Pinkberry frozen yogurt

[madziast]

i'm totally new to this frozen yogurt craze but i finally tried it - pinkberry and yolato.

pinkberry - as much as i enjoyed the taste of the plain (green tea was lost on me) i can't imagine getting "addicted" or visiting more that once in a blue moon. the yogurt is perfectly fine - but it's just one thing and no amount of toppings changes that. i agree it is pricey

yolato - i liked the frozen yogurt very much, actually, it was creamier than pinkberrys. BUT there is also lots of other stuff - gelato, sorbet, crepes - a variety of treats. i can see myself going back to try different things and flavors much more often, especially the gelato - they have a dangerously generous sample policy

40 carrots next!

and Grom when it opens, but i digress

[phaelon56]

But for such limited offerings,  the prices are outrageous.  Yesterday I got a large green tea and a medium plain,  NO add ins,  and it came to $13+.  expensive habit...

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Okay... will somone please tell me how much this really sells for at retail in what cup size? if the large green tea was $3 or less thatn it has a medium plain cup of fropzen yogurt (I asusme this is soft serve - correct?) coming in at between $9 and $10. That's totally outrageous in any US market - even in Manhattan or the most grossly overpriced tourist locations (granted - in some areas Manhattan is a grossly overpriced tourist destination )

Then I see ned's comment:

The price, hunh? Four bucks for a giant tub of sour frozen yogurt.

ned - are you referring to Pinkberry?

I've never bothered to try Coldstone and it is ice cream rather than yogurt but as outrageous as their prices are - they still don't come close to $9 or $10 for a medium plain cup.

[zpzjessica]

i can tell you that at the pinkberry in my neighborhood, my boyfriend got a medium plain and it came to $5.31 after tax. no toppings. WITH toppings it's over $7. way overpriced, especially since they swirl the yogurt from the machine into the cup, creating a big hole of empty space in the middle. really, you're getting the amount of yogurt in a small cup, only in a medium cup so it looks bigger. rip-off

[ned]

5$ 10$ even 15$ a cup who cares? This stuff is frozen pseudo but still real dairy GOLD. I can't believe that anybody gives two shits about how much it costs when you can get sour frozen yogurt with captain crunch and brunoised mango I mean c'mon people, is anybody listening?

[raji]

It's got nothing on Miracle Gelato!!!!!!!

http://www.miraclegelato.net/

I went and I'll post pictures later. I grilled the poor shop girl about what exactly the Miracle is. They have a -30C teppan in front of you and make it right in front of you. It's very low calorie and tastes great. But you don't get a lot for $4....

[BryanZ]

So it's like an anti-griddle?

[raji]

bizarro benihana.

I got pictures on my nikon, been too lazy/jetlagged to up them, plus my Japan thread was relegated to here:

http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?showtopic=101568

[phaelon56]

It's got nothing on Miracle Gelato!!!!!!!

http://www.miraclegelato.net/

I went and I'll post pictures later. I grilled the poor shop girl about what exactly the Miracle is. They have a -30C teppan in front of you and make it right in front of you. It's very low calorie and tastes great. But you don't get a lot for $4....

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What's the texture like?

[raji]

It's got nothing on Miracle Gelato!!!!!!!

http://www.miraclegelato.net/

I went and I'll post pictures later. I grilled the poor shop girl about what exactly the Miracle is. They have a -30C teppan in front of you and make it right in front of you. It's very low calorie and tastes great. But you don't get a lot for $4....

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What's the texture like?

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I had a "Strawberry Fields" (pronounced STROBERI- FEERUZU)

ストロベリーフィールズ［バニラアイス＋ヨーグルトドリンク＋ストロベリー＋ホイップクリーム

Which is apparently "Vanilla Ice + Yogurt Drink + Strawberry + Whip Cream)

So I think it's half creme half yogurt. It was ¥450 so $3.76 for a small 2-scoop cup.

I got home and exclaimed to my mate that I don't get what the miracle is and it just tasted like good ice cream to me, when he told me it was mostly frozen yogurt ... felt like I was in the Seinfeld episode

Right and the texture is basically just like ice cream. The girl uses a big spatula drawing out the liquid on the ice teppan in thin sheets which freezes it quickly, they violently scrapes it up

Edited April 27, 2007 by raji (log)

[BryanZ]

The trickle down effect of modern cookery at work.

