Ice cream, an all-time favorite has become a trend lately. From local artisans preparing their homemade ice cream to international brands competing against each other, for the biggest and sexiest location in the hottest spots around the world. Talking about ice cream, some like it sweet, others prefer it light, creamy, milky or airy, it’s a question of taste for sure but one can’t deny that some are better than others. Craving ice cream on this hot summer day, I decided to have a taste of the world’s most famous brands.
Haagen-Dazs, Baskin Robbins, Ben & Jerry’s and Coldstone Creamery; four brands open in the same neighborhood around Times Square. From my favorite to the least, read below by discoveries.
1- Haagen-Dazs; Häagen-Dazs is by far the best of all. With a minimal air content of 20% and rich milk from France, the ice cream is the most luxurious and creamiest of all. Haagen-Dazs is addictive without being sweet; enjoying a scoop after the other, the ice cream’s sugar content doesn’t tickle your throat, it melts on the tongue in style, letting you feel the ingredients used. Milk, crunchy nuts, molten caramel, intense coffee and beyond. Häagen-Dazs tops the list.
2- Ben & Jerry’s comes second. I love the branding, the flavors, the different choices and how the brand makes ice cream fun. Grab a cone or a cup and enjoy one of Ben & Jerry’s creative choices. My latest addiction is the dairy-free ice cream. A rich creamy ice cream that feels like milk without containing any. Almond milk tastes like heaven; you will feel light after finishing your ice cream. Sugar content is balanced and adequate.
3- Baskin Robbins: for info, The American brand has more stores in the Middle East than the 50 states combined. Owned by Dunkin’ Donuts, the brand usually opens in the same location of America’s favorite coffee store. With a staff that’s not trained, an organized way of work, a load of cream and additional things spoiling hr real taste of ice cream, today’s experience was bad. I loved the ice cream in Dubai but can’t say the same about Baskin Robbins in New York. Very sweet and heavy, this ice cream didn’t impress me at all. I felt like eating “Calories”.
4- Coldstone Creamery: a big no from the minute you walk in. Coldstone has one of the biggest stores on Times Square, a sign that’s half lit, dirty counters, dimmed lights, unhappy staff and st the end you receive a melting ice cream that has been thrown on a cold stone for no reason -in my opinion. Excessively sweet, the ice cream is more of a show than a moment of enjoyment. Kids like it because it looks like fun, not for the sweetness, the caramel, the sugar and excessive creaminess.
Other than the dozens of great ice cream concepts already reviewed, if you want to choose an international brand you know, choose Haagen-Dazs for the taste, Ben&Jerry’s for the experience.
