Ice Cream!

[sharon86]

It's finally getting warmer out, which only means it's time for ice cream! Let the tours begin...

Havre-aux-Glaces, Bilboquet, Ripples, Meu-Meu

Ben & Jerry's, Dairy Queen, Baskin Robbins, TCBY

Did I miss any?

[emerilcantcook]

Havre-aux-Glaces has chocolate-wild blueberry sorbet. If you were a fan of the chocolate-cherry, run!

[emerilcantcook]

Recent Meu Meu sightings were lavender (a little bit too sweet for my taste, but wonderful lavender fragrance) and chocolate and black sea salt. The latter was really salty, than sweet, which by any means was bad. It had a really deep chocolate flavor. Meu Meu's ice cream flavors sometimes taste too rich (in terms of butterfat) to me, I feel as if I have just finished licking a stick of butter, but these were pretty good.

[ree]

meu meu on st. denis! The ginger sorbet especially.

[english muffin]

I just had the most divine chocolat et fleur de sel ice cream at Suite 88.
If anyone sees the rhubarb sorbet at Meu Meu please let me know, I've been looking out for it since I read about it here.

[pyropaul99]

I've been to Dolce Piu in Lachine (just west of 25th Avenue) a few times this summer. Home made Italian gelato (and this store does great paninis salads and sandwiches too). They have a delicious chestnut flavour as well as a Torrone (nougat). Great sorbets too. Perfect after a ride from the Old Port out to Lachine.

Paul.

[Plateaumaman]

It's free gelato day at Suite 88 until midnight tonight! And complimentary chocolates too. I had strawberry with black pepper (you only really notice the pepper when you've stopped eating) and the wonderful mango.

[mainsqueeze]

I agree that Meu Meu's prices are kind of ridiculous. Part of the reason we only go once or twice per summer.

We went to Bilboquet on Monday night and they are officially out of tire d'érable ice cream and won't be having any more this year. I missed the boat! Wahhhh. But with such a cool May, we didn't really feel like getting ice cream.

To console myself I ordered a scoop of passion fruit sorbet and a scoop of cassis. I found the passion fruit good but sooo acidic, and the cassis was really bitter. I threw half of it out. Blech.

[daimon4]

Funny you should write that today as I had the lechee sorbet this afternoon (at Bilboquet) and found it acidic --which it really shouldn't be at all. The coffee one was as I remember though. Perhaps they have fiddled with their sorbet recipes? I tend towards favorite flavors at diff. places. Meu Meu has the best vanilla(madagascar beans or something), havre du glace the best fruit flavors, Ripples for chocolate, Robertos for any gelato (hands down) and DQ for banana milkshakes. Be warned the Bilboquet in Westmount is NOT the same (I'm not sure why--any suggestions?). Oh and the best soft serve is in Verdun on Wellington a bit west of de L'eglise. Forget the name but it's a perfect combo of icy and creamy. There is another place I just thought of--brand new I believe--on Notre Dame west of Atwater just after the underpass on the left (next to the new "we're trying to be hipsters but don't know how to make an allonge" cafe). I tried the tire d'erable ice and it was very good. Phew...time for some mango sorbet from the fridge.

[Em24]

Yes the place on Notre-Dame is called Cartier Glace (opened last year, but changed owners)I think and they have the BEST soft-serve I've ever had. It's almost like frozen whipped cream it is so smooth and creamy. Mmmmm. And because it's so close to where I live, I have it one too many times a week! I believe their other ice cream is from Coaticook ice cream company.

[BLM]

Isn't there soft-serve ice cream, just the Quebon brand, that you see everywhere in Montreal? I was there late-Thursday afternoon today.

[daimon4]

I was thinking of the soft serve on Wellington between 2nd and 3rd on the south side called boubelle or something... Cartier Glace does have Quebon ice cream but also does 2 or 3 homemade flavors including the tire d'erable.

[BLM]

Cartier Glace's tire d'erable ice cream is not home-made. It's made by Coaticook(I checked). I could tell one important thing in soft-serve for me, & it's very hard to find, is soft-serve ice cream that it's stiff enough. I find almost all soft-serve I've tried, the ice cream is way too soft. Where can I find in Montreal, where their soft-serve ice cream is stiff?

