Oct. 5, 2023

Construction issues meant a new frozen-treat shop missed its hoped-for summer opening during the year’s hottest temperatures, but owner Omar Nunez remains confident his offerings will be irresistible on even the coldest of days.

Paleta Paradise had its soft opening Saturday and now is open 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily. The business is at 3508 W. 41st St., Suite 100, a retail center west of Kiwanis Avenue. Paleta Paradise and neighboring We Got You Tattoo will co-host a grand opening soon, offering free food and music, Nunez said.

His shop still has some construction to complete, but business has been good so far, he said.

Paletas look like popsicles but are made with fresh fruits such as strawberry and mango and secondary ingredients like milk or condensed milk. They can be enjoyed on a stick, like popsicles, but adding some of the extras offered at Paleta Paradise means they must be served in a rectangular dish.

“I decided to do chocolate dip and toppings,” Nunez said. “Others have done it, but it’s rare. The nearest I know is in Texas.” He gives his customers the option of having their paletas dipped in chocolate, then drizzled with additional syrup. Fresh fruits also can be added on top along with the spices, chili and chamoy.

The menu posted on the wall lists eight flavors, but Nunez said he actually has more than 20 varieties available.

In addition, Paleta Paradise offers four versions of waffles: plain, with fresh fruit, chocolate chip and waffles with eggs and bacon baked inside.

Also on the menu are frappes; agua frescas, which is a beverage made with fresh fruit; and fresas con crema, which comes with chunks of strawberry in the drink. The latter two drinks most likely will be available only on weekends, Nunez said.

The mangonada is a drink made with fresh mangos, spiced with chamoy sauce that offers sweet, spicy, salty and sour tastes. Tostilocos are made with Tostito chips topped with cucumber, jicama, pork skins, Japanese peanuts and chamoy candy. Hot Cheetos can be topped with a cheese sauce.

Later this year, Nunez plans to add cinnamon rolls to the menu and possibly expand the baked goods even further. He owns two restaurants and has a bakery back home in California.

Nunez was visiting family in Sioux Falls when he decided to open a Mexican frozen-treat shop. Right now, he operates it alone, but he plans to have a family member take over soon — before winter sets in. He hasn’t considered making his permanent home in South Dakota, which experiences weather vastly different from California’s climate.

“Not at all,” Nunez said, laughing. “It didn’t cross my mind.”