Culture Organic Frozen Yogurt

340 S. California Ave
Palo Alto, CA 94306
(650) 324-0440
www.culturefrozenyogurt.com

Reviewed 10/28/2008

It's not bad if you want sorbet.

This is my evaluation of "original" flavor frozen yogurt.

I'll have to go back for chocolate and strawberry--the "Seasonal" flavor. Didn't know strawberries were in season but I didn't question it. Organic places get all kinds of protections from me.

Now, what is worth writing home about is the topping. I had the clustery pumpkin-seed stuff. Is that available in bulk?!? I would love to put it in regular yogurt! It has a scrumptious roasted, honey flavor.

[Terminator voice] I'LL BE BACK!

Red Mango

429 University Ave
Palo Alto, CA 94301
(650) 324-1811
www.redmangousa.com

Reviewed 6/15/2008

Thought process at Red Mango, first visit:

1. After trying a sample of Green Tea: Flavor is wonderful with a real matcha taste. Needs no toppings.

2. While eating: Too bad the portion is so meager that I can finish my cup in three spoonfuls.

3. Watching friend finish her medium size: $3.85 is way much for the skimpy portion I got. She got a better deal. But even a medium is expensive for what you get! Hmph! Yumi Yogurt rules.

4. Leaving Red Mango: Red Mangos are sprouting, and some people are getting disgustingly rich...I am helping them by coming here...

*Alas, Gidge, isn't this why you weren't sure you wanted to come here in the first place? But as a froyo slave, you ignored your politics and patronized the place--shame, shame!*

I'll get my matcha fix some other way.

6. An hour later: I'd much rather portions of my salary go to Fraiche.

Fraiche Yogurt

644 Emerson St
Palo Alto, CA 94301
(650) 566-0055
www.fraicheyogurt.com

First Reviewed
5/18/2008

Bluebottle coffee, yogurt and dark chocolate--all organic--...these are the foods of the gods, no? Well, were I a god, I would deem them so.

And it does feel divine eating at Fraiche. I feel wholesome and satisfied at the same time. Isn't that what it feels like to be a goddess?

Anyway.

I do feel awfully conformist about raving about this place...who doesn't like Fraiche?!

I used to whine that Fraiche was a haughty place in a haughty town, and that the prices reflected that. (In contrast I love the (relatively) working class charm of Yumi Yogurt.)

Alas, I have been a hypocrite; I have patronized Fraiche on a number of occasions, mostly with visitors from out of town. In the process, I have come to be a loyal fan.

The service is friendly, and the yogurt--dense and creamy--is not at all limey or sorbet-flavored, like at some places (Harmony and Gelayo Gusto's "natural" flavor come to mind). I also love that Fraiche doesn't look factory-manufactured and isn't some mass copy of itself.

If I were in celestialdom, I'd be enjoying the SF Chronicle Special every morning. Just call me Queen Fraiche.

Updated Review
July 2008

I tried chocolate flavor.
Absolute bliss.

Yumi Yogurt

3955 S El Camino Real
San Mateo, CA 94403
(650) 341-0939

First Reviewed
1/6/2008

Now serving NATURAL TART YOGURT flavor which they say is organic!! I can't verify that, but who cares---YAAAAAYY!!! Mondays, Weds, and Sats for the moment, we were told.

We got laughably ginormous servings, WITH topping, for $4.75. There was like a pint of yogurt in there--easily twice the amount I got at Fraiche, and I paid more than $5 there.

Fraiche is so Palo Alto, in both good and annoying ways: it has shaved chocolate and fruit toppings, is more elegant and is healthier; but prices are steep. Yumi is more ghetto, relatively speaking.

At night, the place looks like a pink shoebox with lights on it. It's very cute in a cartoony, Simpsons kind-of-way. And when you see the display of turquoise ice cream with multi-colored flecks in it, you know their priority is not on health but fun and maybe the 70's...but i be goin there over Fraiche for the most part now.

Thanks Yums!

Updated Review
1/3/2009

i gotta give yums top billing.

i still think fraiche has the best flavor of all the froyo i've tried, AND i am an organic-anti-additive-snob, but i find yummy to be irresistible. it gives hysterically generous portions, and the look and feel of the lil' shack is unpretentious and retro. service is efficient and friendly too.

plus it seems to have gotten a holiday make-over and it looks adorable at night. reminds me of charlie brown's christmas tree after it's been decorated.

even on a near-freezing evening, the place was happy and cozy and standing-room-only.

yumi yogurt shack--that's where it's at!