Kalamazoo/ Portage Yogurt Shop

There is a new yogurt shop in the Kalamazoo/ Portage area of Michigan called White Velvet. I must say I must give them props for coming out with a very creative name. I am pleased it doesn't sound like every other new yogurt place opening (with names including the likes of fresh..., berry..., etc.). I have a friend in Kalamazoo who will be trying it and reporting back to me.

The Red Mango in Glenview is NOW OPEN! I went there tonight and today is the first day they are open. Yayyy!! It's attached to a bakery, which I think is unique to Red Mango, but who cares! :)

Carmel Indiana, Fro Yo Capital of the Hoosier state!

It seems that Carmel Indiana seems to be the hotspot of newly opened/ soon to be opened froyo places. It's a wealthy community near Indianapolis. How do I know this? When I was in high school marching band, during a competition weekend we stopped at Carmel H.S. for a rehearsal. I remember that the school had a planetarium in it. A PLANETARIUM...

I guess that means if you went to a high school that had any obscure facilities in it and are a froyo lover, then you're in luck. If you're like most of us who went to a ghetto-fied place with words carved into the old desks, then fro yo is going to take much longer to open near us. That's my foolproof formula and I'm stickin' to it, damn it! What other yuppified locales do you think would be good for Fro yo stores around the midwest? You know that store owners/ company CEO's secretly troll this blog like sharks hoping for tips about the midwest froyo demographic, so let's give it to them!

Anyways, the Red Mango in Glenview, IL is supposedly opening today, which is within a reasonable drive where I won't be wasting more gas than is coming out of the broken BP pipe to get fro yo. I emailed the PR person for Menchies to find out and supposedly they are still planning on opening, despite Northbrook Court claiming they've backed out of their lease. I think the Menchies plans on leaving it on their website till they make a decision, but their movement as a company seems extremely slow and/or disorganized due to the many "coming soon!" stores i've seen on their website for a very very VERY long time. I hope that they aren't going bankrupt!

Menchie's Public Shaming, etc. etc.

So Menchie's backed out of their lease in Northbrook Court, apparently? If they did, they are LOSERS! Menchie's: prove me wrong! Thanks to everyone for their comments. If anyone has an iphone or itouch, there is a new app called "The Frozen Yogurt Locator". The icon is a purple cup filled with white froyo with a light blue background- don't get it confused with the "ice cream and frozen yogurt finder"! It's $1.99, so not too bad if you're willing to pony up.

I was thinking about all the new chains opening up- it's getting redundant with naming. it seems like a slot machine. On one side it's words like "fresh, yogo" and all the different colors, and on the next it's the name of random fruits. What combo is next? YogoCado? PurplePapaya or FreshLychee? It screams: "I'm a PINKBERRY/ REDMANGO imitator!!" which let's face it- they pretty much are, and would suck if they didn't hold up to their standards.

"Just like people in the southwest like hot things, people in the midwest like cold things"

I saw this quote from Pinkberry's facebook fansite by someone from Chicago and thought it was brilliant! So true- so why can't fro yo companies grasp this concept? Yes business may be a little slower in the winter, but the droves that come out in the summer will well make up for that! I see so many fro yo companies teasingly put "COMING SOON TO (insert major midwest metropolitan area here) !" and then quickly take it down from their website. It's either that, or it will say "Coming soon to Michigan" for over a year with no progress. Come on- What are you afraid of you wimps!? The midwest offers all the same demographics that frozen yogurt stores in warmer climates enjoy- the only difference is the weather. I wonder if they think we live like hermits when the temps dip below 40 degrees, or if anyone won't step up from the companies to move from the warm climates to the midwest to open new stores. All I know is that it's lucky for the few stores that have chosen to open up because they're eating the profits up! The longer it takes stores like Yogurtland, Pinkberry, Menchies, etc. to get their acts together and open up stores here, many of the "prime areas"will be already taken by existing stores! I know it's already happening in Chicago and other big university towns such as Madison, WI (new Red Mango) and Ann Arbor, MI (Yogobliss). It seems to me that they are afraid more than anything else. I do hope that Red Mango will start opening up some of their new self serve (ss) concept stores around here, because there's no one that doesn't love the control and choice of ss froyo once they try it, especially because there is more control over price. In this economy it's a selling point. Let's face it, fro yo can be a big rip off because it's trendy- but we can't help our addictions, right? :)

VeryBerry in Buffalo Grove, IL

Great frozen yogurt taste- with very thick and heavy consistency and no ice crystals. However, they are very stingy with toppings and the people working there are amongst the most unfriendly and rude I have ever encountered at any establishment. The atmosphere is different and looks like a typical coffee shop. They have magazines to read, which encourage you to stay longer. It is located in a desolately abandoned strip mall with a strange smattering of stores. Overall, take it to go!

Pinkberry Polls!

