In the comments section of a post on frozen yogurt at Chinatown's The Yogurt Spot a couple of Fridays ago, reader Puig mentioned that we should give Fruituzy a shot, too:
For something different, try Fruituzy, from Fadi Dimassi. The idea was a yogurt bar with middle-east/mediterranean inflections.
(Side note: This should answer your questions about whether or not we read/respond to the comments section.)
I took Puig's advice to heart and trekked out west to try Fruituzy (8401 Westheimer) last week. It was a miserably hot and humid afternoon, and all the traffic on Westheimer's river of asphalt -- which is simultaneously Houston's ugliest and yet most alluring stretch of road -- had put me in a fantastically grumpy mood.
Despite all this, I couldn't help but smile when I walked into Fruituzy's storefront in a nondescript strip mall at Dunvale and Westheimer.
The interior at the high-ceilinged Fruituzy looks like the dream room of a 12-year-old girl, all flat-screen TVs playing Justin Timberlake videos, bright-green velour sofas and neon-pink chairs. I'm not sure what effect this overtly teenage female design has -- if any -- on male visitors, but I found myself grinning at the silly, playful interior and clean layout.
Unlike The Yogurt Shop, Fruituzy has a smaller selection of yogurts without any "exotic" flavors, but it also has a larger selection of fresh toppings. I found myself most drawn to these. I pulled myself a cup of "original tart" yogurt, which tastes exactly like Fage without the overly creamy texture, and topped it with fresh strawberries, blueberries and a handful of pistachios. There were plenty of other fruits and nuts to choose from, which made crafting your cup of yogurt seem more like an endeavor in healthiness rather than an exercise in sugary extravagance.
And although I felt incredibly healthy topping my 80-calorie cup of yogurt with nothing but fruit and nuts, I still felt indulgent with my slightly sweet, slightly tart, cool and creamy dessert.
I failed to notice anything overtly Middle Eastern or Mediterranean about Fruituzy, nor did my Lebanese friend (but she enjoyed her chocolate yogurt down to the last spoonful), as Puig had suggested. But I'm glad he directed me there nonetheless.
Any other yogurt stands we can't miss, readers? I'm just about ready to crown this the Summer Of My Yogurt Obssession.