Fro Yo News
New Oak Cliff dessert shop tries Tex Mex twist on frozen yogurt
A new dessert shop is coming to Oak Cliff with an unusual twist on self-serve frozen yogurt. Called YaYa Best Tex Mex Yogurt, it will open at 408 N. Bishop Ave. with a lineup of a dozen flavors in Mexican-fusion flavors such as horchata and jalapeno, along with ice cream and other sweet treats.
Residents of Oak Cliff, owner Ralph Isenberg and his wife were inspired by self-serve chains such as Yogurtland. They're aiming for an October opening.
"We thought about trying to do a franchise but one thing about Oak Cliff is that they don't do chains," he says. "We had a choice: Do our own thing or no yogurt shop in Bishop Arts."
They found a dairy and began to experiment with flavors and techniques.
"I became a mixologist of sorts, doing some trial and error," he says. "You can come at it from two angles: flavoring the ice cream or concentrating on your toppings. We're coming at it from both angles."
They're doing flavors that are inspired by desserts from Mexico City with ingredients such as fig and corn that combine elements of sweet and tart. They're sourcing their chocolate from El Salvador for a chocolate that Isenberg says is more profoundly chocolately. They'll do vegan options made with coconut milk, and offer custard-style ice cream as well.
And in addition to cups and regular cones, they'll offer a round sweetbread that can serve as a vessel.
Their list of creative fro-yo flavors includes pina colada, egg nog, beet, sweet cream, fig, banana, almond, avocado, apple, carrot, honey, coffee, cherry, and chocolate mint.
They'll also offer chocolate abuelita ice cream and an array of sorbets such as tamarind, mango, watermelon, mandarin orange, grapefruit, dragon fruit, and raspberry.
"There are so many flavors that lend themselves to this like horchata and flan and mojito," he says. "I figured that by doing Tex Mex, we will hit flavors that appeal to everyone, from the Hispanic audience to school kids to adventurous foodies."