MY FAMILY’S favorite churros shop in Manila has finally opened in SM CDO Downtown Premier last week. We, especially my kids, are ecstatic because we’ve been loyal to La Lola Churreria since they first opened in Rockwell a few years ago.
I recall, back then, that there was such a long line snaking its way around the hallway as everyone waited for their fried goodies. Now, with many branches open nationwide, there’s no need to go through agonizingly long queues. And with La Lola in CDO, there is no need for Kagayan-ons to fly to the capital to get that quick churros fix.
La Lola is the new quaint corner store easily accessible by the mall main entrance. This particular joint is owned by partners. One of them is the famous social media darling, The SosBolz Couple—model-actress, Solenn Heussaff, and renowned soccer player, Nico Bolzico. The latter was able to visit during the store’s grand opening, right in time for the city fiesta.
Churros are deep fried golden choux pastry puffs made with flour, water, and salt. They are ridged, having been piped from a churrera or a pastry bag with a star-shaped nozzle. Churros are crunchy outside and soft inside. Typically, they are sprinkled with cinnamon sugar and served with a dark chocolate sauce. The ridges help anchor this gooey sauce onto the fried dough.
Now, what makes La Lola’s churros distinct from the ordinary pack is its size. These are humongous! They are straight and chubby sticks that have a fuller texture. The golden ridges are perfectly crisp, leaving with the center doughy. They are not as airy as the other brands and are rather filling so a little goes a long way. For something deep-fried, their churros surprisingly don’t make us feel as if we’re gulping chunks of oil. But of course, this is still a “cardiac delight” so consume in moderation.
They have the traditional fried dough served with dip. Currently: they have chocolate, matcha, and I’ve also spied the new ube flavor dip in a poster. Personally, I prefer the matcha because it is not too sweet with the perfect hint of that tea-flavor. My kids, of course, are fans of the very rich and thick bitter-sweet chocolate sauce. These dips add flavor to the plain fried churros. Dip, bite, chew, repeat!
Aside from the traditional ones, La Lola also serves the jazzed-up churros version coated in flavored ganache such as: white chocolate, ube (purple yam), butterscotch, strawberry, matcha, and dark chocolate. They come in various sizes to suit anyone’s budget. Our favorite serving comes in the giant take out box with an assortment of 18 sweet flavored churros for 650 pesos.
La Lola also offers smaller sizes in cardboard cones (ex. classicos junior churros with dip for 95 pesos or 3 pieces of coated churros for P130). There’s a flap to hold the cup of dip so people can eat while they walk, or they can drop them into the squared slots on the store’s tables.
A single giant cone filled with colorful churros actually reminds me of a bouquet. I don’t know about you, but I would prefer a churros bouquet any day over flowers that eventually die. The churros can meet their untimely demise in my very happy tummy!
Aside from these, they also have Lola Loops, which allows guests to pick the ganache coating they want and match it with a wide array of toppings. These are marshmallow, cereals, crushed oreos, peanuts, almonds, and the like. They also have churro ice cream sandwiches and stuffed churros called xuxos with dulce de lech, nutella, or cookie butter.
Those who don’t have a sweet tooth can try the savory offerings on their menu like the churro bites tossed in garlic, parmesan, and basil. They also have savory sandwiches along with a bevy of beverages to quench thirst.
La Lola proudly makes their products from scratch with the best ingredients, cooked fresh upon order, and fried in 100% olive oil.
Clients can see the process if they wish via the see through glass panels in their shops. The founders of La Lola aim to spread happiness one churro at a time.
The origins of these world renowned churros remain unclear. One theory suggests they were brought to Europe from China by the Portugese, which eventually crossed the border to Spain. The Spaniards, specifically the Spanish Shepherds herding long haired sheep (churra), modified the recipe. The real story remains a mystery, but what is clear is this fried delicacy is here to stay to tickle the palate of foodies around the globe. Thankfully, this particular Lola is now in side of town!
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