[phaelon56]

Right and the texture is basically just like ice cream. The girl uses a big spatula drawing out the liquid on the ice teppan in thin sheets which freezes it quickly, they violently scrapes it up

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That's very cool. I'd pay that much for a small two cup bowl. Gelato is that much in many places and I buy that but would love a lower fat alternative if the texture was good.

Forgot to mention upthread - in the context of prices - we had two Coldstone Creamery locations open here at the same time about two years ago. The mall based location still thrives but the upscale suburban plaza store died a quick death - lasted less than 18 months. I have to think that pricing was a primary reason (it was about $6 for a medium serving before add-ins).

[raji]

Seems like Cold Stone Creamery is a similar if not the same concept. There's one right by me. It's warm out. I'm gonna go try one.

[larrylee]

I can't believe that TastiD and Cold Stone "creamery" are even being mentioned in this thread. How awful. If you want to make the Cold Stone staff really confused, insist on getting just a plain vanilla ice cream with no toppings.

I was really, almost violently, skeptical of Pinkberry at first, but I've really come to like it, fads and dietary claims aside. The clean/sour taste of the plain hits the spot. It's even better with the mochi topping.

Pinkberry on 32nd strikes me as unique as it appears to be the only Korean-owned establishment on that street with not a single Korean person behind the counter. But the thing that really struck me is that a blend is available only in an undocumented "7 ounce" size (or something to that effect). Anyway, I think I've settled on just plain+mochi. I'm not enamored of the other toppings.

The no-pictures policy makes no sense considering the front of the store is a sheet of plate glass and the decorations on the right wall seem to be all from Alessi.

[raji]

I just had my first Cold Stone on Sunday, @ the one at 42nd and 8th (are there others?) It's kind of confusing and overwhelming in there and I couldn't find a definitive list of the "mix-ins". I think I got a "like" which is a small and that was plenty. The staff engaged in group cheers and call-and-return military calls, and that's a big positive to me... I wasn't alive in the 50s but I assume during the 50s and 60s, more or less you'd get cheery service and team spirit most anywhere you went. Now it is truly the exception to the rule.

The ice cream was very creamy and delicious but I really don't see the point of the cold stone. Miracle Gelato, they're making the ice cream right in front of you. At CSC I assume the granite stone is there to help keep your ice cream cold while they assault your waistline by mixing in all sorts of candies and fruits, joining the many fast food and dessert franchises obsessed with increasing the caloric density of their menu...

I was in a fruity mood so I ordered a strawberry like it with spongecake, strawberries and walnuts. With tax it was about $6.50 and I'm sorry, I still don't get what the big deal is about this place. Next time I'm craving ice cream with all sorts of crap in it, I'll go to Chinatown Ice Cream Factory or Ciao Bella, and then hit up a duane reade for cheap candy to mix in. I think if I pedal fast enough, the airflow created will keep my icecream sufficiently cold...

And from what I've heard, I really must try this Pinkberry but at this point could it possibly live up to the hype?

[phaelon56]

Larrylee said:

I can't believe that TastiD and Cold Stone "creamery" are even being mentioned in this thread. How awful. If you want to make the Cold Stone staff really confused, insist on getting just a plain vanilla ice cream with no toppings.

I think they are mentioned perhaps because hey share an absurdly high retail price point? Coldstone is ice cream not yogurt or a yogurt blend... I don't know what Tasty-Delite is because we don't have it in my area. And the "mix-in" gimmick isn't much different than the "flurries" served by the soft serve places - it's just a slightly better quality ice cream (or so we hope).

By the way.... did you know that all Carvel hard ice cream has always been made in-house at each store using either the vanilla or chosocolate soft serve liqud as a base? They only stock those two mixes and make the hard ice cream by stirring in additional flavorings, coloring and mix-ins in the tube as the soft serve is generated by the machine.