In the Pinkberry "where should we come next" polls section of their website, Chicago is currently in the lead! That means YOU need to go online and vote! Even if you don't live in the Chicago area, that means it could be at least in driving distance for you! VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE!!
http://www.pinkberry.com/frozen-yogurt-polls.html

Pinkberry? WTF

On the Pinkberry website it now specifies many new states finally getting a pinkberry. All I have to say is: WTF PINKBERRY!!! New Orleans gets one before us? BASTARDS!

That's Right- You Heard it Here FIRST folks!

Red Mango's newest Chicagoland location will be opening in Glenview. On Milwaukee, one block south of Euclid/Lake Street. It is a strange location with little to no foot traffic, and in an unincorporated area of town, but no doubt they will get many drive bys. Don't be fooled by other "Chicago" froyo bloggers. We have the first and best info about tart froyo! Ohio's location in Columbus is open and running, demonstrating Red Mango's agressive efforts to be the first big froyo chain in the midwest. Of course, the local single store options around still rock- but come on Pinkberry, jump on the bandwagon. Also, self-serve locales are NOT catching on as quickly. If anyone has any news and reviews about new stores opening up around the midwest, or info/ideas, please let me know! xoxoxo

Summer.. The perfect time for fro yo!

I hope this summer finds you all enjoying delish tart frozen yogurt on warm days!  During the course of this summer there have been many new locations opening of tart fro yo places. Hopefully you will not have to drive (or fly?) quite as far to obtain frozen yogurt including Ohio and Indiana.

The Michigan based Swirlberry chain, primarily found inside the Plum Market grocery stores has opened its first actual storefront in downtown Ann Arbor on State Street.  I feel this is very ambitious, considering the very successful (and yummy) Yogobliss operates only a few minutes walk away.  I had a chance to try Swirlberry in Ann Arbor's Plum Market several weeks ago and found the actual frozen yogurt to be a little icy in consistency, but still containing a good piquant tartness.  I was disappointed at the lack of topping.  I ordered mine with just kiwi fruit and they really chatched me out giving me only a few pieces.  The swirlberry website lists more Michigan locations opening soon, and also lists that it will be coming soon to the states of Ohio, Illinois, and Indiana.

 In addition, I also traveled to the midwest's only self serve froyo location "Yogostation" inOak Park, Illinois and found it to be mediocre at best.  The yogurt was watery, loose, and melted very quickly. The yogurt had a slightly sour aftertaste. The manager had little affect and was unfriendly.  I know if anyone has ever visited Yogurtland in California, coming here was a disappointment compared to that.  I wish one would open here!

In the Chicago area, the new Lincoln Park RedMango is open for business!  I arrived within the first week of opening with a friend who had never tried tart fro yo before with promises of becoming addicted (I'm sure that I'm not the only one who has ever "popped someone's froyo cherry", right?)... well she loved it of course! Although, it's not froyo I'm excited to try their new probiotic iced teas.  They have 3 flavors: Lemonocity (a green tea with a lemonade taste), Mysteaque (a black tea with vanilla), and Fanteasia (a berry hibiscus tea). Of course they all have the benefits of probiotics.  The people running the store were very nice and even in the first week opening found things in the store to be moving efficiently.  I have no doubt that people will be lined up outside the door even in below zero temps.   FYI: the Lincoln Park RedMango is having their Grand Opening celebration on Saturday August 8th from 4-7 pm.  Anyone coming in receives a free small original tart with one topping. Enjoy! 

Also, as a shout out to Chicago local chain Berry Chill, the people working the location in Northwestern train station are awesome!  They are always patient with my frequent indecisiveness since they offer such a variety of toppings!  They are still planning on opening a location off the red line on Belmont sometime in the near future.  

Does anyone else find it interesting that many fro-yo places are offering more variety rather than just frozen yogurt such as Pinkberry's new fruit and yogurt Parfait, and the new iced teas.  CeFiore (a Cali based Italian tart frozen yogurt chain) offers froyo topped waffles.  Yum!  Many companies are trying to diversify and fight their competition with new menu items, which is great- but at the same time I feel this gets away from the original simplicity of tart frozen yogurt shops.  If anyone remembers old school T.C.B.Y. we know their downfall was the fact that they stagnated and were not the "new thing" anymore.  I invite you to ponder two ideas.  Do you like all the crazy new menu items fro yo is rollin' out or do you like to keep it simple with just fro-yo and toppings?  Second, what new ideas do you have for frozen yogurt shops/chains to add to their menus?

I live in an area of Chicago which is more or less completely lacking in tart fro-yo, and I'm sure many of you reading this blog live even further than I do from their favorite frozen libation... I'm wondering if anyone does the same thing that I do- when you see a vacant storefront or a new strip mall being built, do you think "please PLEASE open a (Pinkberry/ RedMango/ YogurtLand/ insert your own dream froyo spot) there!" and begin fantasizing about the amazing venture capital they would make- thanks to your amazing location scouting skills!  And you would get froyo at any time you could ever want it  I hope I'm not the only one, and if I am- I hope that gave you a laugh! :) Have a great rest of the summer!

Ann Arbor's Yogobliss

Well, I went to Yogobliss while on my trip to Ann Arbor for the first time yesterday and it was excellent!  

