Red Berry has closed.
Cathy is blogging for mmm-yoso today. Kirk is probably still at work. Ed is, you know, in Yuma. It's a short one.
Frozen yogurt. It is everywhere. Sold by the ounce. With and without toppings. Sometimes sold by the cup. Crazy flavors. Cool interiors of stores. Crowds of people.
Eh, I don't crave sweets, you know this. But I have tried quite a few of these places. They are almost outnumbering Boba places. But I haven't seen any with free wi-fi. I do eat yogurt, the 79¢ cream top incarnation from Trader Joe's and the Cream Top from Brown Cow when it is on sale.
I have gone to the very busy new Frozen Yogurt place next to Tapioca Express and Tofu House on Convoy street. Once. They sell it by the ounce there. I got one swirl of peach and one swirl of plain. No toppings. It cost $1.64. It was good, it was frozen yogurt, I remember Heidi's Frogen Yozurt. It was a trend in the 70's and 80's. Meh. I have no cravings.
Here is the latest incarnation: Red Berry.
It is in the mall with Nijiya Market, Shanghai City, some other places, and Curry House. You know where.
If you enlarge the photo you can see the signs on the door-free samples! Whoo hoo! We were there.
The interior is kind of really neat- cool tables, cool chairs, really cool lighting and a neat effect on the stainless steel walls.
Here is a peek at the menu. $3 for a small (plain) yogurt, $4 for a small with toppings- as much as you want- you can top it one time only- The topping bar was pretty extensive- lots of fresh fruits and some dry stuff ( I did not see Mochi, but did not look for long).*** I was just informed that there are indeed mochi available as a topping, but they look like marshmallows and are easily passed over***
We sampled the blueberry (nice, smooth and tart and richly flavored), the green tea (not much tea flavor- tasted almost like the plain - and did not try the strawberry or mango and ordered a small cup 1/2 peach and 1/2 plain. $3.
Pretty darn large. (that is The Mister's big ole' hand holding the cup). Pretty darn good-plain was nice and tart and the peach had a real/not artificial sweet peach flavor- slightly tart. I liked that it was more creamy and not 'gritty' as some frozen yogurt I have tried. Enough for the two of us to share before we walked into Nijiya.
Oddly, there was no tip jar. We asked. Nice young man working there. He chatted with us. The one time I wish there was a tip jar.
Red Berry, Inc. Frozen Yogurt 3860 Convoy Street, #106 San Diego 92111 (858)571-7947
There is another location in Newbury Park. It's a chain!
Dude. Couldn't they have been more CREATIVE in naming of their restaurant?!? I mean, it can't be THAT difficult, right?
Posted by: Steamy Kitchen | Friday, 17 August 2007 at 10:02 PM
Eh, red, blue, pink, green, yellow...makes it easy to decorate anyhow, SK.
Posted by: Cathy | Friday, 17 August 2007 at 10:28 PM
did you mistakenly take the exit to Springfield? The restaurant's theme looks very whimsical.
Posted by: RONW | Saturday, 18 August 2007 at 02:49 AM
They do indeed have mochi. It's easy to miss because they look a lot like marshmallows.
I've tried 3 tart yogurt places in SD so far (Redberry, Yogurt World, and Dolci Mango in PB). And my favorite for the yogurt itself is Dolci Mango because I like the consistency, but they don't have many toppings.
Redberry is nice because of the freedom with the toppings.
Posted by: howie | Saturday, 18 August 2007 at 07:34 AM
Duh, hi, Ron- Cute observation. Actually all of these new Frozen Yogurt places are decorated in this "happy" way. Kind of HighTech/Ikea like...
Thanks for the info, Howie. I added to my post. Haven't been to PB much since last Autumn.
Posted by: Cathy | Saturday, 18 August 2007 at 08:20 AM
Wow, another yogurt place! I will try it out after work today. I don't like sweet stuff as well, but I do like the plain tart yogurt at Yogurt World, it's almost similar to what my Mom used to make =)
Posted by: yummieyummy | Saturday, 18 August 2007 at 11:57 AM
Thanks once again for the report, Cathy. Speaking about avoiding sweets--do you happen to know if any of these places make any of their frozen yogurts with either no added sugar or with artificial sweeteners? If I didn't have to deal with the sugar hit to my food plan, I could probably enjoy such stuff a lot more often than I do (which is currently "almost never").
Posted by: mizducky | Saturday, 18 August 2007 at 12:48 PM
I've got to try this new place out - thanks for this post!
Posted by: Reynila | Saturday, 18 August 2007 at 02:16 PM
Hi, YY, and welcome! Did your mom make it frozen, too? Cool! I probably like the plain the best, but the other flavors were nicely tart.
Hi again, MizD-I have not seen any mentioning no sugar, but will keep an eye out to let you know. I seriously would rather have none than artificial for myself. Fat content does not bother me...sugar does.
