The Local Dish: Frutas Locas y Mas

Viva Pina Loca at Frutas Locas Y Mas

By Charles Childs / Foodie For CCCNews

The name of this restaurant is Frutas Locas y Mas, but I call it snack central.

Everything in this store is so dreamy it screams summertime snack. Located in the heart of downtown The Dalles, it makes it too easy to find yourself trying a new or familiar dish.

Frutas Locas y Mas features many Mexican dishes like elotes, sopes, tamales, fruit, drinks, and more. 

First, I ordered the Esquites. Esquites are like creamed corn’s sexy cousin. This snack consists of corn, cheese, cream, and a dash of chili lime salt all conveniently in a cup. Because the corn is warm it melts the cheese creating that Instagram-worthy cheese pull. The chili lime salt adds a punch of spice and acid that is welcomed to this creamy handheld snack. I could not wait to get my hands on this snack that I quickly ate while I was waiting for the second order. 

Esquites are like creamed corn’s sexy cousin.

The second snack was the Pina Loca which takes a cue from the restaurant’s name, which translates to Crazy Fruits & More. This Pina Loca was more of an art piece than a mere snack. The name directly translates to English as Crazy Pineapple.

It is a well-deserved name because this pineapple is like none that I have seen before. They make each pineapple to order by coring a whole pineapple and adding different fruit and veggies like cucumber, jicama, mango and large pineapple chunks. Toppings of this dish included a tamarind straw, chili lime salt, chili sauce and more. 

Why does chili work well together with fruit? Sweet and spicy combinations are very common, especially with Mexican-style snacks. With the sweetness of sun-ripened fruit, chili brings some heat and a pop of flavor that compliments the fruit well.  

Pina Loca is not just crazy, it’s delicious and spicy and cool and just what the summer ordered. Owner Veronica Hernandez, no doubt, has as ball crafting these delectable art pieces.

I brought this dish back to a friend’s house for a movie night, and it was a hit. Everyone loved the presentation of the fruit coming out of the pineapple with the chili dripping down the sides. They all commented on the sweetness and quality of the fruit that was beautifully accented with the chili sauce.

I would recommend the Pina Loca to anyone who loves a bit of spice and is craving something refreshing in this summer heatwave. Frutas Locas y Mas is located downtown at 623 E 2nd Street in The Dalles, Oregon. They are open from Tuesday to Saturday from 10 am to 7 pm and Sunday from 9 am to 5 pm. 

See you there!

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Charles Childs is our food columnist who is out and about monthly looking for great menu items around The Dalles. Their Column, The Local Dish, reviews plates too good to miss.