Frozen Yogurt Hunt
I am looking for a semi-healthy frozen yogurt shop in L.A.?
kt6of9
Sep 16, 2006 12:05AM
52 Replies so Far
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i have a feeling lots of people will suggest pinkberry, but i have my doubts that it's healthy. i agree that it's tasty, though! i tastes like lassi, sweetened yogurt.
all the yogurt shops i know are pretty heavy on the sugar and most don't taste like they are really made of just straight, regular yogurt.
the one that seems healthiest to me is the tart vanilla is old town pasadena's 21 choices (their other location might have it, too). they have hard-packed tart frozen yogurt that tastes just like someone took a carton of yogurt and stuck it in the freezer. it's not smoothand creamy like the stuff made from a powder, but it tastes like realyogurt and doesn't seem to have much sugar or fat in it. it's EXCELLENT blended up with peaches. mmmm!
http://www.21choices.com
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According to employees: 20 calories per ounce. A medium has 8 ounces, so 160 calories plus fruit.
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Absolutely, without a doubt, Studio Yogurt on the corner of Laurel Canyon and Ventura Blvd. in Studio City, in the same plaza as the Daily Grill and Louise's and the Gaucho Grill. It's like this giant stereotype of an LA yoghurt shop.
And we're headed there in an hour. :)
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yes yes yes yes to Studio Yogurt. I'm there atleast 5 times a week. Their flavours change monday wednesday friday and you can request a flavour you especially like. it starts at $2.50 for a small (11 oz.) and they have a great selection of yogurt brands; dairy free, fat free, 99% fat free, wow cow (fat free, around 13 calories an ounce), skinny minnie (fat free, i think 11.5 calories per ounce) etc. really good stuff, and they have a great selection of toppings!
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If you ever find yourself out in Pasadena, don't miss 21 Choices in the middle of Old Town (Colorado and DeLacey). It's kind of like a Coldstones for frozen yogurt. But I always get one of the 6 express items. They change every day...not only are they DELICIOUS, you can cut to the front of the line to order them! And I also like how all of them are low fat or nonfat (and they indicate which is which)
Check out 21choices.com
Today's for example are: Sweet Peaches, Caramel Amaretto,Circus Animal Cookies, and Hershey's Chocolate Malt, aside from good old vanilla and chocolate
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yum! I had the pistachio-almond last night - so good. Sis had thin mint and mom had mango-berry...great flavors, long line.
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Please don't tell anyone, because they are always crowded enough --
Malibu Yogurt in the Malibu Colony Plaza (same center as Coogie's).
They have really good non-fat yogurt at 20cal/oz.
They have really good shave ice with a lot of syrup flavors.
They have really good real-fruit smoothies with fruit, juice and yogurt.
They have ice cream as well.
Shhhhhhhhh, please -- the lines are usually out the door, and for a good reason!
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My friends call the stuff at Malibu Yo -- yogurt on crack. lol.
p.s. liu, the vitamin shop also carries shakes!
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Thanks, chica! When we were walking the little strip mall last night I think I saw a sign in their window about their shakes or smoothies; it might have been another shop, but I had a fleeting thought about "how good could it be there, in a vitamin shop?" So, I will keep you in mind next time I am strolling through.
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Yogurt Zone at Woodley and Ventura.
California Pita and Grill in Woodland Hills has wow cow and a couple of nonfat others; the vanilla wow cow is one of the best I've tasted... good machine, and yes, the machines make a difference.
Studio Yogurt at Ventura and Laurel as mentioned carries a good variety.
Yogurt Delite at Magnolia and Coldwater Canyon; good machines here too.
Big Chill in Westwood at Olympic and Westwood.
Yogurt Factory on Santa Monica 3 blocks from Bundy.
Beverly Place Yogurt at Beverly and Crescent Heights.
Toppers at La Brea and Beverly on Beverly.
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Stop telling people about Yogurt Zone, dang it! It used to be my little secret special yogurt for the fat an sugar avoiding me place to go. I could get my to go yogurt in about 10 minutes.
Last time i went, the line was out the door, and they were out of my favorite flavor!
Eeek!
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If you ever find yourself in Little Tokyo, try FIORE, which offers all-natural frogurt sweetened with stevia (not sugar).
http://www.fioreyogurt.com/
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Frogurt was a product introduced in the 70's that actually had yogurt in it. The Frozen Yogurt served today generally is just low fat or non fat ice cream/ ice milk. In fact the FDA standards do not require that there is any actual yogurt in frozen yogurt.
And I remember a tv report a few years back, where they went to a bunch of "frozen yogurt" shoppes claiming to sell 100 calorie nonfat yogurt, and 85% of them were selling 500 calorie 10-grams-of-fat servings. If it TASTES too good to be true, it probably is.
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Does anyone know of a Tasti D Lite like place in Los Angeles? I was just in NY and can't get enough of this stuff!
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I read in the NY Times today that Tasti-D-Lite will be expanding to Los Angeles next year. Between you and that article, I guess I'm gonna have to try it when I'm in NY next month.
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/24/nyr...