I had a tart green tea with strawberries and bananas, and I also tried a bite of my husband's original tart with blueberries and captain crunch, and sampled the cheesecake (not tart) before I ordered.  My brother-in-law enjoyed the Mango tart, although I did not try it.   

The place itself is light and open, with a river rock floor and a combination of circular low bubble chairs and tables, and regular height clear lucite chairs.  The menu is all on digital flat screens.  It was all very clean.

The yogurt is creamy and cool, with no hint of ice crystals or bad dairy aftertaste.  The fruit toppings were wonderfully fresh and they didn't skimp on the amount given.  Nothing drives a frozen yogurt enthusiast more crazy than a froyo with only 3 berries, but this didn't happen at Yogobliss. The presentation was very nice as the swirly-ness of the yogurt was not messy or tipping over.  

If you're passing through or staying for awhile, Yogobliss is a great place. Enjoy!

New chain: Swirlberry

Upon Checking Swirlberry's website, it's good news for the Midwest!  Of course, their first location is open already in West Bloomfield, Michigan- but their website states that they will be coming soon to Ann Arbor, with a location confirmed at 209 S. State Street that will be opening sometime in June.  The website also confirms a Birmingham, Michigan location as well and also states a less specific "coming soon to Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois".    We'll be eager to see where they will open next!

The Lowdown on Customer Service

In this post, I would like to explore a the concept of customer service related frozen yogurt and ask you- the readers- to post your positive and negative experiences you have had in Frozen Yogurt.  I will post your responses later.  

One of the signatures of the "tart frozen yogurt experience" is the positive customer service for which they are known for.  The first time I ever tried tart frozen yogurt at a California Pinkberry location, those working there were incredibly friendly, and I have noticed this positive employee attitude at multiple other chains including RedMango and the Chicago Starfruit location, and even a store called Passionberri in Norman, Oklahoma.   On the other side, I have experienced rudeness at a location of BerryChill in Chicago and at a suburban YogenFruz location.  At BerryChill, I have always felt extremely rushed and the employees were not as friendly.  I even mentioned the blog and asked if they had any updates I could post about new openings, and the person I talked to was extremely unfriendly. I try to separate my idea of good customer service from the taste and/or quality of the product I receive, but of course they do go hand-in-hand.  

What is YOUR definition of good or bad frozen yogurt customer service?  Messy or lack of toppings? A friendly greeting?  Not being rushed when asking questions?  What are some great experiences you have had?  

Please post your encounters in the comments section of the blog!

Completely unrelated to customer service, I am heading to Ann Arbor to visit my in-laws this Memorial Day weekend and can't wait to try the new Yogobliss.  Thanks to Samantha for this review she posted on the comments section about her experience:

"The owners of Yogobliss have done a wonderful job with the interior (they have the requisite stark/modern decor that all of the new yogurt shops have), but more importantly, the yogurt is AWESOME! Tart and tangy and not too sweet. They are generous with their toppings and all of the fruit is really fresh. I happily wait in the line that is usually extended out the door (I am so glad that it is doing as well as it is!) For anyone craving Pinkberry/Red Mango/Berry Chill/Ce Fiore, come on down to Ann Arbor, you are sure to love Yogobliss"  

I'm very excited, and hopefully I will get to introduce the other half of the family to the amazingness of tart froyo! I have updated the blog to add any new stores, and added a list for Michigan Yogurt.  If you live in the Detroit suburbs, my friend Jen was awesome enough to find a place called Swirlberry in West Bloomfield (located inside a Plum Market) and let me know.  Thanks to everyone who leaves feedback about new locations and comments.  This blog would not make it without you!  I hope everyone has a safe and happy Memorial Day weekend. 

Hello and New updates

Hello to all purveyors of tart froyo ! My name is Erin, and this is my first post, as I will be taking over the Midwest Frozen Yogurt Blog. We should all wish Kate (and Chloe) good luck and best wishes as she departs for New York City. Thanks for keeping this up through the years! I currently live in the Chicago area and was hooked on tart frozen yogurt the first time I tried it on a trip to California.

Last weekend I was able to attend the Grand Opening of the new Red Mango in Oakbrook Terrace, Illinois. While I enjoyed one free small original with 1 topping and was able to speak with the midwest district manager. Here are a few updates:
-Indianapolis Red Mango location will be opening within a few weeks
-A location at The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio has been slated
-Hopes to open a location in Ann Arbor, Michigan sometime soon (Go Wolverines!)

Berry Chill (based out of Chicago, Illinois) will be opening two new locations in the next few months: one at the Merchandise Mart and another on Belmont near the Red Line.

Lastly, (thanks to my helpful brother-in-law for checking on this) the new Yogobliss is up and running in Ann Arbor, Michigan! Here is the info for anyone in town, or passing through since there is not a website yet:
Yogobliss
1229 S University Ave
Ann Arbor, MI 48104
(734) 274-4161

Bright Lights, Big City

I am happy to announce that during the month of April my husband and I will be packing up and moving to Manhattan.






