[Em24]

yes it is the Quebon brand, but I guess I got impressed easily by the texture. I don't want to mislead anyone in thinking it was some fancy type of soft serve and I wouldn't send you there for ice cream!
But I support my neighbourhood economy, so I'll keep having it.

[ios94]

I was in the Westmount area yesterday afternoon and stopped at Bilboquet for a scoop, I was hoping the couple of times I went last summer were just "off" days. I ordered the Cacophonie and it still (like last year) had this taste of seasame oil. I haven't been to the Outremont location for a few years but I don't recall it tasting like this. I recall someone posting last year that Bilboquet makes all their ice cream off premises and delivers it to their shops. Can anyone confirm this? If that's the case wouldn't the two locations taste the same? I am aware that the their ice cream can now be bought in pints around the city (i.e. I've noticed they sell it at Java U)

[cherylmtl]

I can confirm that all of their ice creams are indeed made off-premises. The identical product is sold at both locations, as is the the ice cream that can be bought in pints elsewhere. The ice creams should therefore taste the same regardless of where they are bought, unless they are not the same batch - but if you find the Cacaophonie to taste like that at the Westmount location, you will most assuredly find the one at the Outremont location to be identical.

[VivreManger]

When does Bilboquet stop selling their tire d'erable? I am going back to Mtl at the end of the month and I wanted to know if it is likely to be available at the end of June?

[cherylmtl]

They stopped selling it a week or so ago - usually it's available until some time late in May, but definitely not by the end of June.

[RhondaB]

Wonder if Hamel in JTM has any left? They carry Bilboquet. Bonus for you VivreM - you can pick up some Epoisses at the same time --- just taste it first! (My memory is good).

[kpzoo]

I believe Maitre Boucher on Monkland also carries Bilboquet ice cream for those in the West End.

[Venusia]

Bilboquet is also operating a mobile kiosk on the promenade at the Old Port this summer.

[Mr F]

Am I the only one who was less than impressed by Bilboquet's Tire d'érable? I found the globs of taffy a bit too big (and I am a maple fiend), but the biggest disappointment was the ice cream itself: the maple flavouring is probably not artificial, but it reminded me, in all the wrong ways, of the Sealtest Maple Walnut ice cream of my youth.

Havre aux glaces is or was making a flavour called Caramel d'érable brûlé... and *that* is some excellent maple ice cream IMHO.

[mainsqueeze]

Gobs of taffy can never be too big, if you ask me!

I love Havre's caramel d'érable brulée too, but they're entirely different. I can't really compare them.

[Mr F]

Yes, they are very different but if you think of them as maple ice cream plus some kind of maple-syrup candy, I found that the ice cream part of Bilboquet's creation fell short in the maple flavouring department.

As for the candy, I'm inclined to favour taffy over crunchy caramel, but the problem there was the globs would have been great in a cone -- and I had a cup. Tough to handle with a plastic spoon.

In other words, Bilboquet's effort didn't live up to the hype for me. I don't mean to say it was bad, though. I will definitely give it another try next year. In a cone.

[carswell]

Haven't inquired recently, but they used to sell it only at the store and then only in 1-litre containers. Something about the smaller containers not having enough thermal mass to keep the taffy frozen. They were adamant even though I explained I really couldn't go through a litre of the stuff, would bring an insulated bag, would head home directly from the store and wouldn't complain if, somehow, the worst still happened. Only one of many reasons why I'm no longer a frequent customer.

[cherylmtl]

I don't think the taste or texture of the taffy in the tire d'erable at Bilboquet is anything remotely close to what it used to be like - at least, not as I remember it (sigh...). And I will more than second Mr. F's recommendation for the Havre aux glaces Caramel d'erable brule - it's every bit as good as the caramel et fleur de sel one they make at Berthillon in Paris (if not better, especially if it's been overly-bruleed...)

Maple walnut was definitely my favourite ice cream flavour as a kid, but we didn't have Sealtest in Manitoba - I'm trying to remember the name of the company - it came in gold-coloured containers. Moh, help me out here!

