Rock n Roll Ice Cream
10109 108 Avenue NW
780-425-3500

With summer approaching and a few warm days already behind us, having a wonderful variety of frozen treats is one thing that makes our area so enjoyable. Now the delicious Asian flavours of Little BonBon and the gelato at Italian Centre have been joined by the Indian (as well as western) ice creams at Rock n Roll, adding yet another cultural dimension to our neighbourhood’s sweet offerings.

McCauley and Boyle Street residents who walk along 101st Street next to Victoria Composite High School might have noticed the spectacular art deco styled tiled renovation of the Freecloud Records building. Right behind it, tucked away on 108th Avenue, is Rock n Roll Ice Cream - a place I’ve been admiring from the outside before finally stepping in to sample their treats. It’s just steps from the main drag and easily accessible by foot or bus, though for those with limited mobility, there are two steps up to the entrance (outdoor seating is available for those who prefer it.)

Go inside and you’ll find a small space cheerfully decorated with amusing dotted tiles and bright rectangles. The centre is a glass counter where you can watch your ice cream being hand-rolled with scrapers on a freezing cold metal surface - a fascinating preparation method that’s part entertainment, part culinary art. The process takes a few minutes, but it’s worth the wait as each creation is assembled with care. Before our turn, we watched a vibrant Strawberry Cheesecake come to life for the couple ahead of us, the bright pink base rolled into cylinders and topped with sweet and chewy red boba balls.

The enormous menu features dozens of familiar western flavours, as well as milkshakes, smoothies, and even mini pancakes. But what truly distinguishes this ice cream parlour is the “Desi Dreams” section featuring Indian-inspired desserts.

Traditional Indian ice cream, called Kulfi, is denser and creamier than western ice cream, with distinctive flavours. Options include Kesar (saffron), Badam (almonds), Rose, Mango, Rasmalai (pronounced ras-ma-lie, a cheese-based dessert soaked in sweetened milk), and Kaju Barfi (cashew nuts).

As a pistachio lover, I immediately selected the Pista Falooda, which was hand-rolled from frozen pistachio milk and sprinkled with crushed pistachio nuts atop very fine sweetened vermicelli noodles. The vibrant green colour signaled the use of real pistachios rather than artificial flavouring. The textures had wonderful variety - creamy ice cream, crunchy nuts, and those uniquely tender noodles - creating a dessert experience that wasn’t overly sweet. The quality ingredients were evident in every spoonful.

My companion ordered from the extensive selection of milkshakes, which included classic chocolate combinations like KitKat and Oreo as well as fruit flavours and Desi varieties. Her Ferrero Rocher milkshake arrived with real chocolate balls mixed throughout a smooth, less-thick-than-usual ice cream blend that allowed the hazelnut chocolate flavor to really shine through.

With such a diverse menu, we’re already planning multiple return visits throughout the summer. The friendly staff told us they’d already opened Rock n Roll last summer, so I’m glad we finally learned of their attention to detail and quality ingredients. The mini pancakes look particularly intriguing, and for non-frozen options, there’s coffee, tea, and hot chocolate.

Prices are reasonable for the quality: our two generous hand-made desserts totalled under $20. It would be a challenge to ever exhaust the many sweet options at Rock n Roll Ice Cream. 

Alan Schietzsch lives in McCauley. He is the former Chair of the paper’s Board of Directors.