Despite a tremendously difficult past year, I have accomplished two lifetime goals: traveling through Asia and moving to New York City.

While tart yogurt shops are plentiful in NYC, I won't be able to report on their proliferation in the midwest anymore. Anyone want to take over the blog?

Good news for yogurt-deprived Michiganers!

Elisabeth from Ann Arbor alerted me to a new tart yogurt shop coming soon (if not already up and running). Yogobliss on 1229 South University Ave. (formerly Campus Dollar Store) is slated to open its door sometime in March.

Honorary yogurt blogger Samantha will hopefully be one of the first in line!

Yogen Fruz in Chicago

While Yogen Fruz's store locator still only shows a presence in the burbs, commenter Shawn reminded me that one has apparently opened up in the Loop now.

303 W. Madison Ave.
Chicago IL 60606
Telephone 312-332-3789
Store hours, according to a press release, are "7:30 am til 7:00 pm" (really? I usually get my hankerings for yogurt at dinner, not breakfast, making these hours problematic). Store hours, according to Yelp, are Mon-Fri 7:00 am - 7:00 pm and Sat 11:00 am - 5:00 pm.

I'm heading into Chicago for my birthday on Saturday; if I can make the store's narrow window of open hours I look forward to trying it! (You may recall I was underwhelmed by Yogen Fruz in Thailand.)

Progress on West Lafayette's Red Mango!

Reader Emily was awesome enough to send along a picture of West Lafayette's soon-to-open Red Mango, located on Chauncey Hill near Purdue University. This branch seems to be further along than the Indianapolis one. Very exciting:



The next natural Indiana location would be Bloomington, home of Indiana University, no?

Another option in Indy...

Nick's Cafe, located in downtown Indy's Circle Centre mall (49 W. Maryland St.), is offering Edy's brand "Tartisan" soft serve. Their largest size - with one fruit topping - rung up at just over six dollars. (Strawberries, raspberries, and pineapple, my usual go-tos, were all soaking in syrup, so I passed.)

I honestly can't muster up the effort to describe the product, it was that underwhelming. Proceed only if you have spare cash and low expectations.

Chicago yogurt roundup

Yoberri (2814 N Halsted St) appeared to be closed this past Sunday at noon when I stopped by. There were no hours posted on the door and the place was dark. Yoberri's Yelp page lists Sunday hours, but they have no official website to confirm whether those have changed, a rogue employee just didn't open the place on time, or they've shut down altogether.

So on to Starfruit, my first visit to the frozen kefir store in Wicker Park. Cute design, nice employees, and a product with a great, icy consistency (my husband wasn't as keen on the taste of the Original flavor as I was). Best of all, look at the generosity of the toppings:


(I learned I'm not a fan of Goji berries. Not Starfruit's fault - I should have stuck with my old standbys of strawberries, blackberries, and raspberries.)

Topping overflow:

Exciting news for Indianapolis!

A Red Mango will be opening soon, according to the company's website! (It was Yogokiss's owner, believe it or not, who tipped me off to this).

Remember the old trophy store now partly occupied by Brothers bar/restaurant? Red Mango will be moving into space at 910 Broad Ripple Ave.

A location will also be opening in West Lafayette at 102 N Chauncey Ave.

Some details on Kansas City's new self-service frozen yogurt shop

Name: Yummo
Address:1360 Walnut St. (next to Chefburger)
Kansas City, MO
Owner: Rob Dalzell
Price: 49 cents/ounce
Set-up: 16 different flavors of self-serve soft serve with over 40 toppings
Target open date #1: October 7
Target open date #2: October 15
Actual open date: ?

Two things I glean from this craigslist ad: they aren't open yet because they still are hiring, and they don't employ the most progressive of hiring practices now, do they?

How much does design matter?

I recently received a very thoughtful email from a yogurt entrepreneur wanting to know my thoughts on store decor. My short answer was that the yogurt is by far the most important part of the experience, but awesome design really enhances my opinion of a place. That said, if a shop's interior is lacking, it really doesn't detract from my overall assessment of it. Decor can only help, not hurt.

Then I got to thinking about both form and function of store interiors and realized I am actually quite opinionated about the subject.

For instance, I am a big proponent of variety. But I dislike indecisiveness. For most of the American population, these are mutually exclusive concepts. I, however, refuse to stand in line and ponder my choices while an employee feigns patience and the patrons behind me curse me silently. Remember the sample abuser on Curb Your Enthusiam?



Ideally, a frozen yogurt store would give you plenty of opportunity to decide on your toppings before you even approach the register. It should start before you arrive, with a detailed, up-to-date website. Frozen yogurt is gaining popularity, and queues often stretch to the door. If there is no room for the topping bar anywhere but beyond the register, some sort of "toppings visual" would be much appreciated while waiting in line. It would increase efficiency of ordering and help me alleviate my phobia of holding up the line.

I could go on, but I'll throw the question out to you - do you have strong thoughts about design? Leave a comment if so!

