Rico's Paleteria y Botanas Locas Is Crazy in the Tastiest Sense

Rico's Paleteria y Botanas Locas has brought its insanely tantalizing treats to Richardson. Buckle up.

The Mexican ice cream shop has indulged Oak Cliff residents with Michoacan-style ice cream, frozen pops, mangonadas, crepes and other Latin snacks at Wynnewood Plaza since 2020. In June a second location opened at 14203 Coit Road in Richardson.

Rico's Paleteria' botanas locas (crazy snacks) offer a wild ride of tart, sugar and salt.
It's a bit overwhelming to decide which snacks to choose from amidst the vibrant array of neon colors in the room. The abundant selection of ice cream includes Ferrero Rocher, Nutella, Gancito (Mexican snack cake) and mazapan (Mexican peanut candy). The frozen pop options range from classic fruit options, like watermelon or kiwi, to bubble gum or Oreo.

If you're looking for a bit more sustenance, snack and drink menus are prominently displayed on overhead TVs with everything from tacos to burgers and fries.

We started off with the Elote Chorreado ($9.99) and a Rusa ($5.99). Elote Chorreado was served in a large cup, with sweet corn smothered in nacho cheese, extra sour cream, extra mayonnaise and queso fresco, and served with a side of either Flamin' Hot Cheetos or Takis, which are covered with the same toppings. We are not sure if the Cheetos are the best option to go with; we found they become soggy. We were pleased that the corn in the cup remained creamy all the way to the last bite.
Rusa is a mocktail made with tangy orange and sour pineapple water mixed with a little chamoy sauce and Tajin chili powder. You can add Squirt or Monster energy drink if you like. It's topped with fresh diced fruit and served with a tamarind candy straw that gives this carbonated beverage a distinctive flavor. This drink is perfect for those who want to practice sobriety and are craving an intense citrus and sour drink.

Next on the table was the Piña Loca ($14.99) and Mangonada Loca ($9.49). Piña Loca is a carved-out pineapple filled with a combination of watermelon, crisp jicama and unripe mango. This creation is adorned with a variety of tamarind candies and Japanese nuts.

Mangonada Loca is a sour mango slushy blended with tangy chamoy, topped with frozen chunks of sweet mango and served with a tamarind candy straw. Between it and the Piña Loca, we found ourselves already at our lunatic limit. We regretted not trying something savory like birria tacos to balance out the acidity.

Although Rico's Paleteria can be a bit wild for your taste buds and maybe even your stomach lining, it's worth the risk to indulge occasionally. That said, we would visit again to try a different insane treat, such as the Loaded Cheesy Ramen Elote and some ice cream to cool off in this scorching Texas heat.

Rico’s Paleteria y Botanas Locas, 655 W. Illinois Ave., Dallas, and 14203 Coit Road, Richardson. Daily, 10 a.m. – 10 p.m.