Swurl vs Yeh!

For those who don't know these places, it could easily sound like new expressions in trend on the web or phrases that teenager of nowadays will use ;)


But no no no! Those are the IN places for frozen desserts or Fro-Yo like the cool people call it. Both are self-served yogurt in which you can choose from a variety of flavors and garnishes.  Concept is simple: grab a cup (they are huge to contain all the possible garnishes you want!), choose your flavor (you can mix as much as you want to your own risk) and garnish! The price is dependent on the weight of your final product. Expect to pay around 6-7$ if you are the curious type and want to fill your cup generously!

So same concept, locations are close to one another, similar prices; which to choose?


swUrl Frozen Yogurt
1464 Crescent street, Montreal


swUrl is absolutely adorable from the outside and inside! Kind of place that I will cry and scream as a child until my parents bring me there. Full cartoon characters, pastel colors, this place is designed for the ones young at heart (me!).


Only opened until July 2011, swUrl has caused quite a hype among food bloggers when they released the bacon frozen yogurt! Very avant-gardiste, swUrl offers staple flavors such as original, chocolate and vanilla and more extravagant flavors such as pomegranate, passion fruit, green tea or taro depending on the week. All non-fat and claiming to have added probiotics to aid digestion.

I must say, I was in awe with their great variety of toppings! Like wo! They had everything from fruits, to candies, to cookies, to chips. They even had the popping bobas, those caviar-like pearls that explodes of juice in your mouth! and the choice of syrups is also interesting!

The chocolate flavor is extremely rich and flavorful and suprisingly creamy.  The acidity of the yogurt was not too proeminent.  On the other side, pomegranate didn't live up to the real fruit.  But the added garnishes just made everything look and taste better. 


Yeh Yogourt & Cafe
Various locations, see www.yehyogurt.com


Yeh! on the other hand has been opened since summer 2009 and has three locations on the island of Montreal. Predominantly pink and brown, Yeh! gives its interior a fresh and trendy look along with comfy bean bags! Apart from the fro yo, it also serves waffles, pancakes and a variety of coffee.


Similarly to swUrl, they have a few flavors that are always available and some that are seasonal or that rotates monthly. Their list is quite extensive and offers a wide range of flavors from fruity to rich to  special aromas.  I tasted the mango, the coconut, the cherry and the chocolate.  Personally, I prefer the taste and the intensity of the yogurt here.  The cherry is definitely a favorite! 

The toppings in the St-Laurent branch appeared to be less fun and varied compared to swUrl.  It was more traditional additions that we would expect to add on frozen goods. Sprinkles, chocolates, cubes of cakes, gummies and fruits were among what could be used to decorate your bowl.  And white chocolate, milk chocolate or caramel syrups were also possibilities to increase the number of calories (ie yummyness) in your treat.

  

Overall, I preferred swUrl to Yeh! Even if the yogurt lacked a little flavor, the addition of toppings just solved the problem and I was definitely more impressed with what was offered at swUrl. However, I only went once to both places and might not have tasted their best combinations yet! For sure, i'll have to return to both again and again to try out everything! I will keep you posted ;)