Revisiting Chicago's Berry Chill

Amazing toppings:















Better bowls (yay!):





















Either they've reformulated or my tastes have changed, because I really, really enjoyed Berry Chill the two times I had it recently. The yogurt had a fantastic taste and texture.

The Midwestern Frozen Yogurt Blog goes international!

I recently spent a month alone in southeast Asia and didn't have to go entirely without tart frozen yogurt during my travels. Although it was very much against my nature, I didn't research anything in advance of arriving, including yogurt. I had no itinerary, no reservations, no tickets....If I happened upon a yogurt shop, I was thrilled, but I didn't go seeking any out. Therefore, Malaysia and Vietnam (both short stops - the former, fortunately; the latter, regrettably) aren't represented in this post.

Bangkok, Thailand

Red Mango
Siam Square and Central World




















No berries and a plethora of gummy tapioca offerings meant I chose kiwi, mango, and pineapple as my toppings. The yogurt was the same as Red Mango's in New York City - that's international consistency for you!

Yogen Fruz
Central World

















Located inside a Swensen's Ice Cream Parlour, Yogen Fruz is the only merchant I have come across that blends fruit into the yogurt. Because of this, their fruit is frozen, and it isn't recommended you ask them to put it on top of your yogurt, which is why I opted for my order to be unadorned. The yogurt was very creamy and only slightly tart. I found myself wishing I had gone back to Red Mango instead.

Singapore

Yoguru
Raffles City Mall



















Yoguru was by far my favorite yogurt place in all of southeast Asia. The plain flavor (they also had pomegranate) was tart, not sweet, and had a delicious icy whipped texture. Although I have always been an advocate of fruit-only toppings, I had such a strange hankering for cereal while traveling that I chose Fruit Loops in addition to strawberries. This combination was perfection after one of my dosa feasts in Little India.

J. Co
Raffles City Mall

















J. Co is a doughnut shop steps away from Yoguru, and I can only hope their signature product is better than their J COOL Yogurt. Their excellent website touts J COOL as being 97% fat free, which explains the creaminess but not the chemical aftertaste. I recall less than a dozen topping possibilities but was delighted to see strawberries, until closer inspection showed little bits of fruit suspended in sickeningly sweet syrup. I took two bites, threw it away, and sashayed myself over to Yoguru. There apparently are also J. Co locations in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Siem Reap, Cambodia

Fruit N Toot

















To access this particular location of Fruit N Toot I visited, you have to enter a 7-11 type convenience market and ascend a flight of steps. (My directions are fuzzy - it's right next to the hotel I stayed in, which was gloriously close to Bar Street. I was too busy partying to take detailed field notes.) The space was chic - a long white banquette spanned one wall, and the view was spectacular. Unfortunately the three flavors of yogurt available were taro, pineapple, and mango - all very sweet and not at all tart. Although the topping selection was wide, the Fruit Loops were definitely stale. If the 2008 presidential election doesn't turn out as I hope and we pack up for Cambodia, I doubt I'll visit Fruit N Toot very much.

Road trip: Louisville's Ce Fiore

Hours:
Monday - Thursday 12 - 10
Friday - Saturday 12 - 11
Sunday 10:30 - 10 (these hours defy logic)

1500 Bardstown Rd #G
Louisville, KY
(502) 458-8679



Topping selection was narrower than most Pinkberry-style shops, but the fruit they did have was really fresh.

Decor was very similar to Pinkberry's, what with the Phillipe Stark Victoria Ghost chairs, but the sleekness factor was lessened somewhat by the abundance of signs everywhere. Over-signage: a personal pet peeve of mine.




Ce Fiore's soft serve has not been given the official Yogurt Seal of Approval. Hence the following conversation:

Me: "I'm getting an ice cream headache from this. Uh, I mean a frozen yogurt headache."

My companion: "No, you mean an Italian Frozen Delight headache."

The yogurt itself was quick-melting and had a strong chemical/dairy aftertaste. Since it's Louisville's only tart frozen yogurt option at this point, it will suffice, but it doesn't warrant a long drive if you don't live there.

DC Yogurt Report

Here's a breakdown of the three tart yogurt places in DC with the loudest buzz. There are other shops offering a similar product, but they're definitely off the beaten path.







Tangysweet's counter:

("Ugh, another camera?" bitched one of the employees.)

Their medium with fruit:



Mr. Yogato's small and medium with fruit:


Two happy customers:

Ms. Yogurteater Goes to Washington

I'm heading back to my beloved hometown later this week, and you'd better believe that I have scoped out the newest yogurt shops, Tangysweet and Mr. Yogato , in addition to Sweetgreen, which I have already tried.

I'm most excited about Mr. Yogato , because with rules like these, how can you go wrong?

• If Mr. Roboto comes over the speaker system and you sing along, you get 10% off yogurt.
  
• Try your luck with a trivia question. Get it right for 10% off, but get it wrong and 10% is added.
  
• If you will wear a yogato stamp on your head, you get 20% off.
  
• If you can recite the Stirling battlefield speech from Braveheart in a great scottish accent, you get 10% off yogurt.
  