Hi again Reynila. I did like it a bit better than YW, if for no other reason than I felt I got my money's worth and it still tasted good.
Posted by: Cathy | Saturday, 18 August 2007 at 03:46 PM
Yes, when I was little, she used to make it with milk and the sour tart. Then she just put it in little bags and shake it with ice then leave it in the ice for a while and we got home made yogurt. It's the best.
Posted by: yummieyummy | Saturday, 18 August 2007 at 05:43 PM
That sounds great- and so easy, YY. I will try to make some that way at home soon. Can't hurt and might be my new snack. My mom's 'treat' for us was a banana and milk with some Nestle's Quik powder (could choose chocolate or strawberry) in the blender with ice. It was 'fancy'.
Posted by: Cathy | Sunday, 19 August 2007 at 07:48 AM
Oh sweet googley moogley, I gotta try that place out! Thanks for the report. So close to Palimino's too. Something cold to put out the heat from the Green Sauce Pork! :)
Posted by: Denver | Monday, 20 August 2007 at 11:12 AM
I've been to this place at least 10 times since its opened. I think its a better deal than Pinkberry, tastes a little better and is way closer to me than any Pinkberry location so far. The location isn't great though. Considering the weather is so hot nowadays this place should be packed. Pinkberry will be opening in Hillcrest on 5th soon... right next the Arrivederci pizzaria.
Posted by: Liz | Monday, 20 August 2007 at 11:28 AM
[i have been following your blog for a few months. love it! 1st post]
To MIZDUCKY
I hope you get this msg. Yogurt World has one or more yogurt flavors with no sugar. You should give them a call & ask them what no sugar-flavors they have available before you go since they sometimes change their selection.
Posted by: poppy | Monday, 20 August 2007 at 12:34 PM
Thanks, poppy! Since I last posted, I also discovered that Paradise Yogurt also has a couple different low-carb and no-sugar options. I will now also add Yogurt World to my list of places to check out.
Posted by: mizducky | Monday, 20 August 2007 at 12:39 PM
I tried Red Berry the other day, it was pretty good. Though the plain tart I think is not quite as good as Yogurt World. I do like their strawberry very much. Better than The Yogurt Mill in El Cajon and Yogurt World. I will come back for the stwarberry and try their other flavor =)
Cathy-I hope you'll like the new snack =)
Posted by: yummieyummy | Monday, 20 August 2007 at 02:41 PM
Denver, the comments I get here never cease to make me smile, especially Googley Moogley...I know I am going to go to the French Cake place, but had already written this blog entry...
I'm glad you like it here, Liz. It is a very reasonable alternative to the P***berry and Y***** W**** crowds
Hi, Thanks and Welcome, Poppy. Feel free to talk amongst yourselves.
Good for you MizDucky- now you can enjoy some cold treats other than iced caffeinated beverages. Continue talking to Poppy. I won't listen.
Hi, YY-I got some sour tart powder stuff this weekend and will make some this week. If you do go to Yogurt Mill in El Cajon- there is a Pho place in that same parking lot that is *really* good. I haven't blogged it yet, keeping it my secret. Sometimes I also go inside that Mexican Market and get a nice taco, though. Depends on my mood.
Posted by: Cathy | Monday, 20 August 2007 at 03:30 PM
Yet another yogurt place! Man...they are popping up like weeds all over san diego! I was driving on University Ave in Hillcrest and I saw a yogurt place that was across the McDonalds (if I remember correctly). Not to mention, Pinkberry - the evil that started it all in SoCal - is opening in Hillcrest too! I can just imagine the horror of parking after it is opened. Parking in Hillcrest already is a pain...man.
Posted by: May | Tuesday, 21 August 2007 at 03:10 PM
Cathy, I love that Pho place, not just because it's good but for a very personal reason too =) If you want "ngo gai" with your pho, just ask the waiter/waitress there. They only give it out to regular customers. They don't give it out because the majority of their customers don't use vegetable for their pho.
I went back to Red Berry and tried their other flavors, I still like the strawberry the most. All of my friends said I'm too original =)
Talking about French Cake, they have the best tiramisu cake...yuuummm
Posted by: yummieyummy | Tuesday, 21 August 2007 at 03:45 PM
Hi, May..I know, I know the whole idea of them putting a Pinkberry in Hillcrest does not seem well thought out. Really, if you do want some frozen yogurt, Red Berry will satisfy you, vause less stress in parking and save you some money. It is good.
YummieYummy- We went to Palomino's and then over to French Cake for dinner last night, but the tiramisu was out, so we tried some strawberry and plain frozen yogurt-it was great. I didn't know to ask for ngo gai, just assumed it was given. Kirk and I often mention if it comes with or not at pho restaurants. I'm just happy that I am not automatically given a fork because I am White.
Posted by: Cathy | Wednesday, 22 August 2007 at 05:07 AM