Your fave ice cream flavors from the Mtl ice cream shops

[BLM]

What are your favorite ice cream flavors, from the different Montreal ice cream shops that make their own ice cream? I still have yet to try chocolate-ginger & strawberry-basil flavours from Bo Bec Cremiere, highly recommended by someone on this board, as I didn't realize they don't open year-round(as I went there during the winter).

[Regina Margherita]

Choco orange at Bilboquet.I tried to stray but it's my favourite and i am boring.It's grand Marnier in a choco ball.
The mango/raspberry sorbets

Ripples: kulfi : the cardanum Indian sweet derivative.The chai one too.

I tried gelato at the boutique pizzeria Bottega - Hazelnut even better than Da Roberto's because it's artisanal ice cream rather than syrups.

Meu Meu the candied citron/lemon one. I didn't like the Lavender one.
Gelateria da Roberto: Back in 1983/85, they had this layered ice cream cake called Ile de france (they still do but its name has changed) - hazelnut , zuppa inglese and chocolate or caffe.
Bacio,Gianduja,zuppa inglese are still the best. Cantaloupe and strawberries go nicely together.They switched syrups from Fabbri to Pernigotti.

Haven't tried the ice creams at Marius and Fanny .No idea if Patisserie de Nancy on monkland ice cream as great as well.

Never had ice cream at Point G on Mont Royal either (G stands for gaufres and gelato -macarons now).G spot you know.
Havres aux glaces only had green tea.It was Meh.

-----
Bottega
65 Rue Saint-Zotique E, Montreal, QC H2S1K7, CA

[OliverB]

I'm looking for the best coconut ice cream in the area... so far all the various shops I've tried over the years have left me underwhelmed. When I was younger and used to spend holidays with my grandparents in Palm Beach, they would always have the best pina colada flavored ice cream I've ever tasted and to this day I have never found any place locally or otherwise that makes it half as good! I'll still stock up on the storebought coconut sorbets that you can find all over the city that come in a small clear plastic tub, but I'll continue my search for coconut/pina colada ice cream or yogurt in Montreal!

Meu Meu's is just decent. I tried both Havre au Glaces across from the At. Market and Bilboquet on Sherbrooke last summer, both were only okay. Still searching...

-----
Bilboquet
, Montreal, QC H2Y, CA

[pinalafina]

Sometimes at Plus que parfait they have cocount ice cream and pineapple sorbet. I ask for both and it satisfies my pina colada craving.

They are located at 60 Fairmount West and are closed during winter.

[OliverB]

Thanks, I'll give this a shot!

[karela]

the green tea and the ginger at pêché glacé. They even work well in the same cone! I think they are open all year, but have a much more limited selection in the winter.

[BLM]

Are all the top ice cream shops in Montreal now open for the season since it's officially spring now?

[BLM]

Looks like not all Mtl ice cream shops are open for the season. I see Le Patio is still closed(went by Saturday).

[nonpareils]

actually, Le Patio was open for the first time this season on March 16th (although with little choices for homemade ice cream), but I guess the weather has been too unfavorable..

[wokhei]

My ultimate combo is at Meu-Meu (when they have them), one scoop of coconut milk and one of tamarind. It's like being in thailand! The first time I tried it, I actually turned around before i had reached the end of the block and went back to order it again. This from a person who says they don't like sweets.

[nwada]

Made the happiest discovery today while walking around Westmount...the Bilboquet at 4864 Rue Sherbrooke Ouest is still open. Just when the days were getting gloomy and my ice cream withdrawal was reaching a frenzy, the staff mentioned this was the only location they decided not to close for the season. Yea!

[Andria]

Another to add to my favorites: Fig/Porto at Dolce Vita in Kirkland.

[sara_westernNE]

Thanks so much for this thread! My family and I just spent a couple days in Montreal on vacation, and I had done research before hand on chowhound. Based on this board, we visited Marche Jean Talon, and because of this thread, we went to Hevre aux Glaces there. My seven-year-old and I tried a flavor called Caramel Brule de Sirop d'Erable, or soemthing like that, and it was the most amazing ice cream I have ever eaten. I think we may have to move to Montreal in order to have access to Hevre aux Glaces.

[Dusty08]

Bilboquet's grapefruit sorbet and their maple ice cream which is only available in the spring.

