These vegan churros are a feast for your eyes and your taste buds
If you’ve craving a churro — and let’s be honest, who isn’t? — Horchateria Rio Luna in Paramount, Calif., is here to satisfy your sweet tooth. With eight different dessert options, including the churro sundae and the concha ice cream sandwich, you’ll be wishing every day was sundae!
A post shared by Horchateria Rio Luna (@horchateriarl) on Jul 11, 2018 at 1:22pm PDT
Ashley Leon-Vazquez and her husband, David, opened their coffee shop three years ago with a simple goal: combine their Mexican culture and love of Latinx flavors with their American lifestyle. Besides their incredible desserts, Horchateria Rio Luna has 25 drink options including coffee and freshly made horchata (rice water). “For the Latino community, it’s very nostalgic. I’ve had a 75-year-old woman say, ‘I haven’t had churros like these since my pueblito in Mexico,’ Ashley Leon-Vazquez tells Yahoo Lifestyle.
One of their must-have signature drinks is the refreshing horchata iced coffee. Their secret? A family recipe that combines rice, cinnamon, vanilla and sugar that’s made fresh daily. “We make some of the most natural horchata out there. We don’t use any powders or syrups,” Leon-Vazquez says. “Our horchata is made from scratch every single day. We soak the rice, we add the cinnamon and we blend it all together.” And you can taste all that hard work in every delicious sip.
The most popular dessert is the churro sundae. “It’s something as Latino or Mexican as churros, and something as American as a sundae,” Leon-Vazquez says. The mouth-watering treat includes four churros, horchata ice cream, whipped cream and two drizzles on top. It’s not only a feast for the eyes — your taste buds, and soul, will thank you too.
What makes the churros so unique, besides the yummy taste, is that they’re vegan. “When my daughter was 3 years old, we found out she was highly allergic to egg, so that was a big push for us to make things she could enjoy,” Leon-Vazquez says.
If you’re in the mood to share, order the concha ice cream sandwich — and ask for extra spoons. This beautiful dessert features a Mexican concha with horchata ice cream and cajeta drizzle — drool-worthy, indeed. “One thing that I like to see when I walk into the coffee shop is I see families sitting together with their parents, abuelitos, abuelitas, aunts and uncles.”
A post shared by Horchateria Rio Luna (@horchateriarl) on Jul 1, 2018 at 12:40pm PDT
Horchateria Rio Luna is also filled with paintings and souvenirs you can purchase. From Frida portraits to Selena-inspired dolls, it’s a delight for all your senses. “We really want to have that play and that balance, hints of our culture things that are nostalgic to our childhood.” Leon-Vazquez says.
The love for churros just keeps on growing. Hochateria Rio Luna will be opening another store in the city of San Fernando, Calif., in the near future.
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