Try to top this

FOR a guy who has yet to officially open his business in the U.S., the president of fledgling frozen yogurt company Red Mango is having a very good day. “We just installed a machine in Leonardo DiCaprio’s office,” Dan Kim says from the South Korea-based firm’s office near LAX. “Now he wants a machine delivered to his temporary home in New York. Apparently, he heard about the rats at Pinkberry’s New York store.”

Kim laughs at his own cheap shot. But the 31-year-old former investment banker is going to need more than DiCaprio’s blessing -- or his competitor’s snafu (captured by a WABC-TV camera and since remedied) -- to topple SoCal’s rapidly expanding Pinkberry chain and make a dent in the burgeoning market for tart-flavored frozen yogurt.

Tart yogurt, the progenitor of the sweeter, ice cream-like varieties dispensed by myriad chains throughout the Southland, is on the rise, with local food bloggers and national publications such as Travel & Leisure weighing in on the Pinkberry phenomenon. The chain’s particular brand of tart plain or green tea-flavored yogurt, sprinkled with healthful toppings such as fruits and almonds, has been dubbed “crackberry” by heavy users.

More than merely offering discerning palates a new flavor for their summertime desserts, these new stores are shaping themselves as social gathering places. Their sleek, comfortable designs have as much in common with modern coffeehouses than ice cream parlors, inviting patrons to linger.

And there will be plenty from which to choose. With Pinkberry at 20 California locations and growing, Red Mango makes its debut in Westwood on Tuesday, and another straight-from-Korea competitor, Yogurberry, opens a Koreatown shop July 16, the first of 23 planned for the state this year.

What’s cool this summer?

It’s “fro-yo” -- and watching the fro-yo wars.

The new coffee shops?

Although Southern California has already been through one frozen yogurt boom-and-bust cycle in the 1980s and ‘90s, things look different this time around. Fro-yo shops such as Pinkberry and Valley Village’s new Menchie’s are attracting crowds that previously hung out at Starbucks or the Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf. Actual “scenes” are developing at some locations -- partially because of their interior design, as well as customers’ increasing appreciation for the health benefits of eating yogurt over, say, drinking a Frappuccino.

Kim has even hired away former employees of Starbucks, the Coffee Bean and Peet’s to ensure the atmosphere is just right.

“We were inspired by companies like Whole Foods and even the Urth Caffe on Melrose,” Kim says. “It’s all about the concept of where do people want to go after they are done working, where they feel like they can hang out.”

In the shadow of a Los Feliz Starbucks on a Monday evening, Pinkberry’s Vermont Street location was buzzing with energy -- and not the caffeinated kind. “This is a more social place than Starbucks,” says Erin Bibelheimer, a 22-year-old student who comes three times a week to hang out on the small patio.

Across town, Daniella Schwartz, 23, likes to sit for hours at Berri Good on Robertson to use its free wireless Internet and enjoy a cool cup of creamy yogurt. “It’s a great environment and I love that they are open late,” she says.

And it’s the same scene at dozens of yogurt, gelato and ice cream shops all over the Southland, from Silverlake’s packed Pazzo Gelato to Fullerton’s sleek Yogurtland.

Although socializing at yogurt shops might be a new phenomenon for many Angelenos, meeting up at such places is nothing new in Koreatown. Teenagers have gathered at places like Ice Kiss on 6th Street for years, gossiping while sharing a massive patbingsu topped off with frozen yogurt and various fruits (priced at nearly $20, these are meant to be shared).

Ice Kiss even became a popular destination to watch South Korea’s surprising World Cup run last year -- everyone decked out in red while watching their national soccer team on television.

Red Mango hopes to inspire a similar homespun feeling, although Kim concedes it will be hard to compete with the square footage available at larger coffee shops. Still, he aspires to have customers lounging at his shops morning, noon and night. “It’s a food that you can have for breakfast, lunch or even dinner,” he says. “It’s not just dessert anymore.”

Culture wars

In addition to Red Mango and Pinkberry, no fewer than 25 stores in the greater L.A. area are now offering up a familiar melange of tart yogurts, with exotic toppings such as bite-sized bits of mochi. Among the similar-to-Pinkberry stores are wannabes like Snowberry, IceBerry, Berri Good and Kiwiberri.

In fact, Seoul-based Red Mango claims that Pinkberry copied its concept, teasing “Red Mango did it first, and nobody does it better” in promotional materials.

“We did not copy anyone,” Pinkberry co-founder Young Lee says. “Success has 1,000 fathers, failure has zero.”

No matter who was first, the Los Angeles yogurt wars will be watched keenly in corporate boardrooms from Seoul to Toronto. Can the recent frozen yogurt resurgence last, with multiple competitors all vying for the same slice of health-conscious consumers?