[carswell]

«their maple ice cream which is only available in the spring»

Their maple taffy (tire d'érable) ice cream is available only in the spring. If I'm not mistaken, they also sell a maple ice cream year round.

[KSC02]

Another vote for the tire d'erable in the Spring. WOW!

[Campofiorin]

Tried the honey and fig at H-ave-au-glace saturday monring and it was delicious. Very smooth, not too sweet and full of fig chunks.

[nwada]

The cardamom & noix flavor at Ripples...amazing! At first I thought the cardamom would be too overpowering but the slighty minty and refreshing flavor has me hooked. Hmm, maybe I'll need a scoop or two this afternoon...

[daimon4]

There is this little french pastry shop on the northwest corner of Monkland and Oxford that has an amazing gelato flavour. It's vanilla/rose/with bits of something (white chocolate? Cheese?--melts too fast to identify but has a great mouth feel). I've never tasted anything like it but it is now my favorite ice cream flavour ever. Will try to get back with the name. Other favs--the Bilboquet tire d'erable or coffee or lychee sorbet, MeuMeu lavender or caramel with sea salt. On the lowbrow end I also like Dairy Queen banana milkshakes but you have to ask them to use a real banana PLUS the banana syrup.

[kpzoo]

Patisserie De Nancy?

[moss]

The pineapple-basil at point g.

[eatkat]

I was wondering how come the Point G coma only ranks as the 63rd answer?

It’s really worth trying. Yes, the mojito flavour is exquisite but the Sicilian pistachio is out of this word!

http://www.boutiquepointg.com

[Gontran]

this summer my favorite has been coaticook's "tire et pépite d'érable"
two summers ago i was always eating the cointreau flavor at leo le glacier but the last few times i went they didn't have it in stock (haven't been there in a while though)

[tohtem]

Bo-Bec on Laurier corner Chambord. Flavors are always changing and Gilles makes a point of making some you will not find elsewhere like 'Limonade Rose' on top of the classics. Use to have a sign saying 'Fait artisanalement ici même à la main'

[Campofiorin]

Actually it was more like «Crème glacée artisanale faite ici même sur place». The GF and I used to make fun of it all the time. That being, said, we now live in St-Michel and still drive down to Bo-Bec for his ice cream as well as the soft serve which is the best I've found in the city.

[BLM]

Their soft-serve is their own product?

[Campofiorin]

Of course not but it's still really good. it's Sealtest ice cream. Rich and creamy.

[BLM]

What time does Bo-Bec close(is it late in the evening)?

[Campofiorin]

I'd say around 11pm on weekends and maybe a little earlier during the week depending on the weather too.

[BLM]

For me, I'm looking for stiff soft-serve ice cream. I can't find it these days. All the soft-serve ice cream, I've tried in recent years have been too soft.

[Chocolatine]

Talking of soft serve... I usually prefer firm ice cream, but at Le Festin de Babette on St-Denis, their soft ice cream "à l'ancienne" is really worth the try. You can mix flavors, and the huge portion is served in a crispy waffle cone... delish. One is probably big enough for 2 !

[BLM]

You also prefer firm soft serve ice cream. Is soft serve at Le Festin de Babette firm?

[Chocolatine]

I haven't been this summer yet (will fix that soon!), but based on memory, I'd say it's more on the firm side.

[BLM]

They use the regular commercial Nielson ice cream(hard ice cream) to make their old-fashioned soft serve ice cream. They put the Nielson ice cream in the machine they usually use to make frozen yogurt with plus they add whatever flavour I choose(I chose Du Lac which is blueberries & raspberries), & voila it's their old-fashioned soft serve ice cream. They charge $4.75 for it! La Cremiere chain, also makes soft-serve that way.

[mainsqueeze]

I like strawberry-basil at Bo-Bec.

[BLM]

Limonade Rose would be a sorbet? One of the things in Montreal artisanal ice cream I'm looking for are ice cream flavours that usually are only made into sorbet(example: Pineapple, Grapefruit). Also looking for Montreal ice cream shops to make artisanal soft-serve ice cream.

[Plateaumaman]

I really like Leo le Glacier's blueberry ice cream and their pink grapefruit/campari sorbet. The last time I went I didn't order anything since I don't have much of a sweet tooth. I just took a few bites of my husband's pistachio ice cream, so they came over and gave me a free fig/almond ice cream which was very good . I thought it was a nice gesture.

[BLM]

Blueberry ice cream sounds interesting. I'll try it soon at Leo le Glacier.

