Mauri himself has worked to develop stores elsewhere in Europe, Dubai and China.
He moved to California last May, after helping develop a now-popular gelateria in the Bay Area.
That store’s then-production manager, Tim Lin, was trained by Mauri.
The two later joined forces and became co-owners of Tutto Amore; after a visit to Laguna last Thanksgiving, they decided to open a shop here.
The duo added Mauri’s thoroughly Italian sister Melinda into the mix two months ago when she came to the States.
The shop is an airy, modern space; former art student Melinda, now the gelateria’s manager, decorated the bottom of the freezer case with a mosaic design, and the furniture and décor were imported from Italy.
Flat-screen televisions broadcast the shop’s offerings overhead.
Gelato, Italian ice cream, is made from milk, sugar and flavorings. Compared to normal ice cream, it is composed of less than 35% air, which makes it more dense, with a much more intense flavor.
It also contains less fat than normal ice cream; only 4-8%, compared to 10-18% in normal American ice cream. Its consistency is semi-frozen.
Contrary to a popular urban legend, gelato doesn’t contain gelatin; the word means “frozen” in Italian.
