The Girl Who Ate Everything

Blogging about food and whatever since 2004.

Get Your Frozen Yogurt Away From Me; Bring On the Gelato

someone needed PINKBERRY
Oh Pinkberry, you started this, didn't you...

Flurt. Eskimix. /eks/. Daydream. Red Cherry. Yoqua Bar. Yoberry. Yogurtberry. Berrywild. Do 95 percent of all new frozen yogurt shops have to have names that sound like crappy fragrances marketed towards tween girls? Admittedly, I'm no good at coming up with good names for anything—mostly pets ("I name thee Fluffypoobs,")—but I'm certain that with a name like Bucket-O-Gurt, my hypothetical frozen yogurt shop would stand out among the rest that are currently infesting New York City.

I think I reached the peak of my tolerance when I came across the frozen yogurt shop Daydream near Union Square. Daydream. While I'm sure there are people who have daydreams involving eating their way through mountains of frozen yogurt, all I want to do when I pass the cloud-lined interior is shoot a gelato-stuffed air cannon at the customers. And then maniacally laugh. And then quickly run away to evade arrest.

yogurt!
Oo, fermented milk.

It's not that I think Daydream or the other aforementioned shops turn out a bad product (I assume they can't suck too much if they're competing against one another). I just can't stand that there are so many frozen yogurt shops with mostly shitty, trendy names, when I'd rather have more ice cream shops and gelaterias. (I tried to think of a better word than "shitty," but all I came up with was "poopy," which is kind of the same thing with less zing. Even worse would be, "It's excrementy." That's just...that doesn't make sense.)

I like the taste of yogurt, but mostly when it's rich and fatty, à la La Fermière (easily my most oft-purchased item when I was in Paris), Fage (easily my most oft-purchased yogurt in the USA), or Liberté (a new yogurt love introduced to me by Michele)—none of that low-fat, fiber-enhanced goop meant to regulate my troubled, womanly organs. It's the same with yogurt in frozen form: I'm not looking for low calorie or healthy. Otherwise, I'd eat an orange.

yogurt gelato, so good
Yes, there it is.

And that is why I went to L'Arte del Gelato twice in the past week. Although I didn't go with frozen yogurt in mind, I tried a sample of their yogurt with mixed berries, which, like the rest of their flavors, tasted amazingly awesome. Tart, rich, creamy, smooth, and not too sweet. I wouldn't get a frozen yogurt treat anywhere else. (Except maybe 40 Carrots, which I shamefully have yet to try.)

grapey
GRAPE! GRAAAPE! FUCKIN A!!

The main reason I wouldn't get a frozen yogurt treat from anywhere else though is because anywhere else I wouldn't be able to combine it with L'Arte del Gelato's other excellent gelato and sorbet flavors. Their grape sorbet fulfills the guidelines of sorbet awesomeness: It tastes just like the fruit it's supposed to, but even better and more pure. Imagine fresh, juicy grapes, including flecks of skin, in every spoonful, but in a smooth and melty form. I actually bought a bag of red grapes last night while riding my grape sorbet high.

grape and pistachio
A pretty cone

Grape sorbet and pistachio gelato might be my new favorite combination. I wouldn't say that they really go together—I just want to be able to alternate between the two with every other bite. L'Arte's pistachio gelato is my favorite version in the city. Although Otto might make the best gelato overall, the last time I tried it their pistachio was alarmingly bland and lacking the nutty warmth and depth found in seemingly 99.99% of gelaterias in Italy. (Or maybe I just got lucky in Italy.)

lemon-orange and hazelnut
Yellow and brown!...hooray.

As I usually go for a gelato/sorbet combination when I go to L'Arte to strike a balance between dairy and non-dairy, last Friday I got a cone of lemon-orange sorbet and hazelnut gelato. Lemon-orange wasn't too sweet, nor too tart, but just enough of both. Hazelnut was full of warm toasted nuttiness.

Kathy's ginger and pear
White and...off white.

Ginger gelato and pear sorbet is another nice combination. Kathy got this last month after we ate at Blue 9 Burger. I like having friends who think nothing of walking from Union Square to the West Village in the cold to eat something that is frozen.

gelato attack!
Triple attack.

For no reason, another photo of gelato. I could keep going, but methinks you've seen enough.

If you haven't been to L'Arte del Gelato, I expect you to go there this weekend and report back to me about how awesome it is. And don't tell me you prefer Grom, because I won't even listen to you.

Related:

Philly, Day 1: Gelato Night at Capogiro
Not Eating Pizza at Otto (But Plenty of Pasta and Gelato)
Washington D.C.: Day 2 (Ethiopian and Gelato)
Bologna: Day 15 (Gelato + Torpedo Penguin)

Address

L'Arte del Gelato
75 7th Ave S
New York, NY 10014

Also a stand in Chelsea Market, but I haven't been to that location in ages.

