The gorgonzola and passion fruit dessert at Duo gastrobar in St. Petersburg has become a talking point after comments by Alena Doletskaya, voiced in an interview with journalist Nikolai Solodnikov. Despite the controversy, the dish remains a staple on the menu and is here to stay, according to Dmitry Blinov, the restaurant’s owner and head chef. The team at Duo shared this update with socialbites.ca as they defended the dessert against criticism.
For more than nine years the dessert has been part of the establishment’s offerings. Blinov stated that it has endured through times of debate and change, and that its presence on the menu is nonnegotiable. He noted that the dessert has achieved a steady following, with tens of thousands of portions sold across the nine years since the restaurant opened. Even in the peak summer months, roughly a thousand to twelve hundred portions are typically ordered, a testament to its lasting appeal.
The owner described the dessert as something of a cult item. A significant moment in its history came in 2014 when sanctions on cheese imports forced its removal from the printed menu. Though not listed on paper for three years, the dessert continued to be ordered in considerable numbers, and the team even created a sense of mystery around it. It became something that could be learned through word of mouth, a secret shared between staff and regular patrons.
In retrospect, Blinov suggested that Doletskaya may not have watched Solodnikov’s interview and that someone familiar with the gastrobar concept would understand why the combination of gorgonzola and passion fruit is not a problem. The dialogue surrounding the dish highlights how a bold pairing can divide opinion while still drawing a loyal following among diners who trust the venue’s culinary direction.
The controversy surrounding the dessert quickly spilled onto social media, where it became a source of memes and lighthearted satire. A number of posts referenced the clash between a sharp cheese note and a bright fruit acidity, capturing the playful tension between two strong flavors. Fans and critics alike joked about the unlikely pairing and the idea that some taste combinations are best left to the bold. The humor extended to imagined scenarios in which a passion fruit relationship with gorgonzola would face insurmountable odds, underscoring the dessert’s role as a conversation piece as much as a dessert.