“Initially, I wasn’t sure how well [the tarter yogurt] was going to do here in the states,” Kim says from his Culver City tasting kitchen. “But once I saw all the business Pinkberry was doing, I knew it was for real.”

Red Mango, which plans to launch 10 stores nationwide this year, hopes to gain followers by stressing that its product is “real” yogurt (instead of a partial powder mix used by some competitors), manufactured in Oregon by a dairy farm and shipped daily to L.A. Furthermore, it’s rich in the “good bugs” -- active yogurt cultures that proponents claim improve eaters’ health.

Yet another major chain, Canada-based Yogen Fruz, is basing its marketing on the health and probiotics angle. It will open its first U.S. store by September in -- where else? -- Los Angeles.

“I think the U.S. market has to be educated [about probiotics], but our whole thing is pushing the health component,” Kim says. “Of course our yogurt tastes good, but I want to educate people about why it’s good for you as well. Independent studies have shown that eating probiotic yogurt can help improve your immune system and increase your ability to absorb calcium.”

But here’s the thing about active cultures: They increase the tartness of frozen yogurt, a trait U.S. consumers have been slow to embrace. “The market in the U.S. is finally accepting frozen yogurt that actually tastes like yogurt,” says Aaron Serruya, co-founder of Yogen Fruz, which has more than 250 stories in 35 countries. “Before, it was always yogurt masked as ice cream.”

Indeed, a key figure with Starbucks has noticed what is becoming an insatiable appetite for the tart and frozen. According to a recent Fortune magazine feature on Pinkberry, the coffee chain’s chairman, Howard Schultz, talked with the firm’s founders last year.

It makes sense that Starbucks would be interested (although Pinkberry reps declined to comment on a potential buy-out or partnership): The chain outperforms the competition with nearly every shop it opens. The owners of Little Tokyo’s CeFiore were so nervous about Pinkberry’s imminent opening nearby on 2nd Street, they held a grand reopening party June 23, replete with break dancers and a yogurt-eating contest.

The neighborhood, in Little Tokyo at least, seems solidly behind underdog CeFiore. But all bets are off in Koreatown.

Korean connection

Within a 20-block radius of Wilshire and Western, there are at least six fro-yo stores. What Pinkberry, Snowberry, Kiwiberri, Yogurberry and IceBerry share are Korean roots. All are owned or run by Korean Americans, and the latest incarnation of the style of yogurt popularized by Pinkberry comes straight from Seoul -- where chains such as Red Mango took off years ago.

Why the trend is just now getting off the ground in the Southland, home to an estimated 270,000 Korean Americans, is anyone’s guess. But Kyeyoung Park, associate professor of anthropology at UCLA’s Center for Korean Studies, has a theory: “It’s a matter of Korean entrepreneurship,” she says.

Park also attributes the explosion of yogurt shops to Korean, and Korean Americans’ sense of “well being.” “In South Korea, there has been a kind of boom,” she says. “All of a sudden in the cities, people are crazy about doing everything for their well-being.... If you go to any Korean website, they talk about things to improve your health. Yogurt and digestion is a part of that.”

Park also contends that, historically, Koreans are used to taking preventive measures to protect their health. “Koreans traditionally take care of problems by eating something; whether it be herbs, or something different.”

Mostly, however, Park attributes the increase in the number of shops to the work ethic of Korean Americans.

“More stores should be coming soon,” she says. Whether that more also equals merrier remains to be seen.

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(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX)

So fro-yo

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Keep it tart

Berri Good

1128 S. Robertson Blvd., Beverly Hills. (310) 270-4663. www.berrigood.com. An all-natural, fat-free, all-kosher yogurt shop offering multiple toppings. Also: smoothies, free wireless Internet.

CeFiore

134 Japanese Village Plaza Mall, L.A. (213) 626-0806. * www.cefiore.com. Count on a line at this recently renovated Little Tokyo shop. Fro-yo faithful swear by CeFiore’s blackberry yogurt. New locations coming in Huntington Beach (July) and Hollywood (August).

Cantaloop

7095 Hollywood Blvd., Suite 108, L.A. (323) 874-0886. Paris Hilton has been known to frequent this popular Hollywood shop, which offers up free samples of such flavors as mango and blueberry.

IceBerry

401 S. Western Ave., L.A. (213) 382-8900. Not to be confused with the Ice Berry chain in Korea, this Koreatown stand hidden behind a car wash offers what it calls “well-being frozen yogurt.”

Ice Kiss

3407 W. 6th St., L.A. (213) 382-4776. Koreatown shop known for shaved ice treats.

Kiwiberri

3450 W. 6th St., Los Angeles. (213) 387-7720. * One of the many Pinkberry clones in the L.A. area (a court case brought by Pinkberry is pending). Kiwiberri’s yogurt is similarly tart, and it offers toppings such as mochi.