• Order a yogurt for 30 consecutive days and we'll name a flavor after you.
  
• If a customer suggests a topping or flavor which is then adopted, that customer receives a 5% discount for life.
  
• If anyone can stump Steve on trivia regarding Seinfeld or "The Rock," 10% off yogurt.
  
• Anyone wearing a kickball uniform and has played hard (evidenced by dirt on their knees) will receive an automatic 10% off yogurt.

Expect a full report when I return!

Midwestern girl goes to the Big Apple

A reader (and friend) recently visited Manhattan and sampled the wares of several yogurt shops. She reports:

Yogurtland was SO good. My favorite by far - icy, nice decor, lots of options for non-tart eaters and MUCH cheaper.

Red Mango was the most disgusting flavor and WAY too creamy.

I tried Pinkberry on Sunday and really liked the flavor but not so much the creamy texture. I'm proud to say that Yogokiss beats all but possibly Yogurtland.

Some of her pictures from Yogurtland:

I might as well throw in the towel...

Because this girl only devotes a portion of her blog to frozen yogurt and it still puts mine to shame. To shame I say!

The Evanston location of Red Mango is open for business...

Mike K., once again you pull through for me with the pictures. I don't even know you, but I like you.

Early Yelp reviews can be found here.

Sherman Plaza
809 Davis St.
Evanston, IL 60201
Phone: 847 866 0998
Hours: Sun-Thurs 11am-10pm
Fri-Sat 11am-11pm

Pictures from Yogokiss in Indianapolis

There's nothing better than frozen yogurt on a hot summer night, especially after sushi:


A reader (who happens to be a friend):

Dear Pinkberry,

- Break UP -
Originally uploaded by B a r s h o ™

I'm really sorry it had to end this way. I tried to say nice things about you in my recent review, even censoring myself from mentioning your razor-sharp spoons, your seizure-inducing techno music, and your questionable ingredients. So imagine my surprise when you moved me out of your top friends on Myspace! (Which I am ashamed to admit I have anything to do with!) I'm sad that we're parting ways, but you know what? There are plenty of other yogurt stores out there; ones that even dare to open in the midwest, which you can't be bothered to do.

Love,
Kate

The midwest's first Red Mango is OPEN!

Thanks to the sweet comment here, I've been tipped off that the Red Mango in Naperville, Illinois is open!


Mike K's photo from Yelp

Here's an article about this particular location.

The Evanston location, however, is not open yet.

A report on Squeeze

I checked out Squeeze last night. They have two flavors (original and green tea), several kinds of fruit toppings, and several dry toppings (cereals, coconut, nuts, etc). Most of the other customers were drinking smoothies.

Pros:
-The fruit was very fresh.
-Everyone working there was nice.
-The space was cool.

Undecided:
-The yogurt was creamy. (So creamy, I wondered if it wasn't fat-free.)

Cons:
-The price structure was outrageous. $6 for a large (11 or 12 ounces, it would appear), plus $.75 for each topping.
-The yogurt didn't have much of a tart flavor. Kinda Wow-Bao-ish.
-It melted as soon as it was dispensed. (See my picture above.)
-The cups were tiny and nearly crumpled on contact with my petite hands.
-It's a minor quibble, but small, medium, and large were actually known as "Rookie," something else, and something else. Clever? Not unless you're Starbucks, and not when it causes miscommunication between customer and register operator. (At least I wasn't charged for the large size that I ordered but did not receive.)

Chloe gave it two paws up:

Another source for sour frozen yogurt in Indianapolis

Squeeze
Glendale Town Center
6155 N Keystone Avenue
Indianapolis, IN 46220
phone: (317) 259-9200
no mention of hours on their website or when I called the listed number

Glendale Mall (ne Town Center?) has been resurrected from near-dead mall status. Squeeze, a smoothie store facing Keystone Avenue, has been open for a few months now. (Why the neighboring Target is not of the Super variety I have no idea. Political pressure from the Marsh clan? Short-sightedness on Target's part?)

A thoughtful reader tipped me off via email that Squeeze carries tart frozen yogurt with fresh fruit toppings along the lines of Pinkberry. Expect a full report later tonight.

TCBY is hopping on the tart fro-yo bandwagon!

Thanks to intrepid reader Samantha for being the first to point out that TCBY will soon have a "tart 'n tangy" flavor. Here's a screenshot from their website:

Tried Chicago's Berry Chill...

Not my photo - it's twobitme's from flickr.


I went in to Berry Chill with really high expectations because of their PR blitz (including a self-serving, but ultimately deleted, Wikipedia entry and several glowing comments on Yelp and this very blog) and I must admit that my expectations were met. I really enjoyed Berry Chill, although my favorite frozen yogurt is still Indianapolis's Yogokiss.

Pros:
The original flavor was a dead ringer for Pinkberry's formula.
The array of toppings was fantastic.
I think I was served a lot more than my requested 12 ounces.
An employee was handing out samples to patrons waiting in the (long) line.
The space - especially the counter area - was aesthetically pleasing.