Comments

Alex / January 22, 2009 1:34 AM

yum, will have to try that place sometime, though still haven't found any gelato close to as good as the ones i had in italy....sad

Amy / January 22, 2009 1:55 AM

I love La Fermière, I kept the pots as souvenirs. I have seen it sold at the Milk Pail in Mountain View, California.

Daisy / January 22, 2009 7:22 AM

I haven't been here in the longest time (think almost two years). It's like coming back to an old friend. :D

Salivating over food photos as usual.

Pie Hole / January 22, 2009 8:22 AM

my new addiction is 3 Gods pomegranate yogurt. it's thick greek yogurt w/ a really subtle flavor -- like eating ice cream that got warmer w/out melting. which is like putting a magic trick in your mouth. i was told i should eat more whole fat dairy. thank you, doctor!!!
they also make an awesome fig flavor, but w/ that one the fruit is on the bottom. i never like that as much as sweet integration action.

SuperChomp / January 22, 2009 8:32 AM

I'm glad that your gelaterias have sorbets (for the lactard). Pear sounds very, very tempting indeed. I'm sure a small taste of gelato wouldn't kill me either... :)

Olivia / January 22, 2009 9:01 AM

ESKIMIX! oh gawd, that was the worst frozen yogurt of my life. Not to mention that the interior looks like an igloo and everyone is spray tanned. Their "yogurt" tasted like creamy water with chunks of hardened carob studded throughout. Plus it was like $6!!

Mahar / January 22, 2009 9:09 AM

I heart hazelnut gelato. Seriously. BEST THING EVAH.

The pistachio here tastes like crap, I have yet to taste any that doesn't remind me of cough syrup.

Finally, you haven't tasted mango sorbet until you taste it here---all the mango sorbets I've tasted abroad all have a slightly metallic aftertaste, nothing like the real good stuff.

SO GET HERE ALREADY. We've wanted you here for years now! :P

Danny / January 22, 2009 10:31 AM

Those gelato shots look great! Now I want some ice cream too... there's probably more froyo shops because it's a lot easier to make froyo. You only have to make one flavor and just get toppings.

And Grom is no good?

Oh and there's a Bloomingdales in Soho. They also have froyo. (In case downtown locations are easier for you)

anna / January 22, 2009 11:35 AM

Huh, interestingly enough in my hometown in Maine there are three gelato shops (one is also a popular indie-type coffee shop). Myself and another bakerly person are trying to nudge them towards cupcakes here...It's too cold in the winter! One of the gelato shops has an ongoing winter special: The amount of degrees it is under freezing is the percent you get off the price of the gelato. They have really interesting flavors, too, like pear/blue cheese and brown sugar/squash.

I only came across two frozen yogurt places last time I was in NY...Pinkberry and Red Mango. Pinkberry was better but I think I'd rather have gelato, too. Or bubble tea or something.

Graeme / January 22, 2009 12:12 PM

I had my first Gelato in Italy, and fell in love with the obligatory Pistachio, and Liquorice, which to me is just the best thing in the world.

This is old school posting business, Robyn. We love our Gelato, we do. :)

Jessica / January 22, 2009 1:48 PM

yeah, pistachio and grape!! i'm glad you liked my flavor combo! that's why i polished off my cup in half the time it took you and kathy, hehehe. i think i was silent the whole time. :)

i went back yesterday and they didn't have the grape, boohoo...

Maja / January 22, 2009 2:22 PM

"Excrementy". I laughed so hard at that ;)
For no apparent reason I've been craving blueberry sorbet like crazy for about a week... And you've just made it waaay worse!
Loved this post a lot though.

Michele / January 22, 2009 3:14 PM

I am both totally won over by your hilarious post and in total disagreement with you. I don't have a problem with ice cream, I just always want acidity with my sugar. And the tween perfume yogurt places deliver just that.

Colleen / January 22, 2009 5:00 PM

Have your written about your cameras that you use to take photos of food. I have just come across your Flikr and Blog and would love to hear more about your photograpyhy and cameras etc....If you have already written about these could you send me the link?
Thanks and your photos are amazing....

roboppy / January 22, 2009 7:46 PM

Alex: Gelato in Italy is MAGICAAAAL. But L'Arte del Gelato is close enough for me. The paddles, the Italian names, the yumminess.

Amy: I used to keep the pots until I had a huge, HUGE ass stack of em. I think I just brought one or two back from Paris.

Daisy: WELCOME BACK! I'm the old friend who gained 10 pounds since you last saw her.

