Service was great and treats were delicious! Prices were very reasonable. Bummed we didn't find…read morethis place sooner before our out of state move.

Really yum got a champagne cake for my anniversary with just whipped topping and it was real good…read moreguys you should get if you can

This place is incredible. Easily one of the best desserts I've had. I tried the pistachio dipped in…read morehazelnut and then covered with sweetened condensed milk. It was amazing! The service was quick and they were happy to provide suggestions. I want to come back and try every single flavor!

Really amazing customer services and delicia paletas. The mix of flavors and freshness made it a…read moregreat treat while knowing it was not too sweet and from fresh unique recipes. I got two of their vegan gluten free paletas. Very clean place and modern decor. I'm looking forward to taking my family to try more of their paletas soon

You're in for a treat at Lara's Bakery. The combination of Hispanic bakery and grocery store has a…read morehuge variety of breads, pastries, and cookies, nicely displayed. The staff is super friendly. I would definitely recommend Lara's if you're looking for authentic Mexican food staples and treats.

It's ok they do a lot of business I thought the bake goods were just ok. They have a variety of…read moreMexican food

Stop 2 of our daddy daughter afternoon. Dessert and coffee!…read more Tucked away in Valley West Mall is European Taste. This shop has been on my list for a while, but every time I seem to get to VWM is on Mondays. The only day European Taste is closed. That's my luck... Lol It's a small space with three two person tables if you choose to dine-in. Which we did... It's order and pay at the counter. The majority of the food items are handed to you upon ordering and they bring the drinks to your table when they are done being prepared. The menu board is easy to navigate and the desserts are showcased right up front in a glass refrigerated case. Straws, spoons, lids, etc. are at a station to your Left as you face the front counter. The owner (Alina) helped us today and you couldn't ask for better customer service! Very personable. I really enjoyed our conversation! She let me know most items are prepared fresh and a few of the specialty items come in through other local sources and/or a distributor. We ordered the following: 2x Tiramisu cake 1x Chocolate macaron 1x Double latte with vanilla syrup with oat milk (hot) 1x Blended chai; iced with vanilla syrup Everything was fantastic and I know I'm going to be back! My daughter is a Starbucks girl and she said the chai was sooo much better here... At almost half the price! Besides the tiramisu cake they offer a tiramisu cupcake... If you zoom in on the picture of the tiramisu cupcake you will note the included extra shot of espresso poised in the tube to be released into the pastry... I have to try that! Not a lot of businesses are thriving in Valley West Mall and I wish I'd made it here sooner. VWM doesn't have the food court of locally owned businesses that Merle Hay Mall has... Yet. But this place is worth the stop! It's literally a couple of storefronts inside the entrance by Blaze Pizza on the second level. Plenty of parking and easy to get to! Convenient to grab and go! If you haven't checked them out yet... Swing in and say hello! https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61559973381958 https://order.online/store/31914193?pickup=true...

We walked into European taste and were greeted immediately. The ambiance was relaxing with a cozy…read moreatmosphere, but unfortunately the seating is limited. Since it is located in the mall, you are able to sit elsewhere. We decided to try the Honey Cake, Lungo, and Iced Caramel Latte. The Honey Cake was deliciously elegant and not too sweet. This was my first time trying a Lungo and it was fabulous! You can get a single or double and it was overall somewhat small, but I loved the richness and creaminess of this espresso. My significant other enjoyed the iced caramel latte and drank it quicker than most places we have been! Overall, this is a solid place for European treats and great coffee!

Kid 1: Ever had a Hurts Donut? Kid 2: No, but I want to try…read moreone. Kid 1 punches Kid 2 in arm. Kid 2: Hurts don't it? This silly kid's joke from the 80s was no doubt the germ of an idea that built this franchise. It hints at nostalgia - a different era where kids didn't have phones and tablets in their faces around the clock and used their brains to think up stupid jokes that spread like word of mouth memes. And although the decor was cute and kitschy, it didn't really give 80s dad jokes vibes like I thought it would. There were some old movie posters but the overall theme was unclear. The donut selection is incredible though and the bakery case glorious to look at, making it hard to choose. I chose a classic pink sprinkle donut and it was great. A bit on the dry side but it was later in the afternoon so maybe not the freshest, or maybe their donuts are a bit dry as a rule. Service was fast and efficient and there's plenty of parking. Check it out for a break from the ordinary gas station donuts popular in the area.

If you love large, chocolate, fruity and creamy donuts then Hurts on Mills Civic in WDM is the…read moreplace to get a large assortment of goodness. The made on the spot varieties are enormous with very creative fillings from fruit to bacon to creams -- your delightful pickings is a haven full of delightful choices. But with any delight the price goes up unless you have them pick and save a few dollars. The staff is quick, knowledgeable and willing to complete your order all with a helpful, patient smile where you can take your time in choosing your best picks in a very pleasant and peaceful environment.

