Las Delicias Mexican ice cream — Restaurant in Peoria

Review Date: May13th, 2015

This ice cream is ‘¡muy caliente!”

I knew Mexican soda was a thing but Mexican ice cream? Not in the capacity to have it’s own ice cream shack. Well, queue my surprise when I learned that there was a Mexican ice cream shop in Peoria. One that has a name that leads you to think that maybe… just maybe this place is delicious.

Doing what I normally do (as avid readers of this blog will know), I gathered up one of my friends who likes to travel (Matt) and we headed over the Illinois River (not the Peoria River) to get some ice cream (and add more bracketed comments to this paragraph for no reason).

The location of Las Delicias is a bit of an odd one. Actually, those whole road of shops is not a greatly planned out area. You have all these shops along Main St but the parking situation leaves a lot to be desired. You usually have to hunt for a place to park and sometimes walk a small distance to your destination. I just wanted to put this in here as a warning should you want to venture down Main St.

Matt and I found a place to park and headed in. Upon entering, we were greeted by a friendly cashier and shop that was small and felt homely (in a good way). This place truly felt like it was a family-owned. Matt and I browsed the handful of offerings and I was surprised by the flavors. Granted, this was over 5 years ago, so I don’t remember the specifics and I failed to take a photo of what was being offered at the time.

I grabbed some kind of strawberry ice cream while Matt got himself some flavor that I never heard of before. We paid for our ice cream desserts and headed out. I think there were a few chairs inside to sit but due to the small-sized of the restaurant, we opted to eat outside as we walked back to my car.

I am a sucker for strawberry (and peanut butter) flavored treats. At this point in my life, I had quite a few different strawberry-flavored items but this one is the only one that instantly blew me away. Something about the quality of this dessert was unreal. It was far and above beyond anything you would find in the store unless you option for the expensive stuff. This stuff tasted homemade and had love in every scoop. I can’t properly describe how much I loved this ice cream cone and how sad I was when it was gone.

If you find yourself in Peoria and are on a circuit of trying out all the ice cream places, this one needs to be at the top of your list. You won’t regret it. If you do go and you do regret it, lo siento.

That’s what life is all about though, right? Trying new things and seeing what the world...

A deceptively small ice cream parlor on Main Street and just off Campustown that packs a lot to love in a small colorful location. Located on a side shop a few blocks down from the McDonald's on Main, this ice cream shop combines the wonderful tastes of large premium brand ice cream with the charm of a family owned business.

The menu includes not only a handful of common and unique ice creams, but they also serve frozen yogurt, popsicles, snack food items, Mexican foods such as tamales, and non-dessert drinks. In my trip, I got the cake-flavored ice cream milkshake which cost me around $4 - $6 which, considering the size and quality of the shake, is a very good deal. They hand-scooped the shake and blended it right before me, allowing you to see the process as it happens, so I knew what I was getting and I had absolute certainty that my order was being followed through on. They have 3 big countertop freezers, each housing their different products, all being filled to the brim with icy treats. The one closest to the door being filled with popsicles, the ones in the middle housing the yogurt and ice cream.

The staff was very friendly and patient with me, even in my moments of indecisive and when dealing with other customers. They are bilingual and very easy-going, so regardless of your background, you should get along with them very well and they'll always greet you. They also carry loyalty cards for repeat customers as incentives to visit more often.

I enjoyed my visit with them and I can see myself becoming a...

if you haven't had "paletas", think popsicles but you didn't realize that 'popsicles' could be THIS AMAZING and done in SO MANY FLAVORS. this little family business is a local community staple for everyone in the area and worth going out of your way for it. the paletas are inexpensive, so it's a wondrous food experience that you can repeat regularly.

if you're not necessarily in the mood for ice cream, I encourage you to try some of the other menu items. their juices are tasty, fresh, and relatively delicious. on a savory side, there are a few things you can try, but the staple is "elote" which is a delicious Mexican spicy buttery corn thing (sometimes on the cob but often in a cup) -- highly...