Menchie’s

4849 Laurel Canyon Blvd., Valley Village. (818) 985-9150. www.menchiesyogurt.com. Dana and Adam Caldwell have been making friends since they opened their stylish, pay-by-

weight shop in May. Popular: flavors such as Georgia Peach.

Pinkberry

868 Huntley Drive, West Hollywood. (310) 659-8285. * www.pinkberry.com. The store that launched a thousand parking tickets, and almost as many imitators. The WeHo location was the first Pinkberry.

Red Mango

10942 Weyburn Ave., Westwood Village. Grand opening Tuesday, with free yogurt from 4 to 6 p.m.

RoseGreen (formerly Roseberry)

312 N. Brand Blvd., Glendale. (818) 244-0908. Now called RoseGreen after amicably resolving a name dispute with Pinkberry, this shop serves up 19 toppings and two kinds of yogurt.

Snowberry

548 S. Western Ave., L.A. (213) 384-7669. * www.snowberryusa.net. Yet another rapidly expanding, similar-to-Pinkberry chain, with peach-flavored yogurt as its calling card.

Yogotango

1300 N. Highland Ave., Hollywood. www.yogotango.com. Open since May, Yogotango has been attracting the curious with its low price ($2.50 per small serving), waffle bowls and tomato-flavored yogurt.

Yogurberry

3800 Wilshire Blvd., L.A. Set to open July 16.

Yogurtland

501 N. State College Blvd., Fullerton. (714) 525-2912. * Fancy more exotic toppings than nuts? Here you get Gummi Bears, Lucky Charms and more. “Weigh and pay” at this busy shop (also in Irvine).

Yoku Yoku

11146 Palms Blvd., L.A. (310) 391-0571. New store in a former Penguins location serving up vanilla, chocolate, peanut butter and “Italian” flavors with multiple toppings. Gelato is also served.

The sweeter variety

Bigg Chill

10850 W. Olympic Blvd., L.A. (310) 475-1070. In business for more than 20 years, the Bigg Chill owners mix their own yogurt. Most of it is kosher, and the flavors change three times a week.

Golden Spoon

4437 Sepulveda Blvd., Suite D, Torrance. (310) 540-3446. * www.goldenspoon.com. According to its website, Golden Spoon sells “more yogurt here than any other frozen yogurt or ice cream chain.”

Penguins

2180 Westwood Blvd., Suite 1A, L.A. (310) 470-2919. * www.penguinsfrozenyogurt.com. SoCal-based chain helped launch the soft-

serve fro-yo craze in the ‘80s.

Studio Yogurt

12050 Ventura Blvd., Suite C105, Studio City. (818) 508-7811. Small but beloved shop carries 10 flavors (swapped three items a week), with low-carb options, and more than 40 toppings.

Topper’s

7158 Beverly Blvd., L.A. (323) 936-3165. Kosher toppings are popular at this yogurt and ice cream shop located near L.A.’s Hasidic center, as are a variety of shakes, baked goods and drinks.

21 Choices

85 W. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena. (626) 304-9521. www.21choices.com/pasadena.html. Since 1989, 21 Choices has been serving up swirly goodness, such as vanilla bean yogurt, to the masses. Flavors are rotated daily.

* Denotes multiple locations.

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The best of the other stuff -- ice cream

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Gourmet specials

Palm Terrace

690 Newport Center Drive, Newport Beach. (949) 759-0808. Balboa Ice Cream Sundae, $10. Homemade Snickers ice cream set on a soft and chewy butterscotch blondie and warmed caramelized bananas sounds sufficient -- but pastry chef Michael Owens ups the ante with a tall glass of three sauces: chocolate, caramel and vanilla.

Milk

7290 Beverly Blvd., L.A. (323) 939-6455. Malt, $5. This modern soda shop and cafe offers a strawberry shortcake malt with three scoops of freshly made strawberry sorbet, topped with a malted vanilla shake. Then come whipped cream, crumbled butter cookies and fresh strawberry sauce.

Toast Restaurant and Bar

20969 Ventura Blvd., Woodland Hills. (818) 992-5500. Sundae, $10. The “inside out sundae” at this San Fernando Valley spot starts with a big goblet that is chilled and dunked in hot fudge. Through the magic of physics, the fudge adheres only to the outside of the glass. Inside go three scoops of Dandy Don’s vanilla ice cream, topped by whipped cream and chopped pecans.

Matteo’s

2321 Westwood Blvd., West L.A. (310) 475-4521. Coppetta, $6. Just in time for summer, chef Don Dickman is introducing three coppettas, which refers to the dish ice cream is served in. Most traditional is the Modena with vanilla bean gelato, ripe strawberries and a 15-year-old syrupy balsamic vinegar. Nonna’s is mango gelato topped with fresh blueberry compote (Dickman’s grandmother’s recipe) and crumbled amaretti cookies.

