The Great Frozen Yogurt Invasion

The Openings & Closings thread has veered into a discussion on all of the new yogurt places in town, so it probably merits its own thread.

So far I've tried Berry Chill, Red Mango and YoBerry (an independent on Halsted near Diversey).

I wouldn't say I have a strong preference among the three. Berry Chill seems to have the widest variety of toppings. Red Mango's yogurt tastes the most like ice cream (at least to me). YoBerry's yogurt is probably the most tart (and it's always nice to support an independent/local business).

Anyway, it's nice to have a dessert option that's at least marginally less bad for you than ice cream.

Thoughts from others?

See this thread: viewtopic.php?f=14&t=20072

I've only tried Berry Chill, but, I love it! I love to get the BC Blast with fruit blended into the yogurt like a blizzard. I like the fact that it actually tastes like yogurt and not like ice cream. That may or may not be a good thing depending on your personal preference.

Actually I have had Yo Berry on Halsted as well. A while ago! I remember their yogurt was a bit watery/icy and not as dense/creamy. Like I said, it was a couple of years ago, I think?

I've tried Berry Chill, Yogen Fruz and Pinkberry, and honestly, I find all of their base products to be almost identical: like plain Dannon yogurt stuck in the freezer, then dumped in a soft serve machine.

I did feel more of an emphasis on "fresh" and "healthy" toppings at Pinkberry (expensive too...got a medium plain with blueberries & yogurt chips for $6), thought Yogen Fruz had the most confusing menu ("For that price you can get a yogurt blend with one topping, or a flavored yogurt with three toppings, or a smoothie, which is blended, but toppings cost extra...." As expensive as Pinkberry too), and Berry Chill had the most "fun" toppings (Cap'n Crunch! Froot Loops! Girl Scout cookie chunks!) and slightly lower prices (I had a medium plain with Samoa chunks, coconut & pineapple for around $5).

As a cost-saving measure that still allows me to be a part of this latest food trend, maybe I'll start putting my Activia yogurts in the freezer for 20-30 minutes before eating them...I'll be the hippest guy in the office!

Activia?? Bleh.

I love this crap. Peach Mango Berry Chill with mango, kiwi and mochi, that is my thing. I also like Yogenfruz. I tried Starfruit at Lollapalooza a couple of years ago and was not really into it even in the heat, didn't like the icey-grainy texture. Red Mango definitely tastes the most like ice cream but I prefer the more tart versions.

I also get really excited by the Dyson hand dryers in the washrooms at Berry Chill. Those things, the Hypercolor spoons, the fact that said washrooms are labeled "WC," and the incongruous hand-sanitizer stations in the seating area all gel together to make me feel like I am eating froyo in a kind of boring piece of speculative fiction or something.

spinynorman99 wrote:Activia?? Bleh.

Hey, some things are eaten for purposes more medicinal than hedonistic, if you catch my drift

In that case there are any number of better yogurts out there with the same probiotics, they just don't market themselves medicinally (and are a better value). My wife eats Chobani for similar "health" reasons and it contains a broader spectrum of probiotic bacteria (Activia's "bifidus regularis" is Dannon's trademarked strain of bifidus, which is a common bacteria in your digestive system - purely marketing):

http://www.chobani.com/OurProducts/Nonfat/

I'm intrigued...I do enjoy Greek-style yogurt. Do you happen to know where your wife buys Chobani yogurt? The store finder on their website doesn't yield any results within a 50-mile radius of the 60610 zipcode.

I like the Yogen Fruz matcha; it has more matcha flavor than other brands.

I do feel you can make as good or better frozen yogurt with Greek yogurt in your ice cream maker. Or just put Greek yogurt in a blender with frozen berries.

Khaopaat wrote:I'm intrigued...I do enjoy Greek-style yogurt. Do you happen to know where your wife buys Chobani yogurt? The store finder on their website doesn't yield any results within a 50-mile radius of the 60610 zipcode.

We just bought some Chobani at Fresh Farms.

Fresh Farms
5740 W Touhy Ave
Niles, IL 60714
(847) 779-7343

Here is the thread on that market.
http://www.lthforum.com/bb/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=24680

If'n you shop at Costco they have 12-packs in their refrigerated section. It's a very good product. Wife prefers it over the other brands and it's not much higher in calories than the flavorless 100-calorie offerings.

IMO, Yogurtland rocks! They are not in Chicago yet, but luckily there is one near my office in LA! They have at least 8 flavors, some are tart and others taste like ice cream. They charge by the ounce, unlike the other places and you can choose your own flavors to mix. My current favorite is coconut and taro with almonds and lychees...

