Posted on Tuesday 29 January 2008
If your stomping grounds are near the city that brings you one of So Cal’s largest shopping malls ever, yup, that’s right, minutes away from South Coast plaza, get a load of frozen yogurt at:
Yotopia
3033 Bristol
Ste R
Costa Mesa, CA 92626
The best part about small mom and pop type businesses is the quality of service they offer. The service behind the counter is more than cordial at this location. They offer free samples and courteous chit chat.
As their name indicates, Yotopia, is perhaps a fantasy place that is to fulfill your frozen yogurt desires. I fancy the name, yet how does the actual yogurt live up to it?
Taste test: I opted for a plain with 3 toppings: mochi, frosted flakes, and yogurt chips.
The mochi verdict - Well, as somewhat of a mochi snob, I’ve come to realize there is a broad spectrum of mochi types. The mochi can exceed the highest of expectations, or sometimes the mochi can fail miserably. The mochi at Yotopia gave off a vibe of pastel colors, quite pleasing to the eye, but unfortunately the texture and taste did not match its exterior appearance. It lacked a familiar faint sweetness and plush goodness of the best mochi we’ve experienced yet.
The frosted flakes were a pleasant pick - for some reason the chemistry between frozen yogurt and cereal toppings always works out well. The yogurt chips were not one of the usual suspects. In fact, they do taste like white chocolate chips more than yogurt. But I happened to like them in this serving.
Overall, the store itself is well laid out for a small space, not unlike many other frozen yogurt stores we’ve ventured to thus far. They have an ample selection of toppings, and the usual small selection of fruit-flavored yogurts other than plain. They also do smoothies if yogurt isn’t your thing. If you’re nearby, it’s definitely a good way to get your fix, but unfortunately not as gratifying as capping off the night with yogurt from one of the larger chains like Red Mango, Ce Fiore, or Pinkberry. Let us know what you think.