But all the seasonal soft serve ice cream places in this area serve Dole Whip - made from these tasty and healthful ingredients

Sugar, Dextrose, Pineapple Crystals, Partially hydrogenated soybean oil, Stabilizers (Cellulose, Locust Bean, Guar, Xanthan, Karaya Gum, Pectin), Sodium Silico Aluminate, Vegetable Fiber, Citric Acid, Artificial Flavor, Sodium Caseinate (a milk derivative), Mono & Diglycerides, Sodium Citrate, Salt, Dipotassium Phosphate, Artificial Color Including F.D. & C. Yellow #6

Yum.

And from what I've heard, I really must try this Pinkberry but at this point could it possibly live up to the hype?

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Maybe. I'm certainly willing to try it to see. The first few times I had gelato I was fortunate enough to have it in place that had the real deal and it lived up to the hype. Since then it's beeen hit and miss. if I"m in a tourist area I no longer bother because the sweetness level and texture are very close to ice cream.

[phaelon56]

Larrylee said:

I can't believe that TastiD and Cold Stone "creamery" are even being mentioned in this thread. How awful. If you want to make the Cold Stone staff really confused, insist on getting just a plain vanilla ice cream with no toppings.

I think they are mentioned perhaps because they share an absurdly high retail price point? Coldstone is ice cream not yogurt or a yogurt blend... I don't know what Tasty-Delite is because we don't have it in my area. And the "mix-in" gimmick at Coldstone isn't much different than the "flurries" served by the soft serve places - it's just a slightly better quality ice cream (or so we hope) and mixed by hand rather than with a special blender.

By the way.... did you know that all Carvel hard ice cream has always been made in-house at each store using either the vanilla or chocolate soft serve liqud as a base? They only stock those two mixes and make the hard ice cream by stirring in additional flavorings, coloring and mix-ins in the tube as the soft serve is generated by the machine.

But all the seasonal soft serve ice cream places in this area serve Dole Whip - made from these tasty and healthful ingredients

Sugar, Dextrose, Pineapple Crystals, Partially hydrogenated soybean oil, Stabilizers (Cellulose, Locust Bean, Guar, Xanthan, Karaya Gum, Pectin), Sodium Silico Aluminate, Vegetable Fiber, Citric Acid, Artificial Flavor, Sodium Caseinate (a milk derivative), Mono & Diglycerides, Sodium Citrate, Salt, Dipotassium Phosphate, Artificial Color Including F.D. & C. Yellow #6

Yum.

And from what I've heard, I really must try this Pinkberry but at this point could it possibly live up to the hype?

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Maybe. I'm certainly willing to try it to see. The first few times I had gelato I was fortunate enough to have it in place that had the real deal and it lived up to the hype. Since then it's beeen hit and miss. If I'm in a tourist area and see it available I no longer bother because the sweetness level and texture are often very close to ice cream.

[larrylee]

I was very dismissive of Pinkberry at first because of all the hype. I like it on its own terms now. It's light, refreshing, tangy, and not cheap but I think still worth it except when the line is insane.

Raji: Make two trips. Try not to think of the hype. Get a small regular the first time. Give a day or so to let the experience sink in. Go back the next day and get a small green tea. In either case, get the mochi topping at most. The other toppings will just obscure the flavor of the fro-yo.

I think a few trips here by even the most skeptical visitor is worth the price. You may decide you don't like it but it is guaranteed to change your perceptions about frozen yogurt. Just go when the line is short.

Regarding the price of the product... all I'll say is that people pay a lot for crappy coffee drinks. You just have to decide what you're willing to pay extra for.

Edited May 1, 2007 by larrylee (log)

[larrylee]

Owen:

Interesting... I tried briefly to find the ingredients in Mister Softee's ice cream but fell short. I wonder if it's similar to Dole Whip?

I also emailed CSC asking for nutritional information on their menu desserts (e.g. the stuff you can order directly off the menu, not the do-your-own desserts). My guess is that the calories and fat are going to be astronomical, but I'm willing to concede that I'll be proven wrong.

The Carvel factoid is interesting... I'm not really a fan of their hard ice cream or their ice cream cakes (though the name "fudgie the whale" always makes me laugh). It also makes me think of vanilla. After you make your own vanilla ice cream, it's really hard to eat the commercially available stuff. It's tragic that such an amazing ingredient has turned into a symbol of blandness.

