Yoga-urt Adds Breakfast Items & Morning Hours

Fro-yo girl here. Yoga-urt just started serving breakfast at the Glendale location this week (the official launch date was Wednesday, June 17). The hours have changed as well. Breakfast is served Wednesday through Sunday from 9 AM – 1 PM. The vegan, gluten-free breakfast items are:

• Smoothies: not new, but you can get them earlier now
• Super Bowl ($12): a thin layer of soft serve (you choose the flavor) with 3 – 4 toppings
• Housemade GF vegan waffle w/ your 2 choice of regular toppings, maple syrup, and Cocowhip ($10)
• Housemade GF vegan waffle w/ your choice of 2 regular toppings, a big scoop of vegan froyo, maple syrup, and Cocowhip ($12)

Like you’d expect from Yoga-urt, the waffles (and their famous froyo) are vegan, gluten-free, soy-free, and all natural. Anything new at Yoga-urt garners my interest. Plus, I love eating froyo in the morning!

I chose the waffle with a scoop of Vanilla Harmony froyo, strawberries and the ginger + turmeric granola that I’m so fond of. The waffle is made to order. I’m not sure if I’ve had a gluten-free, vegan waffle before but I trust Yoga-urt to serve something delicious. I wasn’t disappointed. The waffle was big and flat, with slightly crispy edges. The interior was chewier than usual, but in a good way. It reminded me of a mochi waffle. I thought I detected a hint of coconut? It was sweet but not too sweet. The Vanilla Harmony melted a bit and made the waffle even yummier. And the toppings kept things interesting. It’s a big, filling breakfast. I'd love to have the waffles again, even after breakfast hours (but a smaller size). Waffle sundaes?

Yoga-urt serves Groundwork Coffee (organic, local) if you’d like some coffee with your waffle. They also have tea from Art of Tea (organic, local). Bring your dad for Father’s Day brunch. Outdoor seating is available again.

You know you love me. X0 X0, fro-yo girl. 

* YOGA-URT, 1407 ½ W Kenneth Rd., Glendale, CA 91201

Looking for more frozen yogurt news, discussion boards, and resources? Check out the International Frozen Yogurt Association website at http://internationalfrozenyogurt.com/. The IFYA is the independent voice of the frozen yogurt industry.

Menchie’s is Testing Freshly Made Waffles

Fro-yo girl here. Menchie’s University in Encino is where Menchie’s tests new products and flavors and provides training. Recently they were testing a new dairy-free flavor, dark chocolate made with coconut milk. I headed over less than a week later and the flavor was nowhere to be found. I guess the test flavors aren’t there long. I heard they were testing a Marshmallow Peeps flavor next. If I lived closer to Menchie’s University, I’d certainly go there regularly.

During my visit they were testing a new product: freshly made waffles. They’re sold by the weight for the same price as froyo and toppings. Head to the Menchie’s team member and ask for a waffle. The waffle iron is kept next to the round waffle iron they use to make waffle bowls.

A team member pours the batter onto the waffle iron. After a few minutes the hot waffle is ready. The waffle is rectangular (6 squares long, 3 squares wide). It’s a light waffle with deep pockets. The texture is soft and slightly crispy. It is not a liege waffle; the denser liege waffle would hold up to froyo better. Froyo gets absorbed into the Menchie’s waffle and quickly makes it soggy. Pro tip: Put your froyo on the side, not on top of your waffle.

The waffle flavor was okay but not better than those waffles you can make for yourself with a waffle iron at a hotel. The fact that the froyo makes the waffle soggy is a big negative. 

My two cents: If Menchie’s wants to offer waffles, they should make the batter more interesting and make a denser waffle that doesn’t get soggy so easily. Flavored waffles (made with flavored batter) like peanut butter or chocolate sound much more appealing than plain waffles. Or offer waffle bites dipped in different kinds of chocolate, peanut butter, etc. 

I actually like Liege waffles but they’re pretty filling so I probably wouldn’t get one plus add froyo to it.

Menchie’s University is also selling snacks by Brookside, IceBreakers Mints, IceBreakers Ice Cubes and Hershey’s Kisses Deluxe.

You know you love me. X0 X0, fro-yo girl.

* MENCHIE’S UNIVERSITY: 17245 Ventura Blvd., Encino, CA 91316

Looking for more frozen yogurt news, discussion boards, and resources? Check out the International Frozen Yogurt Association website at http://internationalfrozenyogurt.com/. The IFYA is the independent voice of the frozen yogurt industry.