No longer a FroYo virgin . . .

Touched for the very first time . . .

I've resisted the call of PinkBerry, KiwiBerry, Red Mango and all the other similar sounding froyo places until now, despite the numerous attention it recieves from Chowhound, LA Eater and of course, shout-outs from Colleen Cuisine -- who'd thought my dining companion who wants to "share a treat" after lunch at the Coral Tree Cafe would do me in?

And so, I had my first $5+ frozen yogurt at the PinkBerry on the Sawtelle strip area -- a regular with strawberries, blueberries, kiwi and mini mochis.

My opinion? It was good, but I'd still much prefer ice cream from Scoops or Fosselman's, or a good chocolate-hazelnut gelato from Bulgarini when I catch an indie flick from Laemmle Playhouse 7.

However, I can definitely see the allure and appeal of L.A.'s reply to Tasti D-Lite (and the reason why this and other joints are growing so rapidly) - it's a reasonably good compromise between flavor & calories for a frozen dessert. An 8 oz. serving of Pinkberry's froyo is about 200 calories, and unless one's going heavy with the bad toppings (choc. chips, mochi, etc.) it's an indulgence that won't be guilt-inducing. But when I was told "treat" - I'm thinking cakes, pies, pastries or ice cream. Or better yet, an amalgamation of the three plus a drink! (In my scenario, that would've meant going to the Beard Papa/Mousse Fantasy across the street or Crepes 2 Go next door, even if it meant putting up with a 'tude.)

But to me, that's kind of like settling for a smoothie when I'm craving for a milkshake or a malt. I'd rather bank my calories for the real deal with hot fudge, whipped cream & a pile of nuts. But in the rare instances when I feel like the lighter, slightly tangy taste of a froyo - I'd consider going to pinkberry again.

Edit/Update: I really should be more religious on checking out LAT's food section, looks like Bulgarini will be getting a permanent shop in Altadena. Woot!