Full disclosure: the Tragedy of Vanilla hasn't stopped me from regularly ordering mass market atrocities like... a Mister Softee soft-serve twist. :-P

Edited May 1, 2007 by larrylee (log)

[raji]

I have many fond memories of Carvel ice cream... we ate it because that's what there was. If our little league team won, it was carvel ice cream. If we lost, I'm pretty sure it was Carvel Ice Cream, especially during the hottest months.

And what's better than an ice cream birthday cake?

PS thanks for the tips Larry

Edited May 1, 2007 by raji (log)

[juuceman]

i can tell you that at the pinkberry in my neighborhood, my boyfriend got a medium plain and it came to $5.31 after tax. no toppings. WITH toppings it's over $7. way overpriced, especially since they swirl the yogurt from the machine into the cup, creating a big hole of empty space in the middle. really, you're getting the amount of yogurt in a small cup, only in a medium cup so it looks bigger. rip-off 

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(a) you get twice as much in a medium as you do in a small. They weigh it on 32nd Street.

(b) it's under $7 for a medium with three toppings, again on 32nd Street.

© Having eater a decent amount of Pink Berry over the past two months, it's got something that Tasti-D never did. A different mouth feel and something all it's own in the flavor that I enjoy and crave. It's nice to be able to get fresh kiwi, mango, pineapple, raspberries, blueberries, etc. on my frozen yogurt. I'm not really all that big into the stuff that goes into Tasti-D, it gives it an off flavor and texture.

[phaelon56]

I have many fond memories of Carvel ice cream... we ate it because that's what there was.....

And what's better than an ice cream birthday cake?

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Very few things are better than a traditional Carvel ice cream cake but the current product has minimal resemblance to what we served at Carvel back in the 1970's (and beyond but for how long I'm not certain). Back then it was interleaved layers of ice cream and sponge cake - frosted with ice creaam. Now it's just plain ice cream with some brown crumbly crunchy bits between the layers.

Funny that Mr. Softee is mentioned - they disappeared from central NY state years ago but I still see them pop up in NYC in the summer - usually by 13th and Broadway adjacent to the Regal Union Square 14 Cinema.

As for the ingredients - if you're lucky it's a dairy based mix like Carvel used to use (and perhaps still does) - actually not a bad quality product as soft serve goes.

Here's the typical non-dairy vanilla soft serve (which is often identified as non-dairy)

Sugar, Dextrose, Corn Syrup Solids, Partially

Hydrogenated Coconut Oil, Maltodextrin, Guar and Xanthan

Gums, Sodium Caseinate (a milk derivative), Salt, Mono and

Diglycerides, Lecithin, Natural and Artificial Flavors, Sodium

Silico Aluminate, Yellow 5, Yellow 6.

Here's a listing for the "non-fat soft serve yogurt" . As I said before - yum

Sugar, Corn Sugar, Nonfat Dry Milk, Maltodextrin,

Dried Cream Powder, Dried Sweet Whey, Guar and Xanthan

Gums, Salt, Lactic Acid, Yogurt Cultures, Natural and

Artificial Flavor, Silicon Dioxide, Yellow 5, Yellow 6.

[larrylee]

Mister Softee is still very much a warm-months institution here, jingle-ban notwithstanding. What's interesting is to see the fast-and-loose pricing practices. If you walk up to any truck, ask for a twist, and hand over $2, you'll walk away without a problem. I've gone to the same truck on different occasions and asked the price in advance, only to be quoted a higher price (say, $2.50).

Maybe I have "sucker" stamped on my forehead or something...

[larrylee]

Owen,

BTW, thanks for posting the ingredients up-topic. :-)

[Luckylies]

uh oh trouble in paradise....

ker-pow!

Edited May 11, 2007 by Luckylies (log)

[andiesenji]

uh oh trouble in paradise....

ker-pow!

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Yup, it has been all over the local news today. A Pinkberry exec was trying to make light of the matter, but the interview was in Studio City, a place where the health-food/organic and etc., folk, are thick on the ground.

Of course, the place also has the (dis)advantage of being just down the street from Jerry's Famous Deli, the flagship, original location.

I suppose that after visiting Jerry's and consuming one of the enormous sandwiches (very, very tasty too) they couldn't complain too much about "artificial" frozen yogurt.