Cons:
The bowl was too small to hold the toppings in.
The strawberries, blackberries, and raspberries were really syrupy, unlike Pinkberry's.

I'm a bit skeptical...

...of some of the comments that have been left recently on this blog (especially here, here, and here). I have the ability to delete the circumspect comments, but instead I am choosing to leave them up so you can chuckle at how stupid these owners must think we are. A word of warning: when I suspect an owner is using this blog to schill, I am harder on his or her product.

Please feel free to leave information (flavors, hours, the opening date of your store), but leave the editorializing to those with no vested interests.

An update on Yogen Fruz's progress in Chicago

The Yogen Fruz at Woodfield Mall is open for business! According to Woodfield's website, they're hiring.

There will also be a franchise in Yorktown Center. Here's a picture, kindly sent by reader Ryan, of the storefront:

The reviews are pouring in on Chicago's Starfruit...

...and they're certainly mixed.



Photo from kookybite's flickr photostream

Starfruit's website can be found here.

Another Chicago fro-yo place opens

Yoberri is located in Lakeview (at the intersection of Halstead and Diversy). They don't have a website, but I gather from Yelp reviews that they offer only plain yogurt with all of the requisite toppings.

2814 N Halsted St
Chicago, IL 60614
(773) 348-3762

Sour frozen yogurt arrives in Tulsa, Oklamhoma

Freshberry is a spin-off of Camille's Sidewalk Cafe (which may or may not be struggling...the two Indianapolis-area Camille's closed down).

They serve cups of frozen yogurt, smoothies, and frozen pops.

11085 S Memorial Dr
Tulsa, OK 74133

Pinkberry knockoff may be making appearance at Cold Stone Creameries

According to an article in Ice Cream Reporter (you can read it here), Cold Stone Creamery is testing Tartberry at several of its southern-California locations. No word on when a national rollout would take place, but it may be the first taste of tart frozen yogurt for many cities in the flyover states with no other options on the horizon.

Stand-alone fro-yo store opening in Cincinnati

A Yagoot store is opening in Cincinnati's Rookwood shopping center in mid-May. Currently, Yagoot can be had at the Busken Bakery in Hyde Park.

Starfruit in Chicago: Opening April 15th

Debbie posted in the comments below that Starfruit's grand opening is imminent. Thanks Debbie!

Pinkberry vs. Red Mango: a report from New York City

Pinkberry certainly has more coverage in NYC, and the decor is far more chic. I must say that their yogurt wasn't as good as I had remembered. It was downright creamy (one day it was actually more liquid than solid), sweeter, and with a distinct dairy aftertaste (just like Cincinnati's Yagoot).

Red Mango had "reverse lean six sigma" syndrome, because the cash register/yogurt assembly station was horribly inefficient. That, combined with decor-by-Target environs and a product even sweeter than Pinkberry's, leads me to bestow the honor of best NYC fro yo to Pinkberry. (This contest was highly unscientific - my methodology was inherently flawed, because I didn't try /eks/, flurt, or one of the many other Pinkberry knock-offs. And frankly my love for Pinkberry isn't as unbridled as it once was, so I'm hardly giving it a ringing endorsement.)

P.S. I'm sorry this is a picture-less post...I have nary a photo of our entire trip.

Reviews of Berry Chill...

Metromix reviews

I have a hunch that several of the glowingly positive Metromix reviews were written by a very unskilled publicist.

Yelp reviews

Temper your fake reviews with a hint of negativity, people. Sara only has one review on Yelp (surprise surprise!):

"I have recently found a new addiction, and it goes by the name Berry Chill. Even Pink Berry pales in comparison to my new found love... with more toppings (Berry Chill has certainly spared no expense in this arena! Toppings include a plethora of fresh fruit, Black Forest Gummies, Sarah's Candies, and a variety of Milk and Honey Granola just to name a few), flavors that rotate monthly, and a berry chill atmosphere--I feel like I could live at the joint. And I kinda do. Sofa king delish. Breakfast, lunch and dinner. Someone must stop me. No, not really.

Has anyone else become addicted to this stuff? Honestly. I never find myself preaching about food, but since Berry Chill opened their doors I haven't gone one single solitary day without my fix.

Hi- my name is Sara, and I'm addicted to Berry Chill. At least it's not crack, right?"

Indianapolis's Yogokiss open on Easter Sunday

I apologize that this has become the Unofficial Yogokiss Blog. Although I have been perhaps unnaturally infatuated with Yogokiss recently ("My new thing is, if it's not Yogokiss, I'm just not having dessert," I vowed to Siby last Sunday while eating my usual order), this blog's narrow focus over the last week or so is also due to the lack of news on the sour frozen yogurt front. Oh yeah, Berry Chill finally opened in Chicago. Can anyone without some sort of vested interest in Berry Chill chime in with a review?

Speaking of Yogokiss, Kirsten over at Middle West Meals did much more justice to Yogokiss than I ever have in her recent review...
(Reading Kirsten's thoughtful blog usually results in a shameful feeling that I should take more care when writing my entries. She's a fantastic writer.)

