Sogurt

Sogurt - 617 Bukit Timah Road

In the wake of the island-wide ice cream parlour explosion over the past few years, a frozen yoghurt revolution is well underway with the likes of Yami Yoghurt, Frolick! and new player Sogurt whose flagship outlet opened near my place last month.

The refreshing DIY concept involves soft-serve style frozen yogurt dispensers in a multitude of flavours and a vast array of seasonal toppings all of which you spoon, drizzle or pump into various-sized cups yourself; not unlike a 7-Eleven Slurpee. These guys have wizened up to the tricks of greedy people filling their containers to the point of overflowing to get the most bang for their buck, they charge by weight. At $3.20 per 100g, the over-zealous and trigger-happy (or should I say pump-happy) might want to watch themselves. My cup was a just-beyond-modest $9.90 while my cousin’s – whom I was treating – put together a massive $26 dollar monster weighing in at over 800g.

Despite the solitary connotations of the abovementioned self-gratification, the Sogurt Girls rival the desserts themselves as a marketing method. The Japanese maid-café, cosplay and even lolicon influences are quite evident in the adorable, strawberry-speckled outfits worn by comely teenage waitresses. The duo was chatty and friendly, inquiring if it was our first visit and explaining the concept of the place. Enthusiastic and energetic, they posed for a picture with the machines after a quick phone call to the boss for permission; but not before a coy you-go-no-you-go between themselves. While the candy might bring in the girls like bees to honey, I’m pretty sure the eye candy will bring in swarms of guys too.

The sizable selection of flavours can be rather intimidating at first so I sheepishly deferred to getting recommendations from the girls. I could tell immediately that they do try the merchandise, a good indicator by any account. One recommended the Peach & Mango while the other mentioned that Plain was her favourite. They offered to let me try the flavours and slipped in the advice that I might want to try layering different flavours on top of each other.

Plain – A good creamy base relying on toppings for flavour.

Strawberry Pomegranate – By far my favourite with a refreshingly tart and sweet mix which balances the creamy frozen-yoghurt medium.

Peach & Mango – For those with a sweet tooth; while pleasant at first, I found it a little cloying once beyond a small helping.

Strawberry – A traditional classic that would appeal to those a little more conservative.

Cookies & Cream – Left it for my next visit, what’s life without a little mystery?

Acai Berry – This machine was pulling a hissy fit, I’ll try this seemingly Oprah-inspired offering next time as well.

Chocolate – A chemical accent put a dent in this otherwise great flavour.

Irish Mint – A perfect, balanced strength that was neither medicinally-strong nor too subtle. The strong notes made this the perfect mask for the chocolate which you can dispense together with by pulling a middle lever.

As the seasonal toppings are swapped every so often, I won’t give a blow-by-blow account of them. Suffice to say that the selection is eclectic and extensive with anything from aloe-vera to wafers. The health-conscious will be pleased to note that you could easily assemble a fruit salad between the mangoes, strawberries, grapes and many more.