Social Hollywood

6525 W. Sunset Blvd., Hollywood. (323) 462-5222. Sundae, $11. Pastry chef Sam Christopher lines up three scoops of homemade ice cream -- roasted banana, malted chocolate and Tahitian vanilla bean -- on a long plate. These are set on two caramel sauces and drizzled with bittersweet chocolate. Served with slices of butterscotch bananas and a warm banana bread cupcake topped with whipped cream.

Leslee Komaiko

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Gelato

Pazzo Gelato

3827 W. Sunset Blvd., L.A. (323) 662-1410. www.pazzogelato.net. Small and tragically hip, this Silver Lake newcomer features loads of outdoor seating as well as some of the most spectacularly weightless gelato around. The secret: seasonal fruits they pick up on Wednesdays at the Santa Monica Farmers Market. Must-try flavor: chocolate martini.

Bulgarini Gelato Artigianale

749 E. Altadena Drive, Altadena. (626) 441-2319. www.bulgarinigelato.com. A husband-and-wife team, the former trained in the old country, churn out delicately textured and exquisitely flavored gelato using local farm-fresh ingredients and nuts imported from Italy. Must-try flavor: pistachio.

Il Cono Gelateria

9461 Little Santa Monica Blvd., L.A. (310) 285-2045. www.ilconogelato.com. Super-clean, bright, friendly and family-owned, this busy shop features colorful mounds of icy deliciousness in 48 flavors, using ingredients imported straight from Italy. Must-try flavor: passionfruit.

Il Gelato Cafe

2110 W. Ocean Front, Newport Beach, (949) 675-3632. One Italian family’s quest to re-create an authentic cafe by the sea has resulted in a splendid array of hand-crafted goodness in 16 rotating flavors that locals rave about. Must-try flavor: mint chocolate chip.

Caffe Primo

8590 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood. (310) 289-8895; www.iloveprimo.com. This Sunset Strip hangout is all modern big-city luxury with Armani leather couches, plasma TVs and Wi-Fi access. The gelato has only 6% butterfat. Must-try flavor: Indian mango.

Jessica Gelt

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International flavors

La Mich Paleteria

1026 Huntington Blvd., Duarte. (626) 359-6333. The year-old Mexican ice creamery makes its colorful, refreshing paletas, milk-based and fruit popsicles, using a secret family recipe. There are Mexican chocolate, hibiscus, chamoy and chili watermelon, but the must-try flavor is mamey, a creamy melon cultivated in Central America.

SinBaLa

651 W. Duarte Road, Suite F, Arcadia. (626) 446-0886. At this Taiwanese snack shop, shaved ice dessert is the favorite. Fruit, rice-flour and other random items of your choice like almond tofu, grass jelly, flan and peanuts are hidden beneath the frosty heap mixed with condensed milk and topped with a syrup made with brown sugar.

Saffron Spot

18744 Pioneer Blvd., Artesia. (562) 809-4554. www.saffronspot.com. The lack of any whipped air in kulfi, a traditional Indian treat made with boiled milk, disqualifies it as ice cream, but the densely frozen treat tastes a lot like it. Besides the popular mango and rose-flavored kulfi, the Little India destination offers unusual flavors such as rajbhog, a blend of saffron, pistachios, cashews, almonds and cardamom.

Lappert’s Ice Cream

29 Pier Ave., Hermosa Beach. (310) 937-1904. www.lapperts.com. After retiring to Hawaii, Walter Lappert began a new career making ice cream using island-inspired flavors, like Kauai Pie, a melange of Kona coffee ice cream, macadamia nuts, coconut and fudge. This grass hut on the pier is also the place for shaved ice doused in tropical fruit syrups and “tiger’s blood,” which tastes suspiciously like fruit punch.

Mikawaya

118 Japanese Village Mall, L.A. (213) 628-6514. www.mikawayausa.com. Home of the revolutionary ice cream mochi, a sweetened rice flour dumpling with an ice cream filling, loft dwellers and local Nisei come to this Japanese confectionary shop for the mochi ice cream, Hawaiian snow cones, ice cream and traditional sweets.

Mashti Malone’s

1525 N. La Brea Ave., L.A. (323) 874-6168. www.mashtimalone.com. In Iran, saffron, lavender and cardamom are used for their medicinal and health benefits. Brothers Mashti and Mehdi Shirvani put these ingredients into their ice cream. They also make faludeh, a Persian dessert made with rosewater and rice starch noodles that dates to ancient times, into a sorbet.

Goldilocks

209 S. Vermont, L.A. (213) 382-1303. * www.goldilocks.com. At this Filipino export, Goldilocks serves up its version of halo-halo in a tall glass with mixed fruit, yams, tapioca, jello, red beans, evaporated milk and crushed ice topped with a heaping scoop of vanilla ice cream.

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-- Cynthia Dea

* Denotes multiple locations.