Report from Yogokiss

Even though I arrived at Yogokiss at 11:02 this morning, apparently another customer had already come and gone!

While I was on the northside enjoying my first Yogokiss serving of the day, my neighbor slipped this under my door downtown:


Exactly the first thing I thought when I woke up this morning!

Fortunately, the yogurt was better than I had hyped it up in my memory.


(Large plain with strawberries, blackberries, and raspberries)


(Friend and fellow yogurt connoisseur Siby had a large plain with Asian pear, mango, and raspberries, on the right.)

Dinner plans happened to include copious amounts of wasabi on the northside. Did I have Yogokiss afterward? Why yes, yes indeed, I did. (While eating it in the car with the heat blasting, my husband and I spied two other couples enter. Both pairs looked as though it was their first time there. Yay! I'd like to think my cheerleading is finally paying off, but I'm not sure I can take the credit!)

Yogokiss grand re-opening: tomorrow!

Yogokiss will be open from 11 AM - 10 PM tomorrow (Saturday March 15th), according to the owner, who I reached by phone yesterday.

Greetings from Chicago

I've sampled some of Chicago's frozen yogurt offerings this weekend...here are my reviews:

Wow Bao on Jackson There are several signs advertising their new "Asian Frozen Yogurt" (their term, not mine). Only one size of frozen yogurt is offered; I'm guessing it was about 8 ounces. I skipped the three varieties of fruit syrup (sacrilegious!) and just went for strawberries as a topping. The yogurt's consistency wasn't horrible - it was less icy than Pinkberry but still probably fat free. The yogurt's taste, however, made me realize why they include fruit syrup for free: it was so bland. There was no discernable sour tang. I thought I was eating frozen air. Okay, okay, that is an overstatement, but I definitely wouldn't seek out Wow Bao's yogurt again.

Bloomingdales The 6th floor cafe of the Michigan Ave Bloomingdales is decorated with plastic soft serve cones but only hard-pack ice cream is on display. Thankfully, reader Siby tipped me off to the soft-serve back in December. I ordered a small cup and the employee left the counter to fetch my yogurt. Before she did that, she made sure I realized the "vanilla" was actually "plain," which was an encouraging sign.

For under $4, I received a huge cup of yogurt. It was tart and tangy but also a little too sweet. The way it differed most from Pinkberry was its texture - its mouthfeel suggested that it was made from heavy cream. Even without toppings, I enjoyed this yogurt for what it was.

Berry Chill I wish I could say I adored Berry Chill, but its windows are still papered over and its progress looks no further along than when I originally saw the storefront in the fall of '07. Who knows when it's slated to open?

I also wish I could have made it to Verry Berry, but a trip to the burbs was not in the cards.

Testing the few yogurt offerings in Chicago this past weekend (and recently Cincinnati and Washington DC as well) makes me so grateful for Yogokiss in Indianapolis, which has really nailed the Pinkberry taste.

Yogokiss in Indianapolis - Opening back up on March 15th!

Thanks to the anonymous commenter below, I won't have to call Yogokiss every day starting March 1st to see if they're open yet!

One location of Wow Bao in Chicago serving fro-yo

Check out their menu for confirmation!

175 W. Jackson St. (corner of Van Buren and Financial Place)
(312)334-6395
Hours: Monday through Friday 6:30 am to 6:30 pm
CLOSED Saturday and Sunday

Prices are incredibly reasonable ($3.79 plus 35 cents per topping). Fruit toppings (the only kind that matter!) are blueberries, strawberries, pineapples, and mango. Apparently it's made from real yogurt, not yogurt powder. Groan...that's the way Yagoot is made. I'll still try it when I'm in town on the 29th.

Is there rhyme or reason to the little red arrows?

If so, it looks like Pinkberry has plans to expand to Chicago, Detroit, Louisville, a city in Ohio, and several other Midwestern burgs. It was much more clear when I paused this map on my DVR as opposed to this horribly blurry screenshot:

A review of Busken's new yogurt, Yagoot

First of all, don't be thinking you can bring your gun with you to enjoy Yagoot:


There's a separate counter for smoothies and Yagoot. No need to take a number.


A Gootest ("largest") cup of yogurt (12 oz.) with two toppings ran $6.45 or so. This is pricier than any other sour frozen yogurt I have run across. And, uh, the toppings were pretty skimpy.


The yogurt itself? Very sweet and sour at the same time. It's clear that they aren't using the same yogurt powder that Pinkberry (and most of its knockoffs) use. I'm guessing it's real yogurt instead, because it assulted my senses with dairy overload. It was actually quite similar to the attempts (using my ice cream maker and strained plain yogurt) at replication at home. The after-taste hinted of lemon juice.


The texture was much different too - creamier, less icy, and fast-melting. It didn't hold its "soft serve" shape very long.

If you've never had Pinkberry, give Yagoot a shot but realize it's not really similar. If you've had Pinkberry, Yagoot will probably fall short of your expectations.

P.S. My husband (who has never had Pinkberry) loved it.