[BLM]

No more blueberry ice cream for this summer. Stopped making it weeks ago. Too bad, I really wanted to try it.

[afoodyear]

Meu-meu still had a blueberry ice cream yesterday, if you're just hankoring all things blueberry.

[BLM]

I'll try to get there tomorrow(no time today).

[BLM]

Meu-meu has blueberry sorbet, not ice cream. Tried it today. Found it a bit too sweet.

[afoodyear]

I could've swore they've had blueberry ice cream as well. They rotate flavors all the time, but I could be mistaken.

I'm still waiting for them to bring the stout flavor back. That was so good.

[BLM]

I'll asked them about it, when I go there next time(maybe later this week).

[mainsqueeze]

Havre Aux Glaces has a new fig gelato that looks interesting!

[afoodyear]

If there is a heaven, Havre Aux Glaces will be there. That place can pretty much do no wrong.

[afoodyear]

Havre Aux Glaces has a trumpet mushroom flavor in their cooler right now - interesting, surprisingly good really :)

[mainsqueeze]

Ooooh! Thanks for the tip! I must try it.

[mainsqueeze]

Isn't pleurote oyster mushroom, not trumpet?

Anyway, I tried it last night and it was amazing, especially paired with the burnt maple caramel flavour. Heaven!

[afoodyear]

Yes, you're correct. My mistake! I also paired it with the maple caramel brulee :D

[Andria]

Hey!!! I just did that combo yesterday! I thought I was taking one for the team ordering the pleurot, but you beat me to it.

My friends tasted it, made strange faces and one shook his head like my dog did when I gave him a Listerene strip.

[carswell]

«My friends tasted it, made strange faces and one shook his head like my dog did when I gave him a Listerene strip.»

Psychological block much? The flavour is so mild and unmushroomy, I can't imagine anyone having that kind of reaction if it were served double-blind. Seriously doubt whether even 1% who tasted it in blissful ignorance would be able to guess the flavour. They might not like it. But hate it? Nah.

[Andria]

I have to agree, but he didn't like either the Ménager or Figatelli sausage from Les Cochons Tout Ronds either! Shocking to me. I guess everyone has different tastes, but I am surenif they did the blind test, they would proclaim it tasty, with an oddly familiar flavor... can't quite put my finger on it.

[souschef]

I have not tried too many, but one I really enjoyed last fall was the Chestnut ice cream at Havre aux Glaces.....but then I am partial to chestnuts.

[pinalafina]

My favorites are pistachio, pineapple and coconut from:
Le Péché glacé, 2001 Mont-Royal Est
Havre aux glaces, Marché Jean-Talon
Plus que parfait, 60 Fairmount Ouest

[julie_]

Plus que parfait is the most adorable name for an ice-cream shop ever. I wish I had come up with that. Strangely, I don't think I've ever noticed this place before, and I'm in Mile-End all the time.

I liked the ginger flavour at Havre aux glaces, but I thought it would be better served alongside another flavour... maybe something like maple? It didn't seem like a standalone flavour to me.

[everyonelovessushi]

I'm not an ice cream chaser but Bilboquet's Vanilla-Rasberry is pretty special. Caveat though. Their products are overpriced (presumably because of location, rich Outremont).

[cherylmtl]

Yeah, and there's one in "rich Westmount" too. And everyone knows that all people who live in Outremont and Westmount are rolling in vats of money. What's your point?
IMHO, Bilboquet's products are not overpriced compared to others of similar quality, and IIRC about the same as Ben & Jerry's.

[everyonelovessushi]

Point well taken. I believe I voted for Bilboquet's Vanilla-Raspberry as the best ice cream in Montreal. I believe I also said it was slightly overpriced because of a location that cater's to a largely affluent population. I'm a relatively poor member of that population.
I also love B & J's Coffee Buzz Buzz. But it's not locally produced and hard to find.

[djou]

i just had two scoops of coffee buzz buzz at the b & j location on mcgill college.

[everyonelovessushi]

The demaissoneuve location doesn't seem to sell it. I know many people who are still flabbergasted that coffee coffee buzz buzz was downsized. I mean what an amazing flavour. I know B & J Montreal locations were having distribution problems earlier in the year. Does this have anything to do with it?

[BLM]

Isn't their De Maisoneuve location considered their flagship Montreal location(or maybe now it's their Monkland location). Any B&J flavours you like, but not available at B&J Montreal locations, but still made?

