My co-workers and I used to have a funny tagline for Yogurstory. Basically we joked that the place was "where you eat yogurt--and talk story"--a proverbial reference to the Hawaiian pidgin jargon of chit-chatting, which was, indeed, to "talk story."
Trying out the place for the first time got me all tongue-tied about the tagline I swear I stuffed those words back into my mouth as fast and as soon as the restaurant's service. Not only does it look like a modern-day gourmet place, it was a fantastic modern-day wonderland of gourmet food! (And mind you, there was no yogurt on the menu)
Walking into the HUGE retaurant, I found myself in yet another idiotic moment of ooh-ing and ahh-ing at how good it feels to be inside. The vast space of the two-story resto was intelligently designed to accomodate a huge volume of people without the hassle of waiting for that small gadget in your hand to vibrate for when you're ready to be seated (knock, knock, Cheesecake Factory). The bi-level space they had was practically designed like a loft with a fantastic balance of natural light and just the right amount of indoor light that blended well with the building's interior design. The walls were hand-painted with this age's minimalist pastel artwork of tree branches and little birds perched on them, matching the same decorative birds that graced the staircase railings. Being inside felt like being at home--cooped up in your childhood dream room with that little attic arch above your headboard. Outside was another story. They had a wide, comfortable porch with the prettiest outdoor furniture that accommodated people who'd rather enjoy the breeze or the sunset with their waffles. See, the only reason I mention all this is because I have learned that lighting, ambiance and interior settings have always been constant factors that determine how much "gustatory gusto" I am inspired to actually put on my plate--and palate. (Ha-ha)
But more than that, I cannot complain about the second factor either--the TASTE and PRESENTATION. Me and my friend ordered their Asparagus and Chicken Pasta and Philly Cheese Steak Sandwich, which was absolutely fresh, delicious and not overdone just to impress snooty critics. The juices of the cherry tomatoes were just right to the bite and exactly where you want them to be; their bread wasn't over nor under-toasted, and the way they had their cheese on both the pasta and the sandwich was PERFECTION.
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| Asparagus and Chicken Pasta |
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| Philly Cheese Steak Sandwich |
For dessert (Yes, I purposely have set this aside as a third factor, being that I am a mammoth for sweets), I ordered one of their signature Waffles By Andy Strawberries and Cream Waffle and boy, did they blow me over with their presentation! On top of the waffle itself a full crown of whipped cream, blackberries, raspberries and mandarin orange, fancily decorated with candy-speckled white chocolate "seaweeds", and a chocolate-dipped strawberry & whipped cream on the side, with strawberry sauce on the other side of the plate. DE.LI.CI.OSO. Seriously, I looked at it and blushed. It was love at first sight. I tasted it and it well delivered its promise. :) I felt like a 4-year old on steroids.
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| Strawberries and Cream Waffle |
Here's more tummy-tickling eye teasers from their Facebook page:
(Visit their page on Facebook here)
It was a good experience altogether, and yes, I still couldn't believe they didn't have yogurt. It slammed my egotistic self-fulfilling prophecy (ha-ha), but in any case, for food, y'all know I'm very bribe-able and easy to please. And Yogurstory was a special kind of yummy in my tummy. :)
Now, let's all start a story together. ;)
