Frozen yogurt lovers are a particularly intense fan base and that’s especially true of the customers at Sweet Lola who opine on the company’s Facebook page for the return of their favorite flavor and declare their eternal love for peanut butter croutons. With the temperature already on its quick ascent to summer highs, I battled the parking in Midtown to see what the fuss is about.
To step inside of Sweet Lola is to know what the life of a purse pooch must be like – frilly, frilly, feminine and a tiny bit claustrophobic. The pink, green and chandelier strewn yogurt shop doubles as a home accessories store stocked with Nest candles and Tokyo Milk products but I did witness a group of men come in to enjoy some yogurt despite the décor.
The format is self-serve and whatever is in your cup, be it multiple flavors and however many toppings, costs $9.92 per pound at the cash register. The yogurt itself is organic and fat-free, and the chipper cashier assured me it was not made with powder and is full of active culture probiotics. The flavors, from Frosty Frosting to Caramel Macchiato, change regularly but standard favorites include Blush (an almond cherry), ONilla (orange-vanilla) and Lavender.
Unlike other frozen yogurts, I didn’t feel like I was eating something healthful as a poor substitute for actual dessert nor did it taste overly artificial. The toppings, however, are the best part and definitely not fat-free. Guittard mint pearls, caramel debris and house-made peanut butter croutons are laid out buffet-style in a clear attempt to ruin your good intentions. Sure, it means that we flock to a yogurt shop just for the seasonal Apple Brown Betty crumbles but love is irrational sometimes.