Fro-yo girl here. What’s a hidden froyo gem? It’s a place that doesn’t have a clearly visible froyo sign. It’s a place that you might not expect to see froyo. Also, I’m limiting the list to places that serve good froyo.
I haven’t written a post about hidden froyo spots since 2008. It’s definitely time for an update. All but one of the Bay Area shops in the 2008 post have closed. This new list is for Southern California.
* LOHA’S FRESH MART (300 W Main St., Alhambra, CA 91801): LOHAS Fresh Mart is the healthy, organic Asian market that opened recently in downtown Alhambra. Head to the deli for a big cup of organic frozen yogurt. They only have one flavor.
* NICOLE’S GOURMET COFFEE & CHOCOLATE (928 S Western Ave., Ste. 145, Los Angeles, CA 90006): Located in Koreatown Plaza, Nicole’s is a popular Korean café that serves coffee, patbingsoo, taiyaki and frozen yogurt. They only have one flavor of frozen yogurt, plain/original, but it’s a good flavor and $4 gets you a big cup piled high with frozen yogurt.
* SPREAD MEDITERRANEAN KITCHEN (334 S Main St., Los Angeles, CA 90034): The Middle Eastern food is tasty and you can get a mini housemade Greek froyo with topping for just $2.50. It’s a casual place so it’s easy to stroll in, order your froyo at the counter and go.
* SUNNY BLUE (2728 Main St., Santa Monica, CA 90405 & 12608A Washington Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90066): Sunny Blue has the best omusubi (Japanese rice balls). They’re made to order with warm, furikake topped rice and generous amounts of tasty, healthy Japanese fillings like miso beef, shiso ume, tuna, spicy salmon, etc. Both of their shops are adorable and both offer froyo (2 flavors a day) that they've flavored themselves. The toppings included red beans, Pocky, yuzu jam, Hello Panda, strawberries, etc.
* YALLA (multiple locations in CA, http://www.yallamedi.com/): Yalla has a set up that’s similar to Chipotle only they serve Mediterranean food; you choose your style/base and choose your protein, sauces and toppings. They have one flavor (plain) of Greek frozen yogurt that’s available with honey, chocolate, sour cherry sauce or chopped baklava. The small size is just right for dessert. Their froyo is their own proprietary recipe.
Did I miss any hidden froyo gems in Southern California? If so, let me know.
You know you love me. X0 X0, fro-yo girl.
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.
Fro-yo girl here. San Gabriel Valley’s largest culinary community event, the Taste of South Lake, took place on Saturday, October 8 from 11 AM – 5 PM. The festival is sponsored annually by the South Lake Business Association. New businesses like Urban Plates, Nothing Bundt Cakes, T-Pumps, and Del Frisco’s Grill joined returning businesses like Lemonade, Nekter and Du-Par’s.
The crowds looked bigger than ever. I missed the cooking demos but I did catch some of the live music. Thanks to KCRW, they had some really good bands.
Yogurtland was there with the prize wheel and three flavors of froyo: Rocket Pop Sorbet, Plain Tart and Fresh Strawberry ($2 a cup). They were also accepting donations for the Children’s Miracle Network. I won a Yogurtland coupon and keychain.
You know you love me. X0 X0, fro-yo girl.
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.
Fro-yo girl here. Yogurtland recently opened a location in Huntington Park, CA in September. It’s at Pacific Bellgrave Center. The grand opening celebration is taking place today, October 8, 2016. The all day celebration started with free froyo (10 AM – 2 PM). Guests received a mini cup that they could fill with as much froyo and toppings as desired and a chance to win a prize by spinning the prize wheel. Prizes include Yogurtland frisbees, giant spoons, $5 gift cards, cup cozies, stickers, lanyards and sunglasses.
There are specials all day, including 3 ounces of free froyo from 2 PM – 6 PM and buy one, get one free froyo from 6 PM – 1 AM. The day also included a balloon artist, Laker Girls appearance, face painter, prizes and giveaways. I also noticed they had some Yogurtland coupons by the door.
This location has a newer, more eco-friendly look. The wall of froyo looks like light wood. There are 16 self-serve flavors a day with toppings for 49 cents an ounce.
* YOGURTLAND: 6021 Pacific Blvd. #101, Huntington Park, CA 90255
You know you love me. X0 X0, fro-yo girl.
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.
Fro-yo girl here. Did you know there was a World Smile Day? World Smile Day is celebrated on the first Friday of October (today). World Smile Day was created by Harvey Ball, the commercial artist who created the smiley face, and it’s been celebrated since 1999. His idea was that each of us should devote one day a year to smiles and kind acts.
