Friday, March 21, 2008
Best Bites: Dining out in DFW March 21
Email
|
Print
|
Tell us your story
|
Comments (2)
|
Dallas has yet to see a branch of Pinkberry or Red Mango, the frozen yogurt chains that have hit the coasts in the past few years, and so independent entrepreneurs are filling the gap.
Berry Berry opened in Addison last May. Kicky modern decor is a hallmark of these places, though Berry Berry is less Barbarella than some of its peers, with colored light panels beneath the counter and splashy wall menus.
But where Pinkberry offers only two flavors (plain and green tea) Berry Berry has FOUR: 1. the basic tangy yogurt flavor, YoGo; 2. green tea; and 3., 4. two others from a rotating menu that includes cappuccino, strawberry, chocolate, and a few fruit flavors. A small is $3.19 with tax.
The two sampled -- YoGo and green tea -- were odd. The YoGo was almost soapy, with less of the "tang" people seem to want from this new-wave yogurt stuff. The texture was loose, not as stiff as Pinkberry. The green tea seemed to contain rose water, which initially tasted floral, but with an aftertaste that was reminiscent of hot dogs, of all things.
Natsumi, which finally opened on March 15 on Henderson Avenue, has an atmosphere very reminiscent of Pinkberry, with white-vinyl furniture and candy-colored neon-pastels. It had just the one basic yogurt flavor, but also had gelato, with about a dozen flavors from a bank of 50 (including a ginger that had pieces of actual ginger mixed in).
Natsumi's yogurt was very similar to Pinkberry, in both texture and taste, from the strong sour-cream tang to the texture that started out pleasingly cold and firm, with almost a hard edge. A small was $3.25.
Opening the first week of April in NorthPark Center will be Orange Cup, whose name pretty definitively evokes Red Mango. It's a "frozen yogurt with a perfect combination of sweet and citrus flavors" that "will be served with fresh seasonal fruits and organic nuts and granola", as is the case with all of these places.
Orange Cup promises their frozen yogurt will have more live yogurt cultures than anyone else -- 10 million per gram, says the store manager. Live cultures are what make yogurt good for you, by balancing out the bacteria in your intestines; is this TMI? (The presence, or lack thereof, of live cultures is what got Pinkberry into trouble last year.)
Orange Cup comes from a group of young UT Austin grads who founded the Piccomolo gelato chain; the NorthPark branch will be the first, with more to follow.
Related stories
- Best Bites: Dining out in DFW June 27 (June 27, 2008)
- Best Bites: Dining out in DFW May 23 (May 23, 2008)
- Best Bites: Dining out in DFW April 4 (April 4, 2008)
- Week in View: Good Friday Edition (March 20, 2008)
See more stories in:
Find...
Today
2008 Festival of Independent Theatres Head to White Rock Lake to be part of an Audience performance or witness A Murder. More info
Latest comments
- Scott Doyle on Thursday's minimum wage increase directly affects more than 860,000 Texans: James, that’s far too thought out. Clearly, more money for everybody right now = win. This is Americ...
- Erin Rice on Austin City Limits releases schedule and one-day passes: 3-day passes are sold out!...
- Mike Orren on Pegasus News launches mobile edition, iPhone application: Thanks, Magnus! How about a review in the app store, eh?...
- jtmbls on Thursday's minimum wage increase directly affects more than 860,000 Texans: Oh my…I’m feisty after a few martinis! I hope I don’t have to start hiding my computer from drunk ...
Latest reviews
- 12ozfred on Hooters (North Richland Hills): I love this Hooters!!! Even when the restaurant is packed up they still seem to serve you in a timel...
- eldiablito on Thai Soon Restaurant: One of the best Thom Kha Ga’s I’ve ever had and My vote for the best Thai restaurant in the Dallas a...
- DC on Zen Sushi: OMAKASE - YEAH KONICHIWA BITCHES! Too bad it was more like sundome. We figure for the couple of week...
Things you can't miss
Latest stories
- 11 theater productions including Shakespeare Festival closing this weekend (July 25-27)
- Teatro delle Muse artistic director goes to Broadway
- Opening weekend for these 7 musicals and children's shows (July 25-27)
- Dallas' Friendship-West looking for volunteers to hammer out racism in Arlington
- Theater review: A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum

Comments
Donna Chen Verified
Thanks for the yogurt run down, teegee. Will a gelato one be next?
4 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )
Scott Anonymous
Hot dog aftertaste is not what I'm looking for in a frozen yogurt. Bacon, maybe; but not hot dog.
4 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )
Post a comment
(Requires free PegasusNews.com account.)