Thanks to readers’ nominations, five ice cream parlours from all corners of the West Island made the short list: Délices de l'île in Île Bizard, Twist et Crème in Pierrefonds, Wild Willy’s in Pointe Claire, O Gelato in Ste. Anne de Bellevue, and La Dolce Vita in Kirkland. We asked each parlour for their signature or best selling flavour, and scored each sample on a 45-point scale focusing on taste, texture, and ingredients.
The sampling and scoring all took place in The Chronicle’s designated ice cream-testing room – commonly known as ‘the lunchroom’—and after ample second-helpings and plenty of brain-freezes, a winner emerged.
Pointe Claire Village’s Wild Willy’s (20 Cartier Ave. in Pointe Claire) came in fifth overall, with 284 out of a possible 405 points. After tasting a few spoonfuls of the vanilla ice cream, the majority of judges agreed that this Wild Willy’s flavour was good, but did not quite have enough to make it to the number one spot. Anyone who has ever paid the Wild Willy’s stand in Pointe Claire, or the other location at 539 Lakeshore in Dorval, a visit knows there are plenty of classic and more adventurous flavours to choose from. The Wild Willy’s vanilla ice cream was refreshing and worth checking out on a hot summer’s day.
In fourth spot was O Gelato (115 Ste. Anne St. in Ste. Anne de Bellevue), which specializes in Italian gelatos and sorbets. The woman behind the counter recommended their hazelnut gelato, which went over fairly well with the judges, including some who aren’t big fans of the flavour. O Gelato scored 305 points out of 405 thanks to a nice texture and a taste indicating high-quality ingredients.
With 307 out of 405 points, the judges placed Delices de l’île (475 Cherrier in Île Bizard) third after testing the vanilla and chocolate soft serve. Both flavours scored well thanks to their solid flavours and melt-in-your mouth texture. One critic also thought Delices de l’île’s soft serve could be great in a sundae.
In second, and only one point ahead of Delices de l’île, was popular meeting-place and ice cream parlour Twist et Crème (11897 Gouin Boulevard West in Pierrefonds). Twist et Crème’s vanilla ice cream gained most of its 308 points with its distinctive flavour and smooth texture.
With a total 365 out of 405 point, La Dolce Vita (3776 St. Charles Blvd. in Kirkland) was the Best of the West’s number one. Also specializing in gelatos and sorbets, La Dolce Vita’s chocolate-hazelnut gelato had almost every judge raving. Its rich, chocolaty flavour, chunks of hazelnut, and too-good-to-be-true texture pretty much sealed the deal.
“I liked the flavour the most,” said The Chronicle publisher Denis Therrien. “The ice cream had that high-quality taste.”
The ingredients are what impressed The Chronicle editor Albert Kramberger: “I like things with nuts in it,” he said. “It had nuts and chocolate in it. What’s not to like?”
Sales assistant Talia D’Costa said she thought La Dolce Vita’s chocolate-hazelnut was about as close to ice cream perfection as you could get: “It was tasty – especially the chocolate. The texture was excellent. It was smooth and creamy, and it was refreshing, too,” she said.
The Best of the West team is currently gearing up for the very “difficult” task of determining the West Island’s best watering hole in our July 9 issue. That’s where you come in. If you have a favourite spot to grab a cold one after work or hang out with friends, we want to hear about it. Get your submissions in before the end of the day to make sure your spot makes the list.
We’re also looking for nominations for the West Island’s best General Tao chicken, best family destination, and best hot dog, because we just simply can’t determine our Best of the West list without your help.
So, send your nominations to marc.lalonde@transcontinental.ca, editor@transcontinental.ca, and info.citésnouvelles@transcontinental.ca., or give us a call at 514-685-4690, ext. 243. Make sure to let us know what exactly makes your favourite the Best of the West. If your submission stands out, it may be up for a prize, including a pair of tickets to a Hudson Village Theatre show. We look forward to hearing from you.
