Udupi -Mangaluru must try-Gadbad Icecream - eNidhi India Travel Blog

Udupi -Mangaluru must try-Gadbad Icecream

What is Gadbad Ice cream?
Gadbad Ice cream is a combination of multiple flavors of ice creams stacked on top of each other in a long transparent glass, with dry fruits, fresh fruit cuts in between the layers. Gadbad is popular because it looks amazingly colourful, offers taste of multiple flavors in one cup and added items like cashew, grape, cherry etc ensure a unique experience. Few minutes after Gadbad is delivered to your table if still not consumed the ice cream scoops begin to melt, mix with each other and offer a unique taste.

Origin
Gadbad Ice cream's invention has been credited to founder of Ideal Ice Cream, Mangaluru. Gadbad's invention happened in a hurry. Gadibidi is the Kannada word for hurry or urgency. When Prabhakar Kamath had an order for large ice cream but didn't have enough inventory of any specific flavor, he decided to fulfil the order by adding few scoops from different flavor of ice creams he had. This constituted the original gadbad.

Cost and Variations
Standard Gadbad ice cream costs about 50 INR in most restaurants (+/- 10/20 Rs).
Some restaurants offer a "Mini Gadbad" at about 30 Rs, which will have couple of flavors less
Some restaurants see a "Special Gadbad" for a premium price- 70-80 Rs or more, with more dry fruits, more/bigger scoops/flavours and other enhancements.

Pricing is very reasonable, considering one small cup of single flavor ice cream costs 10-12 INR.

Make your own Gadbad Ice cream:
It is not that difficult to make Gadbad on your own. You can buy 3-5 flavors of ice cream from nearby shop, stack them one on top of another in a tall glass, add some dry fruits, fresh fruits in between, a cherry on top or some crispy wafers and your Gadbad is ready. Branded ice cream chains like Ibaccoo sell multiple flavors separately. Even smaller shops will have a mini freezer with ice creams made by Amul or other brands. But you may not get the professionalism, look and feel of having Gadbad in restaurants known for this unique ice cream.


Where to eat Gadbad ice cream in Udupi,Mangaluru?
Mangaluru: Pabbas in MG Road, the ice cream outlet of Ideal Ice creams.

Udupi: Your best option is to visit Diana Restaurant in Udupi city. Diana restaurant has its own bus stop and is located between Taluk office and Udupi bus stand. If in Udupi town, visit Diana and enjoy the ice cream in the temple town.

Several other hotels and restaurants serve Gadbad all along coastal Karnataka. Mantap Ice Cream in Saligrama is a popular spot right next to NH66. If you are zipping through the highway you can have an express stop near Saligrama, take a break, enjoy Gadbad ice cream and move on.

Other must try food in coastal Karnataka includes Patrode, Neer Dose, Mangalore Fish curry, Banana Bun etc.

7 comments:

  1. I had it at Ideal ice cream parlour in Mangalore. It was delicious!

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  2. I never knew Gadbad icecream originated from Mangalore. I will for sure visit Mangalore to taste one.

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  3. Candy crush udupi must try

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  4. Shrinidhi, Gadbad was invented by "Gadibidi Kamath" of Kamath Cold House Udupi in the early Seventies. His nick name came from Gadibidi Special ice cream sundae that he served first.

    Diana Mohandas Pai took it to the next level and Diana is still believed to be the parlour which invented Gadbad. Those days, Diana had a brilliant cook from Mangalore who could replicate any dish within a jiffy. He formulated Culet and reinvented the Gadibidi Special at Diana Udupi. I can't mention his name because it is a secret shared by a close colleague of mine in the late 1980's.

    Same style was copied and the name Gadibidi Special was changed by Shibrur Prabhakar Kamath and marketed it as Gadbad in the late 70's or early 80's. Initially when Ideals started in 1975 they had just one flavour of ice cream in a small shop, that is Saada or Custard Vanilla. Their success story is different.

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