Posted on Sunday 25 March 2007
That frozen, icy, I almost want to say tender goodness that melts in your mouth - something about frozen yogurt that leaves you feeling refreshed and satisfied.
Growing up, it was always an ice cream trip that made my day. My dad would crank up the car and we’d hit the nearest 31 Flavors Baskin Robbins for a scoop of fluffy ice cream. It’s that instance of dessert that I always looked forward to, maybe because I knew it was a special thing both my father and I could treasure and appreciate.
Today, while my heart still holds a place for ice cream, it’s opened up to new ventures, new flavors, and new textures. This past year, new frozen yogurt stores have popped up all over the place, perhaps first emulating Pinkberry, the trend-setting frozen yogurt that has hit all popular spots of LA. Pinkberry is the anti-ice cream, they promote health, and well-being with their yogurt which most people have affectionately termed crack-berry. The more you eat, the more it leaves you coming back for more.
Stepping up to the plate in the frozen yogurt competition, is a new contender called Fiore Yogurt, aka IF. I was lucky enough to check out the location in Little Tokyo in the Japanese Village Plaza. The concept is quite similar to Pinkberry, it’s a definite alternative to ice cream, a healthy frozen yogurt that’s customizable by topping. They offer a wide array of toppings but unlike Pinkberry do not offer the ever-favorite mochi rice cakes, nor the crunchy but zesty Fruity Pebbles. On a good note, Fiore offers 4 different flavors of yogurt as opposed to Pinkberry’s two standard plain vs. green tea. Choose from plain, sour, green tea, and blackberry, or get a two-swirl mix of your favorite flavors. After selecting plain-blackberry swirl with mango, it was up to my taste-buds to decide the verdict.
Cool. Refreshing. Absolutely fantastic! While it’s definitely not the same tart and icy texture that Pinkberry has perfected, the yogurt is still flavorful and enjoyable. It’s hard to say which is better, of course I hold the highest respect for Pinkberry for establishing their brand and popularity more effectively than IF, but in terms of taste and presentation, IF is up to par with PB.
The ambiance of IF is also clean and refreshing, much like their yogurt, the decor is subtle but modern, and the Little Tokyo location is roomy and easy to get to. Parking is available via meters or local lots for various rates. I highly recommend stopping by IF if you happen to be nearby eating local sushi or ramen, because it would be the perfect way for your palate to end the day.