Pinkberry - a new favorite!

We were planning to have lunch at Il Toscano today. I’ve heard rave reviews about the place and was looking forward to trying their famed Pasta Negra (pasta with squid ink sauce). I’ve been craving Pasta Negra for the last 7 years (ever since I’ve left Manila that’s been 1 dish I have yet to find in any menu!). Another reason we wanted to try Il Toscano was because I wanted to see if this would be a good place for my sister’s wedding rehearsal dinner. Jojo, Jules and I were there shortly past 12 but were disappointed to find that the place did not open for Sunday lunch. Instead we headed over to the reliable El Pollo Inca for Peruvian food. Normally one of my favorites, today’s meal seemed a bit salty and oily.

Feeling slightly unsatisfied, I suggested we try Pinkberry ( a frozen yogurt place that my friends have been raving about). Pinkberry opened a store in West Hollywood (as well as several others) and it has been so popular that the LA Times has dubbed it “the taste that launched 1,000 parking tickets”, since people have been lining up and down the street for their yogurt fix. Pinkberry is so popular it has developed a loyal cult-like following and is so addictive that it has been termed “Crackberry”. What’s even better is it’s a treat that is low-fat and low-sugar – actually finding a healthy indulgence in this high-calorie world is definitely worth lining up for!

The Pinkberry store in Rolling Hills (we sat outside the store and enjoyed people-watching just as much as our desserts).

The Rolling Hills Estates store we went to was sparsely furnished and had a very modern but aesthetically pleasing green and blue hued design (pretty standard for all stores). You walk up to the counter and order one of three flavors (original, green tea or coffee) and choose from an array of toppings (fruits, nuts, chocolate chips, cereals, mocha, coconut, carob chips, and granola). They also come in three sizes (small, medium and large). We all had the medium combo (which comes with three toppings).

(My medium combo - original yogurt with raspberries, blueberries and almond slivers).

We sat by the open air plaza to enjoy. IT WAS AWESOME. Now I understand what the craze is all about. I fell in love with it at first bite – the yoghurt is tangy but with sweet aftertaste – and because of the combination of tastes it is very delightful and refreshing. Its consistency is a bit stiff and not as creamy as ice cream (but the texture is very similar). And my topping choices (tart raspberries, sweet blueberries and crunchy almonds totally complemented the yogurt). I could totally understand people’s fixation because as soon as we got home I ws craving another cup!