[moh]

Cherylmtl, all I remember is Blue Boy Ice Cream.... Not a gold container... I'm still pining for BDI ice cream creations...

[cherylmtl]

Blue Boy is the brand I was thinking of - it had a picture of Gainsborough's Blue Boy on the lid, but I recall the edges of the lid and container being a golden beige colour - or am I just dreaming?

[emerilcantcook]

Oh my <insert some obscenity here>! That caramel d'erable brule is ridiculously good. It is indeed over-bruled, but not bitter; just hanging in that perfect area between charred and caramelized; we are almost getting into umami territorry here. There are some bits of the brulee in the ice cream (I wish there were even more), but the ice cream itself steals the show. My tshirt also agreed with my assesment. Chowhounds, we are now entering the time of the year when you have to play catch-up with your coned ice cream. Dangit why so hot?

[eoj]

Meu-Meu has gotten a bit stingy with their scoop sizes and they're still one of the priciest. I'm starting to prefer Le Patio, which does not have as many far out flavours, but is much better value for money and still good quality.

[emerilcantcook]

Not sure if this is the most appropriate topic, but I guess it is better to have meta posts on the same subject...

Has anyone came across black sesame ice cream in town? I thought Ripples had it, but when I inquired about a week ago they said that they don't have any and weren't sure if they will be making it soon.

[marblebag]

My current favorite japanese restaurant, Osaka, sometimes has black sesame ice cream. It's on Bleury, on the corner of Sherbrooke.

[weasel]

Nobody has yet mentioned Villa Armando in T.M.R.

They have some pretty good Italian gelato (same caliber as Roberto's IMHO).

[carfreeinla]

I fully intend to try some of the places mentioned here, but the OP referred to Dairy Queen. Now that the location near the Hyatt closed, does anyone know of another one? I confess to being a DG addict.

[kpzoo]

There's one in Westmount on Sherbrooke near Prince Albert. There used to be one on Parc above Mount-Royal, maybe someone else can confirm if it's still there. Seems to be, according to this list of all the DQ's in the Mtl area:

http://maps.google.com/maps?ie=UTF-8&...

[SnackHappy]

The one on Parc is certainly still there and so are the cars idling in the parking lot while their occupants eat their ice cream in air conditioned comfort, but I digress.

Has anyone else noticed a change in the ice cream (ice milk?) at DQ? When I last went at the beginning of the season last year, I thought the texture was odd and not like what I had eaten there in previous years. Maybe it's just my tastes changing with age.

[maisonbistro]

There is also a big one/Brazier on the canal in Lachine, and there is one in Lasalle. Who remembers the one that used to be on the corner of Sherbrooke and West Hill? It used to be in a cute little A shaped house like structure.... ahhhh, fond fond childhood memories of BRAIN FREEZE lol.

[Campofiorin]

There are quite a few in the city actually. There's one on Ste-Catherine on the corner of Jeanne-Mance, the Parc location, on Christophe-Colomb on the corner of Bellechasse as well as another one on Jarry near Christpohe-Colomb, there's one on Beaubien near 9th ave, St-Denis accross from the theatre, there's in Old Montreal (place Jacques-Cartier).

[carfreeinla]

I think that the Ste Catherine location is the one that has closed- didn't they take that whole building down?

[Campofiorin]

Walked by 10 mins ago, still open. That part of the building will remain especially now that the brand new Starbucks has opened.

[BLM]

Any of the local artisanal ice cream shops, make a great milk shake I wonder?

[cherylmtl]

The milkshake at Suite 88 is truly decadent - super rich, and worth every penny. Bilboquet makes a decent shake. I also like Ben & Jerry's shakes, especially when made with Chunky Monkey, but that's just me...

[BLM]

I've tried out the milkshake at Suite 88 several weeks ago(on my first ever visit there), & I liked it very much.

[fedelst1]

Incredible... Look at the length of this thread... and no one has yet mentioned Cremerie Roberto on Belanger east of Delormier....

I hesitated to pipe in on this as the lines keep getting longer each year, and I certainly would not want to contend with longer lines, but that would have just been plain selfish..

