The 5 best things our food writers ate this week

Ice cream at Sweet Joon It may be fall, but there’s an argument to be made that ice cream season should last year-round — especially with a new neighborhood addition such as Sweet Joon. The Uptown scoop shop is now serving everything from classics like vanilla stracciatella, chocolate brownie, candied pecan caramel and milk and cookies, etc. to sorbets (starting at $4.50). But the standouts are the Persian-inspired flavors, including toasted coconut chip, honey raspberry and vegan mango pineapple ginger. Highly recommended is the Saffron Pistachio Rose, a take on the classic Persian ice cream bastani. Saffron threads, rosewater, rose petals, raw pistachios and salep come together to form a silky, crunchy and decadent treat. We also would steer you toward the Cardamom Crunch in which Liz Akhavan, who owns Sweet Joon with her sister and brother-in-law, Tadji and Matt Akhavan Smith, steeps cardamom pods in an ice cream base for three days. Next, they add sohan, a Persian-style toffee brittle that Tadji said “is prized for its crumbly, melt-in-your-mouth texture, rich buttery flavor and generous portions of crushed pistachios and slivered almonds.” But if you’re having trouble choosing, order a scoop of each and consider ice cream season officially extended. (Nancy Ngo) 3146 Hennepin Av. S., Mpls., sweetjoon.com Advertisement Expanded image view A trio of sopes at Chula's in Prior Lake are topped with (from left) chicken, steak and chorizo. ( Nicole Hvidsten/The Minnesota Star Tribune ) Sopes at Chula’s Inspired by my colleague’s recent taco adventure , we’ve been making the rounds to Mexican restaurants within striking distance of our south metro home. While tacos are always a good idea, sopes are my weakness. And they’re now on the menu at this suburban newcomer. A traditional Mexican street food, sopes start with thick, hand-formed masa cakes with pinched edges to hold in the toppings. At Chula’s, they are layered with creamy refried beans before getting a meaty topping — one each of smoky chicken tinga, tender marinated steak and heavily spiced chorizo — and a sprinkle of lettuce, crema, queso fresco, salsa verde and avocado. They’re billed as an appetizer ($16), but were quite satisfying as a main dish. Add the chips and salsa trio ($8) and steal a few bites of your spouse’s Southwestern chicken salad ($15) and you’ll leave happy. Chula’s opened in May, anchoring a new mixed-use building in downtown Prior Lake. It was founded by Manny Perez, who named the restaurant for the nickname he gave his granddaughters. It’s open for lunch through dinner, with weekend brunch — hello, churro French toast — and has a great happy hour. A delicious stop on our Mexican food quest. Up next? South metro folks, send me your recs! (Nicole Hvidsten) 4636 Colorado St. SE., Prior Lake, chulaspl.com