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Recession Obsession: Frozen Yogurt 3.0
Photo via Menchie's on Flickr
A Recession Obsession is, 1) a meal so great that it stays in your mind long after digestion's end, and, 2) plays nice with your sensitive wallet. Is there a better place than Los Angeles to eat a wide variety of amazing food that so happens to be inexpensive? Probably not. We're as lucky as we are well fed. We last obsessed over Greasy Comfortable Nostalgia and Tweetin' Mobile Chinese Tacos. Today, we obsess...
TCBY, or The Country's Best Yogurt, was once huge. All of a sudden "frozen yogurt" and "phenomenon" were used in the same sentence. It was nationwide Pinkberry-like insanity which predated Pinkberry. Then, of course, Pinkberry found hip neighborhoods. Today, we're right in the middle of Frozen Yogurt 3.0, and this model's an upgrade.
Menchie's and Yogurtland have stepped it up the frozen yogurt game a considerable notch. They acknowledge that their lone product (don't say "froyo" please) is dessert. And dessert should be gluttonous -- not just some light calorie snack with half of a diced strawberry atop it. (At least, that's the way this Recession Obsessionist sees it.)
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These places aren't that expensive, but as you pay by weight, that's in your hands. What is $3.50 for you, may be $6.50 for your hungrier eating-partner. So, yes, Menchie's and Yogurtland are LAist's latest Recession Obsession.
The Real-Deal Post-Meal
Their yogurt has some rich heft. The good news is this creaminess comes in flavors more than chocolate, vanilla and green tea. (I'll stick to drinking my green tea, thank you.)
Yogurtland serves flavors like New York Cheesecake, Cake Batter, Pumpkin Pie, Double Cookie 'n Cream, Toasted Coconut, Nutter Butter, Root Beer and more. And Menchie's has Reese's Peanut Butter Cup, Cappuccino, Island Banana, Heath Bar, Irish Mint, Chocolate Cake and more.
See what I mean? Delicious awesomeness.
Then come the toppings. These guys don't mess around, and as it's all self-serve, so it's up to you whether or not you will.
I start with mochi. My trick is to pour a half-cup of yogurt, add a layer of mochi, and return to my yogurting. Then later, I'm treated with forgotten-about chewy, Japanese sweet treats.
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In addition to getting international in their toppings, they have everything you can imagine, and a few things for which you've unknowingly longed. Cheesecake bites for one.
If you're concerned with medaling in the Caloric Density Olympics, both offer a variety of squirtable toppings for which to drench the valleys of your creation. Hot chocolate and the like. To quote the guy in my building that didn't know what to make of my Yogurtland creation:
"What is that? It looks good."
- Both Yogurtland and Menchie's have various Southern California locations.
Do you dig Frozen Yogurt 3.0? Comment Below!
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Your support for independent local news is critical. With federal funding for public media gone, LAist faces a $1.7 million yearly shortfall. Speaking frankly, how much reader support we receive now will determine the strength of this reliable source of local information now and for years to come.
This work is only possible with community support. Every investigation, service guide, and story is made possible by people like you who believe that local news is a public good and that everyone deserves access to trustworthy local information.
That’s why we’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Thank you for understanding how essential it is to have an informed community and standing up for free press.
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