Anyone who has been to Roberto in the early days before opening the take out scoop area would have had to grab a table and order from their menu of demi-frodo, or Gelato creations. Yes the scoops are good, but you really owe it to yourself to grab a table one day and try their Spaghettata (vanilla Gellato passed through a press to give it the appearance of spaghetti drizzled with Strawberry coulis and topped with a crumble of graham cracker crumbs), their Cassata, or any of the elaborate sundaes.

The place used to be just a small ground floor restaurant serving meals as well as the Gellato. Today, the restaurant is on the second floor, and it is worth trying. The ground floor is strictly Gelato.

All I ask is leave some for me.

[mainsqueeze]

We had the fancy desserts off the menu and I can honestly say I prefer just a nice old scoop (or several) of their decadent pistachio gelato. It's just perfect.

Robertos has been mentioned many many times on other threads on this board.

[lagatta]

I remember Roberto's eons ago (some of you weren't born) when it was on the other
side of Bélanger, looked like a greasy spoon, had home-cooked Italian food and homemade gelato. It was also a byow...

Even then, they had the Spaghettata, though I never tried it.

[mainsqueeze]

What about that place on St-Laurent near des Pins, where Fattouch used to be?

[jptimbaud]

There's also Leo le Glacier on Bernard.

[SnackHappy]

Oh yeah, Léo Le Glacier and Sinis are the same thing, apparently. They have a third location as well, but my quick google search came up with bubkes.

[BLM]

Is the third location at 1562 Van Horne under the Sinis name still operating? Sinis on Duluth east is now also called Leo le Glacier.

[carswell]

Caffè in Gamba also sells some of Léo's gelati.

[mainsqueeze]

Pineapple basil is my favourite!

[Alyson777]

Bilbouquet is awsome for ice cream

Also the restaurant Bottega on St Zotique makes amazing sorbets ..

[davidpg]

Don't forget Wild Willy's on Dorval Ave. and on Cartier in Beaconsfield.

Arguably the best ice cream in the city.

[carswell]

Never heard of it. What makes it special, arguably better than, say, Havre aux glaces? What are some of their more interesting flavours? Do they use seasonal produce?

[mainsqueeze]

It's more old fashioned type of ice cream. Think Ye Olde Ice Cream Shoppe. Creamier, less intense flavours.

One of their more interesting flavours is the Guiness ice cream, which tastes like the head on a pint of Guiness. It's okay.

It wasn't bad, but we weren't blown away by it. I'd pick Havre, Meu Meu, or Bilboquet over it any day.

[SnackHappy]

The most interesting part of our trip to Wild Willy's was that it was situated next to a pet grooming shop called Doggie Style.

[mainsqueeze]

Ha! I'd forgotten about that. Doggie Style!

[SnackHappy]

We tried Wild Willy's a few summers ago and I found it underwhelming. It's not bad ice cream, but it's very rich and heavy and the flavours aren't anything special. I'd go there if I lived on the West-Island, but I wouldn't go out of my way for it.

[ios94]

Is it me or has Bilboquet lost it's touch? Last summer I tried the Westmount location about 3-4 times and was disappointed, is there any difference in taste between Westmount vs Outremont? (I would think there isn't).

Havre aux Glaces is very good.

Ripples, I'm not impressed.

Meu Meu & Bo Bec, never tried yet.

Wild Willy's, alright but still not at the top.

Gelato place on Prince Arthur also "OK" if I'm in the area.

DQ, BR, TCBY, I will not waste my money.

Hands down, Ben and Jerry's is the tops and puts all the local makers to shame IMO.

[moh]

I love Ben and Jerry's ice cream, but I wouldn't say it puts Havre au Glaces to shame. It is just a very different style of ice cream. Ben and Jerry makes a very rich creamy ice cream with lots of yummy chunks of stuff in it. Subtle it is not, it is a very American-style product. It can be a little too sweet and rich sometimes. I adore the Cherry Garcia and the New York Super Fudge Chunk, and the Cookies and Cream may be my favorite version of this flavour.

Havres au Glace is a lighter, more sophisticated version of ice cream, European in style. The texture is finer and smoother, the flavours are nuanced and complex. The selection of flavours is far more interesting.