[Andria]

I miss Chubby Hubby... Peanut butter filled pretzels covered in fudge and mixed in vanilla malt ice cream & rippled with fudge & peanut butter. I think it is still available in the states... maybe a road trip to Waterbury is in order.

[rcianci]

Unless it's to take the factory tour there's no need to travel so far south. Price Choppers in Plattsburgh and St. Albans carry Chubby Hubby.

[Andria]

Really? St. Albans is a double foodie stop then... I love the pizza at Mimmo's.

[rcianci]

According to B&J's website, the Price Chopper at 170 Swanton Rd. Rte. 7 carries it.

[BLM]

My favourite B & J flavour is Coffee Heath Bar Crunch, but I haven't seen it in Montreal for several years. As an alternative I 'd been getting Vanilla Heath Bar Crunch at the de Maisoneuve location(I hope they're still carrying it, as I couldn't find Vanilla Heath Bar Crunch at the Ste-Catherine location recently).

[cherylmtl]

They have coffee coffee buzzbuzzbuzz at the de Maisonneuve location now - I saw it there today. And better yet, they have a new special from 4 to 7 pm everyday - 3 for 3 - it's 3 scoops of ice cream for $3. This comes in very handy when you have a hungry 13-year-old walking home from day camp...

[mainsqueeze]

I don't find Bilboquet overpriced. It's cheaper than Meu Meu, that's for sure.

[BLM]

What kind of prices at Bilboquet(I haven't checked in a long time)? What prices does Meu Meu charge(I can rembember now)?

[afoodyear]

It's roughly $5 for a two scoop cone at Meu Meu. We usually get 2 two scoop cones with a waffle cone and a sugar cone (extra) for like $12 or something.

[BLM]

One small scoop is about $3?

[amelie1980]

Two scoops at Bilboquet is just a little over $4.

[mainsqueeze]

Caramel and sea salt at Meu-Meu.
Burnt maple caramel at Havre aux Glaces
Maple taffy at Bilboquet
Pistachio gelato at Roberto
Pineapple-basil at Léo le glacier

By the way, there's already a comprehensive discussion regarding Montreal ice cream on this thread:

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/518157

[hungryann]

Does Meu-Meu really have the caramel & sea salt flavor or is it an urban legend? I have went three times since last year and they have always just ran out!

[afoodyear]

:) They do really have it. They tend to cycle through the flavors I want all the time too :P

[BLM]

One thing I found out about Meu-Meu, is that on rainy days they close(so they were closed yesterday I'm pretty sure). I believe they only operate in the spring & summer months.

[kpzoo]

> One thing I found out about Meu-Meu, is that on rainy days they close

Wow, they must be losing a ton of business this year if that's their policy!

[mainsqueeze]

It might be wiser to close than to stay open and to not have enough customers to cover that day's wages.

[BLM]

Any idea how long Leo le Glacier has been opened (how many years)? I was asked this, but I didn't know the answer

[chilipepper]

Ginger ice cream at Scoops

[mainsqueeze]

Where is Scoops? Is it possible you mean Ripples?

[finefoodie55]

Yes Ripples Sorry

[finefoodie55]

Green Tea Ice Cream at Scoops on St Laurent or my seasonal favorite Tire Ice Cream at Bilboquet 2 locations Bernard St and Sherbrooke St in Westmount.Both are special to the stores and delicious.

[julie_]

Mind elaborating on what "tire" flavour is? I'm intrigued.

[SnackHappy]

It's not vulcanized rubber flavour if that's what you were thinking. It's actually maple taffee (tire d'érable in French). It's only available during sugaring-off season.

[julie_]

OH! Of course. Well, y'know, Rocky Road... Tire... could happen! I envision a black-licorice flavour...

[Andria]

Black licorice... that would be old-fashioned Tiger-Tail: Orange ice cream with black licorice swirl. I wonder if that is still available anywhere... anyone know?

[afoodyear]

I seen it in the Nestle Parlour type ice cream shops a lot. Ripples did a "fudgy orange" flavor a couple of years ago but I haven't seen it since - instead of licorice they used dark chocolate (it was pretty good!)

[Matash]

Hey we are on the same wave length luv it got it originally at a Baskins Robins on Laurentian Blvd in St. Laurent about 5-6 years ago
Do not even know if it is still there
but if you find it anywhere save some for me....