And what does this have to do with frozen yogurt? Well, Menchie’s, is celebrating the idea behind World Smile Day this year with the Month of Smiles celebration. On World Smile Day, October 7, 2016, Menchie’s locations (including international locations) held a World Smile Day Party from 4-7 PM. During the party, guests enjoyed buy one, get one free froyo, along with fun activities and prizes. Unfortunately, Hurricane Matthew led to the cancellation of the World Smile Day Party at some Menchie’s locations in the Southeast.
I picked up my buy one, get one free froyo and saw the poster for Menchie’s spooky spoons. The spooky spoons weren’t available yet but I did get one of the Smile It Forward cards. The card encourages you to spread smiles. Guests who share their stories about how they spread smiles on social media using #spreadingsmiles have a chance to win prizes like free frozen yogurt for a year and Menchie’s gift cards.
Froyo makes me smile. Thanks, Menchie’s!
You know you love me. X0 X0, fro-yo girl.
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.
Fro-yo girl here. Mochicream is a Japanese dessert that’s basically mochi with different fillings often involving whipped cream and jam. Mochicream Mochi Cream Ice is a newer mochi product; the mochi has an ice cream filling.
Mochicream could only be purchased from J.sweets retail stores when it first reached the US. Since there are only four of these (in San Jose, Torrance, Costa Mesa and Irvine), this meant that the availability of Mochicream in the US was extremely limited. The mochi are made in Japan.
Recently I was shopping at Mitsuwa San Gabriel and I spotted Mochicream in the freezer. The Mochicream treats are now individually wrapped and 10 flavors are available (e.g., Chocobanana, Chocomint, Tiramisu, Matcha au Lait, etc. One Mochicream is $2.49. They had one yogurt flavor, blueberry yoghurt.
* Blueberry Yoghurt Mochicream: This was not the same as the blueberry yoghurt Mochicream I had a few years back (that one had whipped cream in the center, this one had blueberry jam). The thin glutinous rice shell is soft, sweet and chewy. The “ice” filling was creamy and the blueberry jam had an intense blueberry flavor. I didn’t taste the yogurt flavor but the mochi was very tasty. One mochi is 2.19 ozs and 170 calories.
Ingredients: Blueberry jam, sugar, cream, milk product powdered, glutinous rice, sweetened condensed milk, skim milk powder, polydextrose dextrin, powdered oil, gelatin, glucose, millet jelly, starch, salt, etc.
You know you love me. X0 X0, fro-yo girl.
* MITSUWA: 515 W Las Tunas Dr., San Gabriel, CA 91776
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.
Fro-yo girl here. Most of the froyo that I get comes in a cup but I do enjoy the occasional froyo cone. Not that many froyo shops offer froyo cones since the majority are self-serve, charge by the ounce places now. However, even some self-serve shops offer cones (normally they charge a flat rate for cones).
When it comes to the cup vs. cone debate, cups are clearly superior for adults unless the cones are freshly made and high quality. Cones have a lot of disadvantages. Cups have many advantages.
- Advantages of cones: Fun/kid-friendly, edible, crunchy, no waste/eco-friendly, look better in pictures
- Disadvantages of cones: Can drip and get messy, can be stale, extra calories, little room for toppings, scoops can fall off when you lick them, can cost extra
- Advantages of cups: Easy to carry around, clean, can have nice design, no calories, can be eco-friendly, can accommodate lids, room for toppings
- Disadvantages of cups: Can be plain-looking, can hide a lot of the swirl
Which do you prefer?
You know you love me. X0 X0, fro-yo girl.
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.
Fro-yo girl here. It’s October and new flavor time at Menchie’s. The new flavor, Milk Chocolate Candy frozen yogurt, is made with M&M’s. They’ve also brought back a fall favorite, Harvest Pumpkin, made with real pumpkin, cinnamon and ginger.
* Milk chocolate candy: It’s amazing how this chocolate frozen yogurt tastes just like M&M’s. It tastes different from their other chocolate froyo flavors for sure. Milk chocolate candy froyo is lowfat and gluten free. Recommended toppings: Whipped topping, mini M&Ms, almonds, brownies
Menchie’s has declared it the Month of Smiles. During the World Smile Day Party on October 7 from 4 – 7 PM, they’ll have a buy one frozen yogurt, get one free, as well as fun activities and prizes. Menchie’s and M&M’s are sponsoring the Ultimate VIP Concert Experience Sweepstakes. The grand prize is 4 reserved concert tickets, VIP limo service, dinner and free swag. To enter, use your My Smileage account. The more you visit, the more contest entries you’ll receive. There’s another contest for their Month of Smiles. To enter, share how you spread smiles at @mymenchies using #spreadingsmiles for a chance to win free frozen yogurt for a year or a $25 gift card. You can also spread smiles with the new Smile It Forward card.
Remember to collect the limited edition M&M’s Menchie’s cup and the two new Halloween spoons.
You know you love me. X0 X0, fro-yo girl.
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.
