The Pitch visited the new Yogurtini Self Serve in Kansas City and did a comparison with Red Mango.
You can read the article here.
Yogurtini puts Red Mango on Ice- by Jonathan Bender
It turns out that not all frozen yogurt shops are created equal. Despite similar modern decors and methods of distribution (Take cup. Fill with yogurt. Smother in toppings. Pay by weight), there are enough differences to make some more worth the weight than others.
Since 2010 will be remembered as the summer of the frozen yogurt shop, Fat City decided to let Yogurtini andRed Mango battle it out for which could claim to dish the best yogurt just south of the Plaza.
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| The entry in this week’s battle from Yogurtini. |
Yogurtini: Sandwiched between Chipotle and The Mixx, Yogurtini (4853 Main) seems destined to be filled with families leaving the adjacent Plaza Branch of the library. The self-serve yogurt stations are dwarfed by an entire counter of candy, cereal, mochi and fruit options.
I paired the tart original with the blueberry tartini. For toppings, I put together a mixture of fresh fruit (blueberries and blackberries) and cereal (Cocoa Puffs and Golden Grahams).
The tart yogurt worked well with the fruit. It was like a balanced dish of sweet and sour chicken. But the yogurt was almost more of a complement to the toppings, an excuse to fill your bowl with candy or mochi.
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| Don’t serve yourself Red Mango. |
Red Mango: It’s a bit like stepping back into college at 5050 Oak. The line seems eternally filled with teenagers in flip-flops and shorts from the nearby UMKC campus. I keep wondering if I can use my meal credits rather than a credit card to pay.
I had high hopes for Red Mango — having sampled it at Laguardia Airport before the franchise came to town. I figured if I enjoyed it in the airport, then I’d love it in Kansas City. I was wrong. What I recall as fine tartness here takes on an unpleasant sour tang, and the melon flavor of the day was powerfully artificial.
The toppings bar had the feel of someobdy taking what was left in his pantry and inviting you to enjoy it on your yogurt. The blackberries were overripe and mushy. The animal crackers had an unpleasant similarity to Lemon Pledge. The best part of my cup? The Golden Grahams.
The Verdict? Yogurtini is the clear victor. I actually wanted to continue eating what was in my cup. The sheer number of toppings alone likely sealed the deal for Yogurtini. Although with that in mind, both places made me realize I’d probably rather just have a bowl of cereal.
