Review: Churros galore at The Loop Handcrafted Churros

By Johnny Wang     8/31/21 10:27pm

If you’re looking for a deliciously Instagrammable dessert spot, look no further than The Loop Handcrafted Churros. Located in Rice Village at 5216 Morningside Dr., this spot, which opened Aug. 28, is cranking out mouth-watering, loopy churros and creamy soft-serve ice cream. Menu prices range from $4.50 to $8.

A dessert chain originally based in southern California, The Loop’s west coast roots are apparent in its carefully curated aesthetic. The entire atmosphere conveys a fun, modern feeling. As you wait in line, it’s difficult to resist the energy inside with the sound of EDM playing overhead and a large shining hologram of their logo beaming from the ceiling. The walls are adorned with rearrangeable letter magnets and a bright pink neon sign reminding us that “Life is Sweet.” An iPad floating in the middle of the dining room serves as a photo booth, encouraging customers to stage silly photos, videos and GIFs. Beyond food, visiting The Loop is an interactive experience in and of itself.

In terms of menu options, The Loop offers a wide variety of glazed and chilled churros, soft-serve ice cream and more than fifteen different toppings. Glazed options include Toasted Marshmallow, White Chocolate Oreo, Strawberry Sprinkles and more. Chilled options, which consist of a churro planted firmly into a cup of ice cream, include special premade flavor combinations like Birthday, S’mores and Crème Brûloop. If you’re feeling adventurous, you can also choose to build your own.

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I opted to build my own, combining a Matcha Fruity Pebbles churro with vanilla soft-serve. The churro was pleasantly deep-fried with a crispy bite  and a soft interior. Although I had hoped for a thick and flavorful matcha glaze, the matcha glaze was overpowered by the intense sweetness of both the Fruity Pebbles topping and the basic cinnamon sugar coating. If there was one thing I could tweak, I would definitely try to balance these flavors a little more harmoniously, but overall, the churro was satisfying and easy to eat.

In my opinion, the star of the show was the soft-serve ice cream. As someone who ate far too much McDonald’s ice cream in his childhood, I was initially skeptical. Anytime I see ice cream slowly pumped from a big metal machine, I shudder at the thought of the soppy, watery mess that is so frequently deemed “soft-serve” ice cream. The Loop’s soft-serve did not fall into this trap. With each bite, the vanilla ice cream provided a much-needed textural contrast from the crunch of the churro. Yet, it stands alone with its richness of flavor and decadent texture.

Even though I’m not the biggest fan of dessert, I genuinely enjoyed The Loop’s take on the timeless combination of churros and ice cream. Given its convenient location and youth-centric environment, it’s perfect for a quick outing during an afternoon study break or post-dinner snack. Good food, good vibes — what more do you need?

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