Ben and Jerry's is like seeing the Grateful Dead at an outdoor rock festival. Havres au Glaces is like listening to opera in Vienna. Both are enjoyable, both have their time and place. Some people like only one or the other. I say bring on both!

[maisonbistro]

I heard that B&J are now offering a Cake Batter ice cream. I fell in love with it in Cape Cod a few summers ago and have never found it anywhere since. I have to go scope it out - see if it tastes like the Cape Cod version.

[mainsqueeze]

Yes, I tried their cake batter ice cream on free cone day. It's cake batter flavoured ice cream with a swirl of chocolate frosting. I love the cake batter part but there was too much chocolate frosting swirl. Overly sweet and cloying.

I like the cake batter ice cream at Cold Stone, without all the sprinkles and whatnot. Just plain.

[maisonbistro]

Uh Oh, I had no idea there was a swirl of "icing" - the one I had in the States every summer was just yellow cake batter flavoured ice cream - but you'd swear you're eating real cake batter, with that small yeasty/bakind soda twang - but just a hint of it.

What is Cold Stone?

[westaust]

coldstone is a chain of creamery, where they mix ice cream and various topings on a cold marble countertop

www.coldstonecreamery.com

[mainsqueeze]

They make this thing called Birthday Cake Remix that has cake batter ice cream, rainbow sprinkles, fudge and brownie pieces, served in a chocolate-dipped waffle cone bowl.

[ios94]

Moh, I agree with your comparisons and that they are different products and yes bring them both on. But at the end of the day I want all that chunky stuff in my ice cream, it's rich yes but it tastes real. Like I said, IMO.

[Campofiorin]

And it's also quite easy to recreate at home with the B&J cookbook that came out 20 years ago. All the classic flavors. All you need is an ice cream maker and your all set. The other day, I used the banana ice cream to make chunky monkey and it turned out to be quite close to the original. Found it at Borders in NYC but I it's also available at amazon. http://www.amazon.ca/Jerrys-Homemade-...

[RhondaB]

What a great comparison ... you are so bang on!

[Yummylicious]

Seriously, what a great comparison! And what a great way to express your tastebuds with words lol

[moh]

Thanks Yummylicious! I really love ice cream and all its incarnations.

If people haven't yet been, the blood orange sorbet at Havre aux Glace is absolutely stunning this year - but better go soon, it won't be there forever....

[celfie]

that's because it is a suburban neighbourhood ice cream shop visited for families. it cannot be compared to Havre aux Glaces which isnt even that good.

[peppershaker]

I live around the corner from Wild Willy's and will never go there. The ice cream always tastes stale. The staff are miserable, and they charge $0.25 extra to put lousy old stale sprinkle on every kid's cone. There is a pretty decent place on St. Charles just north of the 40 called Dolce Vita. Delicious, beautiful homemade Italian ice cream.

[mainsqueeze]

I just wanted to mention that they have a small selection of Bilboquet ice creams at the Java U on Guy and de Maisonneuve now.

[emerilcantcook]

I can also suggest Bo-Bec at Laurier E, and Sinis at Duluth E.

There is a related thread here: http://www.chowhound.com/topics/432833

[MickFlanagen]

There has just opened a new Ice Cream shop on the main right across from Schwartz's selling either hand or home made ice cream (I can't remember which). I also can't remember the name. I guess that makes me kind of useless, but I will come back with an update when I pass by tomorrow.

[SnackHappy]

Are you talking about Ripples? That place isn't new. In fact, it's been around for a while.

Le Patio on Mont-Royal near St-Hubert doesn't just sell the usual industrial dreck. They also sell artisanal ice creams like the 6X Chocolate from Ripples.

[emerilcantcook]

I think that is Ripples, non?

[MickFlanagen]

Yup, I walked by and checked today. I didn't remember seeing it there before, but apparently it inst new.

[afoodyear]

That's ANOTHER place that isn't Ripples very close by that IS new. Same side of the street, just a bit more south... not sure of the name. I think it's a gelaterie though.

[emerilcantcook]

Yep that is a new place, sorry. Just passed by today, but couldn't get the name because of their awkward signage. Definitely a new gelateria with shiny mounds of gelato.