Pie Hole: 3 Gods? Like triple the godliness? Interesting. I don't like the flavor of pom very much, but I'd eat it plain. Fig sounds awesome.

SuperChomp: Gelaterias should always have sorbets! Yay, lactard friendlyyy.

Olivia: Well...that sounds gross. And for $6? Poop that.

Mahar: Ooooo I do loves me some mango sorbet. I know I have to visit you! I KNOOOW! SOMEDAY!!

Danny: Yeah, it must be easier to make, but ...DO NOT WANT. Do not want so many at least.

I've had mixed experiences with Grom, but L'Arte has always been consistent, so I keep going back there. I think it's mildly cheaper too.

I keep meaning on trying 40 Carrots! Someday...

Anna: You could take some of our cupcake shops. :P Brown sugar and squash sounds gooood.

Carl: Except for that time I said, "pistachio, fuckin' A"!

Graeme: LICORICE!? ...Okay, I can't love licorice. It tastes...like.. ...ungood. Yup, that's as much as I can think of. If only I were Scandinavian; then I'd probably love it!

Yvo: Whoa whoa, I've had a comic book character named Poobs for about 7 years and no one every made a connection to PUBES! WHAT IS GOING ON HERE, NOOOOOOooo...

Anyhoo, no, I don't have a real pet named Fluffypoobs!

Maja: I don't think I've ever had blueberry sorbet. Sadness.

Michele: Maybe someday I too will crave tween perfume froyo. But that day has yet to come. For now, BRING ON DA SUGAR!

Colleen: I put some info in the right column at the top, but it may be easy to miss. I use the Canon 20D with a Sigma 18-50mm F2.8 EX DC macro lens. ..And that's it, aside from Photoshopping everything!

piccola / January 22, 2009 9:28 PM

Frogurt and gelato don't have to be mutually exclusive - you can like both (I do).

I haven't tried any of the fancy frogurt places you guys have in NYC, but I'm a fan of Yogen Fruz, the chain we have here.

Ironically, my fave gelato is the yogurt flavour.

whitney / January 22, 2009 10:58 PM

I have 6 libertes sitting in my garbage. I know all of the grocery stores within 3 subway stops that carry them....I spend hundreds a year (i have at least one a day).
Im an addict...

louanne / January 22, 2009 11:19 PM

ahhh l'arte! i've left new york and miss it so! your pictures are killing me here, and yes, it kicks grom's ass all around.

i do like my red mango too though. so light, so refreshing! :)

jesi / January 23, 2009 12:22 AM

/eks/??? what the heck does that mean? it reminds me of an old anime-loving friend who would call sex "teh sechs" or whatever.
im rarely one to be called traditional, but i do think it makes more sense to have the name of the store reflect something of what's served inside. you just cant beat "pork store," you know?

roboppy / January 23, 2009 1:41 AM

piccola: I can see other people liking both. But I'll always choose gelato over froyo! Unless the gelato looks like crap and there's a Yogen Fruz nearby since I love Yogen Fruz. None of the froyo places in NYC are like Yogen Fruz, as far as I can tell. :(

Whitney: HOLY CRAP THAT IS A LOT OF YOGURT.

Louanne: I'm glad I could bring back those joyful memories. Yay for kicking Grom's ass!

Jesi: I don't know what it means either! If I googled a bit I could probably find out..but..no, don't care enough.

I am a fan of the name "pork store" as well.

Teresa / January 23, 2009 1:50 AM

I love Liberté yoghurt. LOVE. It's what the good stuff is made of, none of that aspartame sh*t made by other manufacturers. I'm so glad it's been introduced in the US of A. Liberté needs to branch out and then develop into an even bigger company so then it can churn out more flavors to satiate the market and lower its prices. I have big hopes for them!

Love your photos and writing as always! :)

Jason Chen / January 23, 2009 10:08 AM

I definitely agree that a nice tasty Greek yogurt with fruit is way better than most frozen yogurt concoctions. I do hold a special place in my heart for the tanginess that is vanilla frozen yogurt. We should go to that yogurt shop where we went a few years ago some time. Imagine frozen Greek yogurt... Insane.

Ulla / January 23, 2009 12:42 PM

AMEN SISTER! Americans are insane for low fat sciencey concoctions that are high in very bad sugars. I could not agree more with you! The french have it right, good fat in moderation makes you thin and makes you live longer. This post is so true.
I would help with the canon thing, I am not a very good runner so maybe I would get arrested not you:)

Spooninandforkin / January 23, 2009 1:42 PM

The pinkberry addiction came as quickly as it went. I was craving for it twice a week, taking a cab ride late at night to get some sometimes. After about 30 servings, now I don't even want to think about it. I'll rather have Fage with some berries.

roboppy / January 24, 2009 1:16 AM

Teresa: And to think I wouldn't have even known of Liberte if Michele hadn't mentioned it...HORROR.

