I’ve been publicly pleading for a frozen yogurt spot to open up in Wichita for quite some time. I may have even looked into what it would cost to rent space in Delano and open one up myself. And then I got sidetracked and started verb [ICT] instead.

I kid. I kid. Kind of.

Frozen yogurt is part of every Californian’s diet. It’s an entire food group. We’ve Jamba Juiced and Starbucksed and scarfed bagels and eventually grown bored of the trends, but we never tire of our fro yo. There are THREE frozen yogurt spots within a mile from my parents house and they’re probably building another one as I type this.

There are two kinds of frozen yogurt shops. The first is comparable with TCBY. Chocolate and vanilla are the most popular flavors and most of the toppings are candy or some sort of sugary, syrupy fruit-like substance. The second kind of shop is similar to Pinkberry or Red Mango. There are two or three flavors of yogurt (usually plain and green tea are two of them) and the toppings tend to be mostly comprised of fresh fruit.

Mix it Up (630 E. Douglas, Suite 100 – just a short walk east of Old Mill Tasty Shop ) is the latter kind of yogurt shop. On my visit, the available yogurt flavors were plain, strawberry and lychee. The plain yogurt was creamy and tart with a hint of sweetness, the strawberry flavor was mild, more comparable to regular yogurt than ice cream, and the lychee was sweet and crisp.

At Mix it Up, you choose the size of cup, the flavor of yogurt and then add your own toppings. When finished, your yogurt creation is weighed and you pay $.35/ounce. An eight ounce yogurt with fresh fruit toppings rang up at about $4.

Topping options included pomegranate seeds, blackberries, strawberries, mango, kiwi, lychee, coconut, walnuts, pecans, trail mix, mochi balls granola, chocolate chips and sprinkles.

I opted to try the plain yogurt with fresh blackberries, kiwi and mochi balls (sweet rice cake molded into little balls – it’s good, trust me). My dining companion chose strawberry with blackberries and granola. The yogurt was delicious, though a little icy in places, and the fruit was extremely fresh. I quite happily ate every last bite and my inner Californian was completely satiated.

As for ambiance, the shop is quite large and modern, with two couches and many tables and chairs. Large plasma televisions line the walls and owner Kim Huynh invited us to change the channel and make ourselves at home.

While the shop has only been open for two months, Kim sees a steady traffic of downtown workers and high school students, but hopes more will pop in. Lunch specials include Vietnamese sandwiches and spring rolls. Boba tea is also on the menu, as are smoothies.

As the days get colder and icier, frozen yogurt may not be your top pick for an afternoon or evening treat, but it’s worth a try. Or two or three. I can assure you I’ll be back, enjoying the taste of California in the heart of Wichita.

Related posts:

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2. daily [snap] – Frozen Fountain
3. [eat] We All Scream for Ice Cream
4. [drink] Signature Drinks: Oeno
5. [eat] Wichita’s Best Thai Food