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Another New York yogurt purveyor, Crema Lita, tried the Los Angeles market a few years ago and crashed and burned very quickly. But that stuff was awful; we'll see if Tasti-D-Lite can do any better. My wife has tried all the places around here and still prefers Bigg Chill as her #1 fro-yo source. They also have some very good frozen yogurt at 2 other places nearby, on Pico near the Westside Pavilion: Mondo Gelato (where the plain (i.e., unflavored) lowfat frozen yogurt is especially good) and Papa's Porch (where they generally have about 6 choices and a couple of great smoothies, plus Dr. Bob's ice cream for those who need more butterfat in their diet).
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Tasti D-Lite is pretty awful too. I'd rather have a spoonful of real anything than that whipped plastic. Ick.
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Anything with the words "lite" in it makes me want to stay far away. I agree with you, Amuse Bouches.
However, I think I have seen a Tasti-D-Lite in LA, but my mind may be playing tricks on me. If I think of where it is, I will post the location on this board.
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Please advise if a Tasti-D opens up in LA! According to the website, the only locations beyond the tri-state area are in Miami Beach and Dallas, but who knows how up to date that is?
The bottom line, all you naysayers, is that Tasti-D rocks, chemicals and all. I grew up on Bigg Chill, but once I moved to New York, Tasti-D totally hit the spot until I eventually moved back west. Of course, if you're in NYC and calories don't matter, it's all about the soft serve from the Mister Softee trucks....
www.infinitefress.blogspot.com
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I think the Bigg Chill (corner of Olympic and Westwood, in Westwood) is better than Tasti D Lite. Their yogurt is more creamy, even their carbolite and wow cow is better.
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Leon - I also like the regular yogurts at Bigg Chill...and judging from the crowds, so do a lot of others! Even though parking can be a little difficult, the lines inside do move quickly, and their yogurt is quite delicious.
The Bigg Chill
10850 West Olympic Boulevard
West LA at #310.475-1070
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OK, so where are the great frozen yoghurt places in Orange County?
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I LOVE GOLDEN SPOON - all over the OC and it breaks my heart that the nearest one to my Santa Monica home is in Torrance, of all places. Try the peanut butter cup - lifechanging stuff.
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i agree with you. golden spoon rules. i'm just sad it's not anywhere close to my area!
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That's one of the best parts of moving to OC -- Golden Spoon pnut butter cup.
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There's a Golden Spoon in the same shopping center as the Calabasas gelson's on Topanga Canyon, I believe.
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ahhhhh let's face it. pinkberry owns all. (cue inevitable backlash). i don't normally eat the stuff but i want my pinkberry or fiore (close but not quite as good). other places are just too sweet! 21 choices in pasadena for instance - it's ok for what it is but it's more or less wannabe ice cream. which is why i never really took to "frozen yogurt" until pinkberry. if i wanted ice cream, i'd just get ice cream i guess...
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I will try to give it one more shot, but I don't see what the fuss is all about with Pinkberry. The aftertaste was lingering and somewhat annoying to me. Not quite like lassi, but a good analogy. Maybe my next attempt will be with mangoes, and let's hope for the best...
At any rate, nothing that happened on my taste buds seemed to add up to the madness that ensues on Huntley with the presence of stanchions and security guards...
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Bigg Chill now has a regular vanilla tart frozen yogurt a la Pinkberry. It's good if you like that flavor, but it has plenty of sugar in it. The only "healthy" frozen yogurt is non-fat and containing no sugar. If it's non-fat, low-fat or full-fat with sugar, you might as well have a cigarette too. Don't fool yourselves.
Call Bigg Chill for their daily flavors: 310-475-1070.
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ok, this is a bit off the original topic but...does anyone know where to find "only 8" frozen yogurt in l.a? preferably on the westside?
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Yogurt Factory on Santa Monica just east of Bundy used to carry it, but I don't know if they do anymore.
The yogurt place at Beverly and Crescent Heights also used to carry it, but again, better to check before heading over, unless of course you live near...
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thanks, i'll check the yogurt factory...but i think i'll skip the place on beverly & crescent heights. i used to pop in there occasionally when i lived in the neighborhood, and as i recall, it wasn't exactly the cleanest place in town...
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I recently discovered the Bare Naked Frozen Yogurt in the food court @ the Century City mall. Not sure that any frozen yogurt is very healthy, but it is such a delicious treat. It's that plain tart flavor and I like it better than Pinkberry's or Bigg Chill's. I do like Red Mango's plain tart but Bare Naked is great. They give you a decent sized serving, too.
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WOW, no one has pimped Humphrey yogarts, amazing. Try the regular with peanut butter cream cheese and banana. Elvis would love this flavor while swinging in the jungle room. word.
You need a lttle fat in your yogurt so as not to send a full on sugar attack on the glycemic index.
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I love Humphrey Yogart! Too bad there's only one location that I know of left. There used to be one in OC too (at Triangle Square). I'm sad that the OC location is gone.
Humphrey Yogart
4574 Van Nuys Blvd. (Hortense St.)
Sherman Oaks, CA 91403
818-906-2490
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Humphrey's best combo is Double Cinnamon and Double Espresso [powder]... mmm.