The atmosphere as you enter is super friendly with a smell of vanilla and cakes that transports you…read moreto your happy place -- home where there may be tasty cakes in the oven. The server was full of trivia information about popular cakes and monthly specialties. The prices are moderate for the area $$. The lemon Bundt Cake was my cake of choice with red velvet coming in second. The only element that gives me a moment of pause each time is the small parking lot with limited close parking spaces on the corner of a very busy small in and out area where cars zoom too fast as you may be exiting out or parking in front of the hidden gem.

While I must admit their cakes are delicious, I found two issue robbed me of the joy I was…read moreanticipating. 1. The young lady at the counter was devoid of friendly customer service. She seemed annoyed to be there. 2. What kind of eatery offers carry-out without utensils? I was dressed up and did not want to get cake crumbs and frosting on my clothing. Because I couldn't get a knife and fork, my cake sat in a hot car until I could get home later in the day. The frosting melted and the container was a mess.

I was a half hour early to work so I stopped in to get some treats for the break room. Ordered 24…read moremini assorted donuts to go. 20 minute later the only worker was still preparing orders for people waiting before I got there. Told her to give my order to another customer, hope they enjoyed them! I paid $20 to be late to work with nothing to show for it.

4.25* (out of 5)…read more Food: 5* Atmosphere: 4* Value: 4* Service: 4* 07/23/2022 Finally had the opportunity to stop here while in the area for another appointment. Even though it was getting late in the morning, the place was still busy and the smells were fantastic! The good news is that your donuts are made to order and very fresh (or you can get some that were previously made), the bad news is that you need to wait about 20 minutes to get your freshly-made order. Very unique donuts with a wide variety of toppings to satisfy almost any taste buds. This place will definitely put a smile on your face when these tasty bite-sized donuts are combined with a delicious cup of coffee. You can't go wrong with a stop here. If you found this review helpful, please show your appreciation with a Like or a Follow.

A group of 8 of us met to catch up. We all got a bowl of one of their products. Nice variety and…read morereasonable prices. The Low-fat strawberry yogurt was great. Those who got other options enjoyed them too. My wife got the sorbet and said it was good...the only other times she gets this it's at a very nice local place that Ames their own. This was not as good as that, but was solid! Staff was friendly. Clean inside.

So sad to write a bad review about a place I do enjoy the product from, but the staff completely…read moreruined my experience. 3/10 of the flavors were empty. 3 girls worked behind the counter chatting with friends while nearly all of the toppings were empty. Two registers were open but one of the girls was chatting with friends instead of checking people out, leading to a backup of nearly 10 people in a line. Again, I love Menchies when the product is stocked. Hard to enjoy an experience when none of the options are even stocked and staff seems to care more about social hour.

My Windsor Heights Ocha location has been seeing a little less traffic lately... My guess is it's…read morebecause the choices for boba are increasing on the West side and in the metro in general. This will always by my go to spot! My daughter and I both prefer it to any of the others... New or old. Absolutely love Aom and Nick (the owners) and the staff is always great here! The Hokkaido with less ice, 50% sugar, and with coffee jelly is my standard order. It's so good I can't see that ever changing...and I sure hope I never have to change it up. Aom and Nick also own Eat Thai up on 22nd and an Ocha location in Ankeny! Check out their expanded dessert menu too!

It tasted like waffles with toppings, which are good, but it was mid and super over-priced…read more Wouldn't recommend

Groovy Grilled Cheese is a small place with only one small outside table plus chairs inside to wait…read morefor your order so takeout is a better option. Open daily at 11 am and operated by the owner who greeted us with a smile and apologized for the wait (a family had just arrived before us). We ordered the Lil Cheezy for our grandson; at $4 was reasonably priced. Hubby and I both ordered The Sunshine with Colby Jack, avocado, and tomato. Very cheesy but the avocado spread was lost in the cheese; IMO needed more but the sandwich was very generous in size and filling. There is a cooler with bottle and canned drinks but since we took our sandwiches home to eat, we didn't get drinks. Great choice for our cheese loving Grandson!

Friend and I are trying to stop at new to us places throughout the area. I had seen this as I drove…read moreby. It was the name that caught my eye. We stopped in and just loved the service and the enthusiasm! It is a place for mostly for pick ups, but there is a table and we were able to dine in. There is a great selection of different grilled cheese sandwich sandwiches, and of course tomato soup to go with. Had to go back and purchase a T-shirt for my 13-year-old granddaughter who is vegetarian. It was a hit and she wore it to school the next day.