Also, walking by Prince Arthur I saw two more ice cream stores that I hadn't paid attention to before. I am not sure if they are selling house made stuff, but they looked interesting. Just on the opposite corners of Prince Arthur and de Buillon there is Cremerie Bretonne and Gelateria Pagliacci standing. God knows since when. Not tried them yet though, we were on my way to Mazurka and ice cream before cabbage didn't sound that appetizing.

[mainsqueeze]

Pagliacci is just okay. I don't think they make their own stuff, but I'm not sure.

Bretonne is just your typical cremerie with soft serve and industrial ice creams.

[afoodyear]

Pagliacci does make their own stuff... or at least the employees claim that the owner makes everything from scratch. I think this to be true because the sweetness has been fluctuating a lot lately :\

Bretonne has just the standard Nestle/Breyers stuff you'd buy in the supermarket. Kind of disappointing to pay $5 for a double cone there when you could hike up the street to a place like Ripples etc, really.

[afoodyear]

I passed by again today... I think it's called "Frootz?" It's really hard to make out :\

[riboflavinjoe]

We just got in from a trip up the street and had a couple of treats from Frootz. It's indeed a gelato-joint, and they make some fine and tasty stuff. The owner was very enthusiastic about his products, and let us taste a whole whack of flavors. I had the Tiramisu and Caramel-Brownie, while ladyriboflavin had the coconut and the praline. The coconut was incredibly coconutty. Since he uses milk, the gelato had a lighter texture than most frozen items you get. And besides all this, it's a very nice change from Ripples and MeuMeu, since you can actually sit down and eat your ice cream inside if you wish, and there's space to order without bumping into others who are looking at the coolers.

Aside: Why is it that there are so many ice cream joints that have absolutely no clue how to efficiently lay out their stores? Bilboquet in westmount, MeuMeu, Ripples. Sure, space may be an issue, but geez.

[swissfoodie]

went today and found their gelato far too sweet - there is no way it's just fruit. I had the pear and raspberry which tasted like Jolly Ranchers except for the dried real raspberry bit I got and paired that with pistachio that had bits of what seemed like raw cookie dough. I don't know if it was sugar-coated pistachios but I've never had such a vile rendition - there was absolutely nothing nutty about it. Only two bites was all it took to convince me - straight in the trash. I'd rather pay a buck more for quality at Meu-Meu.

[BLM]

Went to Frootz yesterday, & liked their gelato(tried the strawberry & marbled flavours). However I found out, they don't make their gelato(wonder who's their gelato supplier).

I have a friend who complains that ice cream at Meu-Meu is too sweet(personally I haven't noticed it).

[emerilcantcook]

I'd agree with your friend. I also find Meu-Meu too "buttery" tasting. I don't know how to explain it, especially not before my morning coffee, but every time I eat it, I have a "just licked a stick of sugary butter" taste in my mouth. I'd prefer Ripples every day.

[riboflavinjoe]

You asked, and they told you that they don't make their own? How did you find out?

[BLM]

From talking with them back & forth. Took me awhile to find out, during my visit. I didn't feel it was appropriate for me, to inquire who supplies their gelato.

[nonpareils]

I love Bo-Bec, their scoops are huge.

[moh]

I always love the Cafe Raphael at Au Festin du Babette on St. Denis. Vanilla ice cream blended with an expresso. So creamy and yummy! One of my favorite summer treats. They also do a chocolate version.

[mainsqueeze]

We will have to try that soon! By the way, sorry to be nitpicky, but it's de Babette, not du.

Has anyone tried the ice cream at Suite 88? Is it good?

What about the ice cream at Itsi-Bitsi?

[moh]

Oops, I always get the spelling wrong, thanks for the correction!

[cherylmtl]

The ice cream at Suite 88 is so-so. It always looks better than it tastes. Their milkshakes, however, are another story entirely...especially the mango one - yum...

[BLM]

Suite 88 uses their ice cream to make their own milkshakes(you saying their ice cream is so-so, while their milkshakes are great). I've always wondered why so many of the better Montreal ice cream shops, don't offer milkshakes on their menu.