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Here's the link to Humphrey Yogart. :)
4574 Van Nuys Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 91403, USA
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studio yogurt
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Have you tried Milano Freezer on Olympic near Bundy? They just opened recently, the owner is very friendly and helpful and let us sample practically everything in the store. They have both frozen yogurt and gelato. The frozen yogurt is the same natural style as Pinkberry but I found it to be creamier and less sour. They have the natural style and one other flavor available in their frozen yogurt (it was green tea when we were there).
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does anyone know of any places near the south bay that have Only 8?
that stuff and Wow Cow are supposed to be incredible.
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Another vote for Golden Spoon here and they are expanding quickly. Pistachio, Mint, Raspberry Cheesecake, all yummy and their mini (smallest size) is very filling at 74 calories! Great granola for topping too. A small is almost like a meal. Love love love it!
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check out my new favorite place - it's called menchie's frozen yogurt on laurel canyon just north of riverside and since my friend introduced me i've been back almost daily. they have 10 flavors and it's completely self serve, and i couldn't even keep track of how many toppings (but i usually have a healthy helping of at least 2 flavors of yogurt and about 5 different toppings per trip!) and since it's pay by weight, when i don't go too overboard i rarely pay over $3, which is nice. i don't know if it's healthy but their flavors are non-fat so i tell myself that it must be healthy. but it's damn good - reminds me again why i love salad bars too, no one makes it as good as i do!
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I really like the Penguin's Frozen Yogurt stores across the city for a more creamy, 80's fro-yo experience. A lot of them change their flavors regularly and so it's a good way to "mix it up" if you know what I mean.
I like the West LA, Westwood, Redondo Beach, and of course the Torrance* branches.
* Disclaimer: my brother manages the Torrance store. Their website is http://www.torrancepenguins.com and their flavors change twice a week. It's all on the website.
20016 Hawthorne Blvd, Torrance, CA 90503, USA
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I recently checked out the Penguin's in La Canada. I got the strawberry banana smoothie. It was very good. Penguin's has a special place in my heart because it was the go-to yogurt place, when I was a teenager.
711 Foothill Blvd, La Canada Flintridge, CA 91011, USA
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Angelina on Santa Monica Blvd. in West Hollywood is fantastic. They also have the natural flavor yogurt a la Pinkberry.
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Agreed. Angelina is very good. Last week, my mom was craving Pukeberry (I just don't get it), but I couldn't get parking, so I bought her the "naturale" flavored yogurt at Angelina, which happens to have a very convenient little parking lot. Turns out, my mom ended up preferring Angelina's version to the powdered option on the other side of Santa Monica Blvd. (There's also an Angelina on Bedford in BH.) My only gripe with Angelina is the dearth of lower carb yogurt options (only two, with somewhat boring flavors -- uh, cranberry?). Although the quality at Toppers on Beverly Blvd. is not as consistent, they always have at least four low-carb flavors that change about twice a week.
www.infinitefress.blogspot.com
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I found two that are both very new, and I think superior to the rest... YogurtLand in Fullerton (they are opening soon in BH & Hollywood) and SilkySmooth in the Beverly Center. Yogurtland is similar to yogurt World in San Diego, where you pay by the ounce and serve your own. Their plain tart appeals to me more than Pinkberry--more tang than tart. The decor is striking--creates an exciting atmosphere! And, I love the selection of flavors and the fact I know there won't be a big air hole under the swirl--no ripoffs here!
Best of all, a jumble of flavors all in one cup--pick your favs on the first visit!!
Silky Smooth is new to the yogurt game, they also serve gelato, fruit sorbetto & lowfat fresh ice cream. All of it is velvety smooth (hence the name) so if you're like me and prefer an ultra creamy texture (rather than an icy grainy texture) you will LOVE all of their stuff. I was bummed that their were no seats, but they told me I could use the tables & chairs downstairs in front of the Apple Store & Ferrari Store. They claim to be the only shop in LA with this very special machine that is neither soft serve nor hard pack. All I know is the texture was AMAZING, I've never experienced this anywhere! Silky Smooth's yogurt is organic and has 7 live cultures, and the flavor is similar to Yogurtland but much smoother. Definitely worth the hassle of Beverly Center!!!
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YogurtFactory in SantaMonica of of Bundy is by far my favorite because it's the only one I can find that carries Carbowhey yogurt. They change the flavors of carbowhey often and each one is delicious and healthy (4-5 calories per ounce I believe) it's so tasty and healthy it's sinful.
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1. Go to Melrose Ave in Hollywood where all the shops are.
2. Put on a blindfold.
3. Walk in a random storefront.
4. chances are you'll run into a few fro-yo places.
BTW, there's no such thing as "Italian style frozen yogurt." It doesn't exist in Italy.
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It's "Italian style" because the yogurt powder is made in Italy (pretty much all these places use the same powder). However, you are right that it is not something served in Italy. This is really a Korean fad.
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Yogurtland in Irvine....30 cents an ounce...self serve... ~12 flavors...delicious toppings :)
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I realize this is an old post, but Red Mango in Westwood is touting the use of real yogurt and not powder. Also Bigg Chill advertises the use of real yogurt.
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