The healthiest yoghurt around

IT’S cauldrons-of-hell hot these days, but a terrific way to curb that melting feeling is a visit to the new cafe Pinkberry on the second floor of Central Chidlom, where you can cool off with lashings of frozen yoghurt. And if that isn’t tempting enough, it can be topped with plenty of fruit and candies.

Feel free to pour some over your head if you like.

Pinkberry is a chain of frozen-yoghurt cafes that came out of Los Angeles in 2005 and became a hit right across the US. They’ve now got 255 branches in 23 countries, most recently opening in Japan, the Philippines, India and Dubai. The Bangkok branch appeared at the end of last month, just in time for the hot season, and franchisee Rangsinee Piyasombatkul was a natural choice to take charge – because she’s nuts about yoghurt.

“My friends took me to a Pinkberry while I was on vacation in the US and I could tell right away it was different from other brands,” she says. “Pinkberry yoghurt is lighter in both texture and flavour, not creamy, so that made me feel less guilty about eating it all day! 

“When I started my own business, Flavours, I decided to introduce my favourite brand to Thailand to give people who are concerned about their health more of a choice.”

The atmosphere at the 16-seat cafe is lively with pop songs, the white tables and clear-plastic chairs offset by the turquoise ceiling and walls. The yoghurt is made fresh daily using non-fat milk and, according to the desired flavour, powdered green tea from Japan, premium chocolate from Italy and pomegranate juice from California.

There are six flavours to choose among, with prices ranging from Bt99 for four ounces to Bt175 for eight to Bt270 for a big take-home tub. 

 If you want yoghurt that’s refreshingly tangy, go for the original, green tea, pomegranate or raspberry flavours. For something sweeter, there’s chocolate hazelnut and salted caramel topped with honey or chocolate sauce.

Then you get to select any of the more than 30 toppings – strawberry, lychee, grape, mango, mochi, granola, cranberry, kiwi, pineapple, watermelon, sliced almonds, lemon cookie crunch, cookie and cream, brownie bites, chocolate wafer cookie, dark chocolate and white pearls, strawberry pocky, koko crunch, mini marshmallows – well, you get the idea.

“Our toppings alternate with the seasonal fruits,” Rangsinee says.

There are richer “luxe” toppings too for an extra Bt15. These include nutella, strawberry, lemon cheese tart and milk chocolate crunch. And the mix-and-match options are popular as well, such as an original scoop topped with sliced kiwi and strawberry, pink pomegranate yoghurt with strawberry pocky or salted caramel with waffle cookie. 

Also on offer are parfaits and fresh smoothies, including strawberry-banana, strawberry-pomegranate and chocolate hazelnut-banana.

 

COLOUR ME SWEET

>>Pinkberry is on the second floor of Central Chidlom and open daily from 10 to 10. 

>>Another branch will open soon at Central Rama 9.