It's in dispute. Has been for years. But there's a lot of chatter out there about Norfolk being the birthplace of the ice cream sundae. The story goes that years ago, when ice cream cost a nickel, an ordinance was passed banning the consumption of alcohol and "the growing 'Sunday Soda Menace' " in Norfolk, according to icecreamsundae.com
An enterprising soda fountain owner circumvented the blue law by tossing some berries, syrup and ice cream in a glass, sans the evil soda. He slyly named it a "sundae." Similar tales are popular in cities across the country.
But whatever the origin, the concoction remains popular. When we asked readers to dish on their favorite brownie sundaes, they nominated nearly 50 restaurants. More than 60 people clamored to be testers. So on a recent sunny Saturday, we set out to determine the best. Here's what we found.
Our winner
704 Hilltop North Shopping Center,
Virginia Beach, (757) 422-6703
Other locations in Norfolk, Chesapeake and Richmond
Price $6.99
Score 95
What the judges said
"OMG! It smells so good!" - Maddie
"Interestingly, this ice cream melted very slowly, which gave us plenty of time to enjoy its flavor. A definite plus!" - Tracey
"All of the components of this dish in their own right are perfect. When you put them all together, everything coexists incredibly well." - Monique
"They bake their own brownies, make their own whipped cream, make their own chocolate sauce. It is well worth the price and the drive to enjoy this treat!" - Roy
best of the rest
3108 Pacific Ave.
Virginia Beach, (757) 422-5430
Price $7.75
Score 72
What the judges said
"Best brownie of the bunch." - Tracey
"The brownie is dense and moist with an amazingly rich chocolate flavor, and very sweet." - Monique
"Chewy, moist, easy to cut with a spoon. The brownie kind of melts in your mouth." - Maddie
"Big! Definitely a two-person sundae." - Roy
4921 Virginia Beach Blvd.
Virginia Beach (757) 499-4343
Other locations in Chesapeake and on Indian River Road and at the Oceanfront in Virginia Beach. Go to www.brusters.net
Score 63
Price $4.57
What the judges said
"The amount of ice cream was sufficient, and a good balance with the brownie." - Roy
"Love the brownie, but I think the whipped cream tastes a little weird." - Maddie
"The brownie steals the show." - Monique
"This is a good 'value' sundae. Large quantity, decent ingredients, but nothing extraordinary." -Tracey
507 Hilltop Plaza
Virginia Beach (757) 422-WING
Score 58
Price $5.99
What they said
"This is a more formal presentation. The ice cream is served on the side of the brownie.... I like that you can choose to add as much or as little ice cream as you like to each bite." - Tracey
"The ice cream was above average. The amount was correct; not too huge and not skimpy." - Roy
"The brownie was served warm and has a really chocolate-y flavor... " - Monique
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