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Tuesday, April 24, 2007

CeFiore - Los Angeles (Little Tokyo) (Closed)

So following a very filling dinner at Daikokuya Original Noodle and Rice-Bowl, with a selection to-go of mochi from Fugetsu-Do Sweet Shop, did I really need more dessert? Yes! Dessert goes into a different part of my belly. :P


CeFiore - Los Angeles (Little Tokyo) 1


I decided to try CeFiore, yet another frozen yogurt chain patterned after Pinkberry. Except, CeFiore is owned by sushi buffet chain Todai. The frozen yogurt is advertised as Italian non-fat yogurt. It is tart, but lacks Pinkberry's fresh-tasting tartness. The consistency was a little icier. It seemed more like the basic soft-serve ice cream, but tarty.



There's more flavor options though with original, green tea, blackberry, and raspberry-pomegranate. Toppings also included fresh fruit, nuts, and cereals. Pricewise, CeFiore starts the small at $2.75, more than $1 less than Pinkberry's small. I opted for the $5.45 medium combo of green tea and blackberry frozen yogurts with blueberries, mangoes, and pineapples. It was quite tasty, but paled in comparison to Pinkberry's. Although I have to admit, not by much, I mean, there's only so much you can do with frozen yogurt and fruit.


CeFiore - Los Angeles (Little Tokyo) 2


The decor was modern and trendy with the requisite lucite chairs. But the overall effect was just a pale imitation. For instance, the gray floors from a distance may match Pinkberry's, but here it was concrete instead of little pebbles. The hot pink ottoman lacked the flow of the pink and green in Pinkberry's stores.

The result is that CeFiore, in frozen yogurt and decor, is trying too hard to be Pinkberry. It's good frozen yogurt. It might have been better to find their own sense of style and presentation though. Because you know what? I saw the pink and green logo of a Pinkberry coming soon literally across the street.

And for those of you in Orange County, they're opening a location this Saturday, April 28, at 3305 Newport Blvd. #8, Newport Beach, CA 92663, 949-566-0048.

November 24, 2010 Update: This location is now closed.

Other frozen yogurt shops:
Nubi Yogurt - San Gabriel
Pinkberry - Los Angeles (Koreatown)
Pinkberry - Pasadena
Pinkberry - Rancho Cucamonga
Silver Spoon - Alhambra 
 
CeFiore
134 Japanese Village Plaza Mall
Los Angeles, CA 90012
213-626-0806

6 comments:

  1. Hehe... how many belly compartments do you have? :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Yich,
    Just one, but it's a big one. :) And I didn't eat it alone, I shared this with two of my cousins.

    ReplyDelete
  3. CeFiore actually came out with the layout and design of their store first before Pinkberry and then soon after all the Pinkberry's started copying the furniture and style. Please get your facts straight before you post them...

    ReplyDelete
  4. Foodgirl,
    Actually, you are that one who is incorrect.

    According to this article, http://www.la.com/dining/10582127.html
    The first Cefiore in Little Tokyo did not open until August 2006. Pinkberry has been around since January 2005, more than a year and a half before Cefiore ever opened its doors.

    Design-wise though, if you read my Koreatown Pinkberry post, you'd know that Pinkberry copied its concept from several Korean chains.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Wandering Chopsticks,

    I was doing research on Frozen Yogurt and you know what, you're absolutely right. This foodlover person has been spamming fro-yo entries all over. Just try googling foodlover and yogen fruz...you'll be surprised.

    Anyway, thanks for the reviews, really informative. I'm still thinking whether I should get a franchise of one of these fro-yo chains.

    Scott

    ReplyDelete
  6. Scott,
    I wouldn't. Just b/c the market is getting quite saturated at this point. Well, I guess it depends on where you set up?

    ReplyDelete

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