Cefiore gives a nod towards Boulder’s healthy lifestyle
There are sleek bamboo chairs. There are white, wavy-textured walls and lanterns. An unmistakable shade of Barbie pink adorns the walls. At Boulder’s new frozen yogurt shop, the décor is almost as trendy as the fresh tart-style dessert treats one can find behind the counter.
Two years ago in Los Angeles’ Little Tokyo neighborhood, Cefiore opened its first doors. The establishment quickly spread throughout California, into five other states and even into China, Canada and Australia.
“Our frozen yogurt is not as sweet as lots of other kinds,” said employee Tara Page, a senior at Boulder High School. “There are no added sugars, so it’s healthier than other frozen yogurt.”
It’s no surprise that Boulder was Cefiore’s next stop. The health-conscious town has devoured the concept of 25 calorie-per-ounce dessert (www.cefiore.com.).
At first glance, the options at Cefiore may appear limiting. The selection includes only four flavors: original, raspberry-pomegranate, green tea and acai berry. However, if one takes a gander at the selection of toppings, a whole new world of choices presents itself.
Tucked into the spotless white countertop are rows of tasty embellishments, including fresh berries, kiwi, mango, pineapple, coconut, chopped nuts, chocolate chips, granola and more. After selecting toppings, your dessert will be a unique treat unlike anyone else’s in the shop.
But don’t go expecting typical frozen yogurt. According to Page, Cefiore’s fro-yo is made from honest-to-goodness plain yogurt, which has a definite tartness to it. Without added sugars and excessive flavorings, the slightly sour taste lingers in each variety.
The tartness is most evident in the original variety, which does not involve any extra flavorings. Topped with fruit, it’s nothing more than a healthy snack in disguise. For some extra sweetness, try one of the flavor options. Green tea tastes subtly of, well, green tea, and raspberry-pomegranate is delicately infused with thoughts of these two fruits. The acai berry suggests a fruity, sweet experience, yet none of the flavors are terribly strong. And while all of the yogurt varieties could stand to be creamier, they are certainly satisfying given the calorie count.
For those who have been to Southern California, this all may sound familiar. Cefiore is almost an identical replica of Pinkberry, another Los Angeles-based fro-yo locale that is one year Cefiore’s senior (it opened in 2005).
“Christopher Luu and Michelle Phan, the owners, are from L.A. so they looked at both frozen yogurt shops and decided Cefiore was better,” Page said. “We have different flavors than Pinkberry.”
There are several options at Cefiore other than just fro-yo (which, for a single serving, is $3.50). Smoothies ($4.25 for small) are a silky combination of fresh fruit and yogurt and snow ice ($4.95 for small) is a bed of frosty ice topped with the same ingredients.
Cefiore’s claim to fame is its Fro-Yo Waffle ($5.95), which can be made plain or green tea flavored, and is topped with (believe it or not) yogurt and fruit.
Yet after perusing Pinkberry’s Web site (www.pinkberry.com), it became clear that smoothies and snow ice are served there as well. Even photos of Pinkberry stores curiously resembled Cefiore’s modern interior. Was the Fro-Yo Waffle the sole distinction between the two businesses?
As I sat at the chic white plastic table on the stylish leather bench, savoring a green tea yogurt adorned with fresh mango and flakes of coconut, I tuned in to the music playing overhead. Hearing Boulder’s local country music radio station playing was just enough to bring me right back to Colorado, back to Boulder and right into Cefiore, a treat of a frozen yogurt shop.
Contact CU Independent Staff Writer Lauren Duncan at Lauren.Duncan@colorado.edu.