Jason: I haven't been to that Greek yogurt shop since I went with you! Ooh.

Ulla: Mmm...france...and all its ice cream and gelato. I wonder if froyo will ever catch on there? ;)

Yeah I'm not a good runner either. If I ever had to run away from something life threatening, I'd probably DIE.

Spooninandforkin: 30 SERVINGS? Holy moly.

Jesse / January 24, 2009 6:43 AM

OH NOES! I'm a huuuuuge fan of froyo here, AHH!!! Do we have to stop loving each other now?? NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO...

Kirby! / January 24, 2009 9:51 PM

UH yeah, I live in Los Angeles, and the number of yogurt places is absurd. And I'm not even into the new Pinkberry-style yogurt... everyone always raves about how healthy it is, buuuuut I don't generally eat desserts to be healthy. And I don't really consider places like the sketchy IcePrincessBerry around the corner from my old apartment in Koreatown as "healthy" anyway.

Gelato is great... I'm seeing a few more around the city, so maybe the yogurt craze is dying. Yeesh.

Lee Anne / January 25, 2009 1:03 AM

I swear I don't do it to feel like a teenybopper - it's just that I like my cold, smooth sweet creaminess accompanied by fresh fruit and delivered with a soft swift kick o' tang. But it's like gelato for me, in that I'll go miles out of my way for the stuff if I know it's really well made but can't be bothered to ingest it otherwise.

roboppy / January 25, 2009 1:45 AM

Jesse: WE CAN STILL LOVE EACH OTHER! OUR LOVE OVERCOMES DISSONANCE IN FROYO PREFERENCE!?!?!

Kirby! Die, yogurt craze, DIIEEE!!

Lee Anne: Aw, I knows you are not emulating teeny boppers. :) My main problem is that these froyo places have stupid names. ...And there are a lot of them. Popping up way too quickly. I don't understand why froyo is so popular when gelato isn't. :( I LOVES ME SOME GELATO!

I'll write an entry about this, but I tried Pinkberry two days ago to reassess my froyo preference... and it wasn't all that tart. And it tasted pretty insubstantial. And then I had a sad. I guess I like my frozen desserts all creamy and heavy and stuff.

James / January 25, 2009 2:46 AM

I like yogurt. I like gelato. But I LOVE FRIED CHICKEN. In Korea places like Red Mango are cheap and dericious, and don't charge exorbitant prices. What ever happened to TCBY?

Molly / January 25, 2009 11:51 AM

i do love gelato, but i also have a weakness for 16 handles on 2nd ave. i think it's because i can get away with having fro yo covered in cap'n crunch, marshmallows, and strawberries if i want. it's almost breakfast!

i will definitely be checking out l'arte del gelato though. grape sorbet! whoa!

roboppy / January 26, 2009 2:21 AM

Alisa: I'm glad you want ice cream...and not..FROYO.

James: Hell yeah, I love fried chicken too. ...But not as much as I love gelato. ...Although I really do love fried chicken.

I'm not sure I've ever had TCBY! It still exists. Somewhere.

Molly: You're not the only person who told me that 16 Handles was good. I passed it the other day! Or yesterday. Or a few days before. I'll have to remember to try it.

The last time I went to L'Arte (Friday), they didn't have grape sorbet anymore! Booo. They didn't have the yogurt gelato either. Damn, those flavors change fast. I hope they make it again soon.

EB: :)

roboppy / January 29, 2009 2:29 PM

Michael: I used to like Il Lab before I went to Italy. I found that L'Arte del Gelato's gelato is much more like the stuff in Italy than Il Lab's. Il Lab does have some nice flavors, but the consistency has been...inconsistent from my experience, and it tends to be harder like ice cream instead of paddle-able like gelato. Am I being too picky? Also, Il Lab isn't open late, so I rarely get the chance to go there even if I wanted to (although you can also get it in Whole Foods, which is open late).

Maybe I need to do an ice cream/gelato round up. I'd probably have to eat a few things again..

elena / May 29, 2009 1:00 AM

i actually love the fact that there are so many yogurt shops! somebody once said the same thing about, coffee shops, bagels shops and fast food places. But yet all of those have been around for years and getting bigger and bigger, The fact that our society is more in tune with health and weight,its great that there is a healthy alternative. It is also nice for when anyone, crave something sweet and just wants to get together with some friends over a quick bite of something healthy and light.

roboppy / May 30, 2009 2:54 AM

elena: I think I'm mostly bitter because if there's a froyo explosion, I want there to be an ice cream/gelato explosion as well. :)

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