I am tempted to open a franchise in Chicago, but given the short market demand (6 -8 months of the year), high rents, and franchise fees... I don't think I am brave enough to do it!

But if I do, I get free yogurt! Hmmm... Tempting...

Try out YoGo Station Frozen Yogurt and Smoothies out in Downtown Oak Park!

Our concept is similiar to Yogurt Land where its make your own creation and pay by the ounce - $0.39 an ounce an awesome price at that! We carry 8 fat free frozen yogurt flavors every day - but always carry Original Tart, Death by Chocolate and French Vanilla.

We also do smoothies and milkshakes out of the fat free frozen yogurt.

We may expand to Chicago and the burbs in the coming year. Right now we are are a hubby and wife operation.

*If you print a copy of this and come in to visit, we'll give you:
$1 off a medium or large smoothie or a milkshake
OR
Buy One, Get One Free on DIY Frozen Yogurt, minimum purchase of $5 for heavier item


YoGo Station Frozen Yogurt & Smoothies
http://www.yogostation.com
1000 Lake Street Suite D
Oak Park, IL 60301

Contact Information
Email: yogostation@gmail.com Phone: (708) 383-YOGO

Store Hours
Sunday - Thursday: 11 am to 9 pm
Friday - Saturday: 11 am to 10 pm

I have to admit that I'm enamored with Berry Chill despite the fact that I think it's pricey. Yes, enamored. This is mainly because it's one of the few places I can go for an ice cream-like dessert that doesn't upset my stomach (lactose issues) and is healthier than my other favorite: Just Indulge (amazing soy ice cream there). I love the slightly tart yogurt flavor at Berry Chill and usually get it with fruit toppings, although now with the chocolate strawberry flavor I've been getting a combo of strawberries and Oreo cookies because it reminds me of the chocolate-Oreo Dairy Queen blizzards I used to like.

I also tried Starfruit which sells Kefir yogurt and didn't like that at all. It's supposed to be good for people with lactose intolerance but I had trouble with it, not to mention I thought the texture was a bit icy.

Khaopaat wrote:I'm intrigued...I do enjoy Greek-style yogurt. Do you happen to know where your wife buys Chobani yogurt? The store finder on their website doesn't yield any results within a 50-mile radius of the 60610 zipcode.

I bought Chobani a while back at Costco.

I'm intrigued...I do enjoy Greek-style yogurt. Do you happen to know where your wife buys Chobani yogurt? The store finder on their website doesn't yield any results within a 50-mile radius of the 60610 zipcode

Any yogurt from India to Bulgaria is better than Danone and most of the other crap we get here. Even the really flavorful yogurt from boutique-y dairy farms in the States has so much water in it that it almost has an ayran or salad dressing consistency. The Greek brand Fage is the best factory-made yogurt I've ever had, and it's relatively easy to find. Dana yogurt from Ziyad Importers is delicious, but not as thick or creamy as Fage. It is, of course, cheaper. Any yogurt that says 'Middle Eastern style' or 'Greek style' or something along those lines will be tangier, thicker and creamier than most Western style yogurt. Greek Town has some shops with great yogurts. Andy's Fruit Ranch and Sahar Meat Market, both on north Kedzie, also have some great yogurt.

I used to be a big fan of Fage, but I just don't like the flavor of the US-made kind. If Greek-produced Fage is available somewhere, I'd pay a premium for that!

I've seen Chobani at Devon Market as well as Lincolnwood Produce (which also has the delightful Ziyad yogurt, my substitute for Fage).

I could be mistaken but it seems to me that some of the "Greek" or "Middle Eastern" style yogurts come by their thickness by way of added starch. Not all, but I was label browsing a while back and seem to recall noticing that. Some have a 20g/serving fat content, others way, way less but also food starch.

Topic detour: Does anyone (anyone old enough) remember that when Danon introduced frozen yogurt on a stick way back when, it was actually, noticably tangy and not just faux ice cream? I loved it that way and it seems to be completely gone.

anyone making yogurt?

garcho wrote:anyone making yogurt?

Yes.
If you have tips, I'm more than happy to read them. Maybe it warrants another thread.

Andy's Fruit Ranch (4733 N. Kedzie) carries Chobani, too, including yogurt with pomegranate. Yum!

I found a list of places that carry Chobani on their web site. Scroll down to Midwest. I don't think it's complete, but there are some Chicago area places listed.

http://www.chobani.com/OurProducts/Wheretobuy/

It's not complete -- I know they carry it in the southern suburbs at both Walt's Food Centers (at least the Homewood store) and Bizio's market in Olympia Fields.

Suzy