The long awaited Munch Ice Cream and Snack Lab officially opened its doors on Tuesday afternoon.

Offering numerous combinations of ice cream flavors and toppings, Munch is described as “a little oasis” by co-owner Israel Gonzales.

“We’re going to test the waters this winter,” he told the Herald. “We don’t know how people will react to ice cream.”

Gonzales, who also co-owns 1910 Fresh Mexican Kitchen with family members, said the idea to do an ice cream shop first came about when he lived in California.

“When I was out of high school, I worked as a photographer in L.A. and we did a photo shoot for a shaved ice place and I saw the environment,” Gonzales said. “That guy was doing pretty well; he had about six or seven shops at the time. We’re from Guadalajara, where shaved ice is really popular, so I figured let’s try it. A couple of friends and I leased a spot to start a business; of course, we didn’t know anything about business. We ended up getting the spot and the city didn’t approve it. We never did anything there. That idea’s been lingering since then.”

Upon entering Munch, a warm, beach-themed environment, a stark contrast to the cold outside, greets visitors.

“We thought why not create a little oasis up here where it gets cold,” Gonzales said of the atmosphere. “Originally, before we opened 1910, we thought about doing a beach-themed seafood restaurant. We wanted to make it look like Cancun; a refuge for the winter.”

Munch offers a selection of 15 flavors of house-made ice cream, ranging from traditional flavors, such as chocolate and vanilla, to those with a Mexican twist, such as abuelita, a chocolate and cinnamon treat, and Jamaica, Spanish for “hibiscus.”

Hungry patrons may then choose a topping for their ice cream, and there is no shortage of variety. There are common toppings, such as gummy snacks, cookie crumbles and nuts. But, this is a lab where experiments occur. Inventive, daring guests may create unorthodox ice cream treats with toppings such as hot sauce, Japanese peanuts, flaming hot Cheetos and pickles, among other items.

“We’re trying different things,” Gonzales said. “(The owners) have all lived in California and there’s more variety in almost any aspect compared to southern Minnesota. Everything’s a little more conventional and conservative when it comes to taste in food. We have a Mexican background, which brings that boldness to flavors and is a bit more adventurous with spiciness and acidity with foods such as tamarind and hibiscus. We try to bring it as fresh as we can, like with 1910. These flavors might be new to Minnesota, but we’ve seen them in other places.”

But ice cream is not the only snacking option available at Munch. They also make sorbet-based treats called blazes, topped with tamarind and tajin for an intense flavor, as well as “Krazy Nachos,” which allow guests to again get creative.

They also offer crepes, which Gonzales said was the idea of his sister and brother-in-law.

“We wanted to add something warm for the winter and we were debating what to do: put in a full kitchen of do something quick. Since we make our own ice cream, it’s really tough to have a full kitchen and make ice cream in the same place because when you’re making ice cream, the cooler the better.”

Gonzales said they have not ruled out the possibility of putting in a full kitchen, but plan to see where Munch will take them.

“We want to see what people like and test the market,” he said.

Munch Ice Cream and Snack Lab is located at 803 18th Ave. NW in Austin. Current business hours are 4-8 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, noon to 8 p.m. on Saturday and noon to 6 p.m. on Sunday. Gonzales said hours may be expanded in the future.