As the mid-afternoon snack attack craving hits, I find myself jonesing for those Xooro (pronounced “sure-OH”) fritters I had yesterday at the store’s new Melrose location during its media sneak preview. The Spanish fritter is basically a churro dusted sugar but this time stuffed with a yummy cream filling. (Stomach grumbling)

And at Xooro you’ll find more here than just the basic fritter. They’ve got a whole selection of yummy options like a maple bacon one (!), triple chocolate and an upcoming banana Nutella combo. Each with different flavor cream fillings and toppings and ranging in price from $3.69 to $4.20.

But if you have a hard-core sweet tooth, you’ll order one of the different kinds of hot or cold chocolate drinks — Spanish, Mexican or dulce de leche white chocolate — to wash down your sweet dough stick. If not, they also have specialty coffees. BTW, word on the street, well, in the store, is that they’re working on some savory xooros. Think a queso-filled snack. Mmmm.

The first Xooro store debuted in Santa Monica last year and since things were going so well, owners Begonia Amaya and Vicente Cisneros (a wife-and-husband team that look like they’re straight out of a Banana Republic ad complete with cute kid Massimo), decided to open up the second location in West Hollywood, right next door to Sweet Lady Jane’s.

Oddly enough, these fritters aren’t as bad for you as you may think a deep-fried dessert could be. Nope, these actually use “healthy frying techniques” by frying with rice bran oil. Because of this the fritters don’t have that oily/greasy residue that you may experience from most churros and you don’t have to feel as guilty.

They’re also made fresh so you may have to wait up to 10 minutes to get them in your greedy hands. And those with wheat allergies will rejoice in the gluten-free xooros!

If you want to sample this unique dessert before you buy, the Melrose location will be passing out FREE samples of their basic xooros tomorrow from 5:30 to 7:30pm. While you’re doing that, I’ll be at the Santa Monica location stocking up on the maple bacon, the Mississippi and maybe the Tiramisu. Eff that, I’m heading over there now.

Xooro
125 Broadway
Santa Monica, California 90401 (map)
(310) 260-2919

8360 Melrose Avenue
West Hollywood, California 90069 (map)
(323) 951-9592