There's a great Seinfeld episode called, "
The Non-Fat Yogurt." In the show, Kramer invests in a frozen yogurt shop, and the characters all start eating there regularly. Despite the claims that the yogurt is non-fat, the characters begin to gain weight. When lab tests are performed, the yogurt involved turns out to be full of fat, and of course even a fat-free product can be loaded with calories. Somehow, the typically convoluted episode also mixes in the New York mayoral race and Jerry's use of profanity in one of his stand-up routines. In contrast, this review will be apolitical and not contain any of George Carlin's "seven words you can never say on television." Instead, let's just focus on frozen yogurt, specifically Yogurtini, which brings the current froyo trend to the Cornerstone development, diagonally across the street from the University / Rural light rail station.
In a way, the fictional experience of Jerry, Elaine, George, and Kramer seems to be mirroring what's going on with the trend of frozen yogurt shops seemingly opening everywhere at once. All of these places claim to offer a tasty product with various health benefits, but actual results vary in practice. What's distinguishes today's wave of froyo from the earlier yogurt trend of the '80s is that after frozen yogurt became so sweet and adulterated that it was barely recognizable as yogurt, the trend has now moved back toward to a frozen dessert with an actual tart yogurt flavor. Combine that taste with a self-service, pay-by-weight business model and it's easy to see the trend that Yogurtini is part of. It doesn't hurt to have contemporary, minimalistic pastel decor either.
Yogurtini's name is indicative of its approach. The customers has the opportunity to take creatively flavored yogurts and augment them with a comprehensive array of fanciful toppings to come up with one's own personal frozen yogurt cocktail. It's all in the assembly-line formula replicated now at dozens of yogurts joints. The first step is to assess the day's spectrum of flavors. The first one is always the house tart. Every place has one of these now, but Yogurtini's seems to have a more impressive yogurt tang that the average tart froyo. Paired with fresh fruit toppings like kiwi, blueberries, or strawberries, it's a simple, straightforward, and appealing choice. There's always a second tart flavor available. Recently, it has been a combination of peach and mango, with notes of both fruits discernible. Free sample cups are available at the counter for anyone needing a taste before deciding.
Moving down the line, there are about half a dozen sweeter yogurts. Flavors like dulce de leche, red velvet, and cherry cordial all have a rich taste and mouth-feel. They're ideally suited for those who seek a yogurt product with a more pudding-like appeal, although they're identified as having the same active cultures as the tarter flavors. The peanut butter yogurt is a smooth treat; pair it with toppings like shredded coconut and sriracha, the infamous "rooster" hot sauce, for a powerful blend of tastes vaguely reminiscent of the peanut sauces and
penang curries of southeast Asian cuisines. For added crunch, additional topping choices include nuts, oreos, granola, and
Pebbles cereal in both Fruity and Cocoa varieties.
At the end of the line are the sugar-free yogurts and a sorbet offerings. This is the part of the line meant for those who want to avoid something, whether it's sugar or dairy. One nutritional point to keep in mind is that despite all the potential benefits of active cultures, minimal fat, and, in some cases, sugar alternatives, Yogurtini makes no pledge that all ingredients are natural. To be fair, that's standard for the frozen yogurt sector, which often relies on lengthy ingredient lists to manipulate yogurt into a soft-serve product in myriad flavors, all with the same malleable form. While the froyo flavors have a genuineness to their taste, the sorbets are not always as convincing. Customers seeking intense fruit taste might be better off pairing the original tart yogurt with generous scoops of fruit toppings.
The seating is both indoor and outdoor, and large windows keep in the interior illuminated with natural light. There's free wifi, too, and those always connected can often take advantage of deals announced via Twitter and Facebook. Right now, Yogurtini is a single location near the ASU campus, but the Web site announces ambitious expansion plans around the metro area and pitches franchising opportunities. In other words, there's a concept behind this shop waiting to be replicated in multiple locations if the public's sometimes fickle tastes and the difficult economy cooperate. Amazingly enough, we're only a few years away from the first freshman class at nearby ASU that will not have grown up with Seinfeld. If Yogurtini sticks around, at least the new students will have an opportunity to indulge in the characters' beloved frozen yogurt.
725 S. Rural Rd., Tempe AZ 85281 |
Map
(480) 264-6805
http://www.yogurtini.com
