Ice cream is the dessert with infinite possibilities, but Big Gay Ice Cream takes the sweet treat to the next level. Located on 1351 South Street, the New York ice cream shop has come to Philly, and along with it, its outrageous line up of flavors and sweet concoctions. From Doritos and Cheetos to Sriracha and candy corn, here's how these unexpected flavors at Big Gay Ice Cream actually taste.
The Gritty
As an ode to the Philadelphia Flyers' newest mascot Gritty, Big Gay Ice Cream decided to create “The Gritty Puckster," a Trucker (the store’s name for an ice cream sandwich) filled with Doritos ice cream and rolled in Doritos dust. Upon opening The Gritty, the smell of Nacho Cheese Dorito bombarded my nose, and taking a bite into it, I understood the reason why it was called a Puckster: it was as hard as a hockey puck. But with effort, I got the full flavor, which went like this: imagine sticking a bag of Doritos into the freezer and then opening it a few hours later. Because that’s what it tasted like—a freezing cold Dorito. While there was a hint of a creamy vanilla and chocolate aftertaste, the taste of nacho cheese overwhelmed my mouth and made me question whether or not I was eating ice cream or pigging out at a Super Bowl party.
The Cheat–Ohs
As the other chip–flavored item on the Big Gay Ice Cream menu, the Cheat–Ohs Trucker, is an ice cream sandwich filled with Cheetos flavored ice cream and rolled in Cheetos dust. A lot of Cheeto dust. Opening up the neon–orange sandwich, the smell of Cheetos filled my nose completely. The first thing I noticed upon biting into it though was that it was soft and delicate, the way a normal ice cream sandwich should be. But then came the sour flavor of the cold and soggy Cheeto dust mingling with the Cheeto ice cream. There was a slight hint of vanilla ice cream, but the sandwich was dominated by the Cheetos. If you’re looking to satisfy your Cheeto craving, just grab a bag of real Cheetos to enjoy.
Burnt
The third and final Trucker that I tried was the Burnt Trucker, a chocolate and Sriracha ice cream sandwich rolled in red and orange sprinkles. Opening the sandwich from its wrapper, I was pleasantly presented with a light smell of chile and chocolate, like that of Mexican hot chocolate. But after I was greeted by a light, chocolatey taste, my mouth caught on fire from the Sriracha’s punch. Any trace of chocolate seemed to vanish, and all that was left in my mouth was Sriracha. Don’t let this ice cream fool you—it may look beautifully presented with its vibrant colored sprinkles, but it's not so much of a treat.
Candy Corn Ice Cream
With the Halloween season upon us, Big Gay Ice Cream gave a holiday twist on its Flavor of the Week with candy corn ice cream, so I had to try it. Swirled to perfection in a waffle cone, which they filled with Halloween sprinkles in addition to coating the ice cream, the candy corn cone was a Halloween–lover's fantasy. Taking a spoonful, the first thing that surprised me was how thick the ice cream itself was. It was decadent and creamy, and had the perfect hint of candy corn. While slightly reminiscent of vanilla ice cream, the Candy Corn ice cream was the perfect sweet treat to get me in the Halloween spirit.
The Salty Pimp
Upon admitting that it was my first time at Big Gay Ice Cream, the cashier immediately directed me to the Salty Pimp. Described as a vanilla soft serve cone filled with dulce de leche, sea salt, and coated in a hard chocolate dip, the iconic specialty cone has been featured on Food Network’s “The Best Thing I Ever Ate,” and now I understand why. Upon biting into the crunchy chocolate shell, the airy and fluffy vanilla soft serve melted in my mouth. There was a perfect balance and blend of flavors between the decadence of the chocolate shell and the right amounts of sea salt and dulce de leche, restoring my faith in explorative ice cream. It truly was the best thing I ate at Big Gay Ice Cream.
Overall: Leave Doritos, Cheetos, and Sriracha out of ice cream. It doesn’t work at all, so if you ever find yourself at Big Gay Ice Cream, go with the tried–and–true specialties because there is a reason they are special.
