more pink berry, please!

Before I even stepped foot in one, I decided I hated Pinkberry already. Everyone had been raving about this fro-yo which has spawned a craze and created addicts. I finally succumbed to see what all the fuss was about. After ordering a small plain yogurt with mango and rasberries, I concluded that it was overrated and a scam, some Pinkberry conspiracy. It tasted just like yo-gu-r-t, a refreshing, zingy, Korean drink that comes in shot glass-sized plastic container, a childhood favorite. I had my suspicions.

It was indeed owned by a Korean-American (Hye Kyung Hwang is 32 and came to the States in 1992 and attended USC business school. ) I could just imagine someone in the back pouring buckets of the Korean export into the machines and calling it "healthy", "good for digestion", "builds strong teeth and bones" and "helps prevent acne and clears skin". Then again, these are claims made from the same people who advertise losing inches off your waist from weird looking hulahoops and fat massagers.

Pinkberry is emulated after Red Mango, which first opened in Korea in 2003 and now has 170 stores. Both places serve smoothies and frozen yogurt in original and green tea. However, Pinkberry tries to seperate itself from Red Mango and has sparked some controversy.

All these yogurt places are essentially the same - frozen yogurt with pick-your-own-toppings. The yogurt is fat-free, has fresh fruit toppings and pretty, minimalist packaging. With it's marketability, Pinkberry's wild success has spawned knock-offs and its own franchising. (There's apparently a long waiting process where your application is scutinized, but start up is under half a million.)

With so many new stores opening, it's hard to keep them all straight. There's Fiore (in Little Tokyo), Yogurt Queen (on Melorse), Yolato (in the West Village) and Kiwiberri (across from the Beverly Center). Not only that, frozen yogurt places (i,e. Big Chill) now have to compete with Pinkberry and are offering "the new yogurt" yogurt.

To add more drama, a Pinkberry owner verbally threatened the owner of Kiwiberri, which ensued in a police report. (The case remains open.) The owner of Red Mango is not mad about Pinkberry bankrolling on their idea; he seems confident that his company's name and reputation will sell its itself. “We want to get the truth out there. Red Mango introduced the ‘natural’ frozen yogurt product category to Korea, and many other copycat competitors followed. You know who opened first. It’s a crazy mess yogurt war right now.” (Angelenos can actually find Red Mango at the California Roll & Sushi near Peet's Coffee in Westwood Village.) Not to worry Red Mango lovers, they, too, are planning to expand all over the States.

With Pinkberry taking over the world (Koreatown, Larchmont, Sawtelle, Melrose and La Brea, West Hollywood, Westwood, Beverly Hills, 2nd Avenue and 82nd Street, Chelsea, 32nd Street (Manhattan's Koreatown)) and other competitors sprouting up everywhere, I can't help but wonder "Is this yogurt craze going to die out?" How can store owners stay afloat with all the competition and spin themselves to be different?

Pinkberry's aim is to expand to areas where people are concerned about helath and losing weight. With the success and expansion of Whole Foods, Jamba Juica and Chipotle in New York, I don't doubt that Pinkberry will be embraced by New Yorkers. (Plus, New York City is more liveable and health-conscious than it was years ago with the addition of Battery Park, yoga studios, Whole Foods and hybrid taxi cabs.) But how "healthy" is Pinkberry?

Pinkberry's owner is tight-lipped about her secret recipe. But Fiore owner revealed that she uses “a yogurt base powder from Italy, yogurt, milk, water and a little citrus, natural lemon juice to make it more refreshing." Pinkberry may be healthier than ice cream or traditonal frozen yogurt in terms of less calories, but it's definitely not "healthy". Pinkberry does not have enough vitamins to be labeled "healthy", but because the product is not being sold in stores, it does not violate any FDA regulations. Furthermore, altough Pinkberry has 25 calories per ounce, that's still about 400 calories in a medium cup, no fewer calories than Tasti-D-Lite.

I decided to give Pinkberry another try on a visit to Los Angeles. With the enthusiasm of a child staring behind the glass (so many choices!), I decided on the fat, succelent blackberries, blueberries (my favorite fruit! ...behind chirimoya) and strawberries. I was told it would be more economical to order a medium with 3 toppings instead of a small with 3, so I was stuck with my towering frozen yogurt, I have to admit, felt a little embarrassed. But before I knew it, I was half way through my yogurt and polished off every last drop and berry in my cup.

Pinkberry has a light, airy and icy consistency, unlike ice cream, frozen yogurt or gelato. At first its almost crisp consistency throws you off and its tartness is unlike any frozen treat you've had before. But my experince is like everybody else's - you can't believe you ate the whole thing, yet you can't get enough.

What I like about Pinkberry is the experince. Waiting in line among other Pinkberry devotees, chosing your ingredients (Fruity Pebbles and Captain Crunch evoke childhood nostalgia, browsing through the whimsical Alessi products, and sitting in the minimalist room with clear-colored Lucite chairs. You silently eat, thoroughly enjoying your wonderful treat, delighting in the fact that you're saving calories and getting the day's vitamins with spoonfuls of fruit.

Is it a healthy snack? Is it dessert? Is it worth the $4.95? the lines? Is it overrated? Either way, it's delicious and I could never pass up Pinkberry.

Blueberry Smoothie

Who doesn't love blueberries? This fruit is great by itself, in baking, pancakes and jams. They evoke images of summer and juicy sweetness. Native to North America, blueberries peak in July and are high in antioxidants. When shopping for these cute berries, look for tautness. This is a refreshing, super easy recipe that you can make as a snack or for breakfast. Add anything you like to suit your palette.

1 pint fresh blueberries

1 banana

1/2 cup plain yogurt

3/4 cup milk

1/2 cup of ice (like it thicker? add more ice.)

2 tsp. honey (optional)

Blend well.

Yields: 1 large serving