To some of us ice cream is, well, so over. Gelato is the new ice of choice — tastier, smoother, creamier. And we like to think it’s better for us, because it is lower in butterfat.

Many gelato stores have appeared in our neck of the woods, but one newby is pulling out all stops to ensure a divine confection. It’s neither upscale nor roadside shack. But Ice Milan (www.icemilan.com) in Whippany, in a Route 10 strip mall, was born out of its owners’ love for true Italian gelato.  

Jimmy Tai and his wife visited Milan in 2005 and fell in love with the favorite Italian dessert. And so they’ve brought this taste of Italy home, to the little store which also sells sandwiches and specialty iced coffee drinks.   

They’ve whipped up dozens of gelatos including a variety of hazelnut chocolates and fruit-infused vanillas. We sampled the house specialty “sugar cookie,” an interesting mix of sweet creamy vanilla and chunks of cookie. Our favorite, chocolate peanut butter, was thick with peanut butter and heavy with rich chocolate flavor.

If you can’t find a flavor you like, they’ll make a custom blend for you. And if you like it enough, they’ll come over and cater your next party.

If you haven’t had enough sweets, try the frozen hot chocolate. It’s not exactly like the famous original at Serendipity 3 (www.serendipity3.com) in New York, but you sit can and savory it slowly or take one to go. It will make your commute home over that hill in Randolph a bit more bearable.

Ice Milan makes us wish it was summer already, because we’ve got this cool new place for a sweet treat, straight from Italy.