Pinkberry Paranoia

“Are you sure,” I asked Lauren, a bit skeptical, “you didn’t feel a little funny afterwards? No stomach aches or weird dizzy feelings?”

“Not at all! I was completely fine,” she insisted.

“And nothing looked strange? There were no unidentifiable bits in your cup? No toppings you hadn’t ordered?”

“Only the fruit I had asked for. I promise it’s perfectly safe…and delicious. You have to try it.”

We were, of course, talking about Pinkberry, the frozen yogurt hotspot that recently opened on the corner of 82nd and 2nd, only to be overrun with mice shortly thereafter. Hence my hesitation in wanting to stop there for a tasty – and possibly surprising – treat. Yet this was back in June. Pinkberry has since been sanitized, disinfected, and treated by an exterminator, and, as Lauren has insisted, is perfectly safe – and rodent-free.

“I’ve been there four times in the past two weeks and haven’t seen any mice. The place is spotless, and it’s so good!” she assured me.

Still slightly wary, my curiosity soon overcame my aversion to small furry creatures, and I decided to give Pinkberry a try. After all, the frozen yogurt chain, which started as a West coast phenomenon before making its way to Manhattan, boasts snake-like lines at nearly every location, as well as frozen yogurt with no preservatives, additives, or excess sugar – and only 25 calories per serving. People go nuts for this stuff.

So, this past Friday, I finally went to Pinkberry. To be on the safe side, I brought my mom, sure that she would notice right away if anything looked amiss or in any way unsanitary. We were met by a line that peeked just out the front door, and a dazzlingly white interior that looked very clean. There was not a mouse in sight.

The line moved quickly, and we scanned the menu as we made our way to the front. What makes Pinkberry so unique is that the healthy dessert alternative comes in only two flavors – plain and green tea – and relies on fresh fruit and several other tasty toppings for its flavor. To order, you first choose your yogurt flavor and size, then your toppings from a list that includes banana, mango, raspberries, kiwi, almonds, coconut, carob chips, Fruity Pebbles, and Cap’n Crunch, each for an additional 95 cents.

Before ordering, we scanned the yogurt machines and the area where the toppings are kept, making sure that everything looked up to health code standards. Once we were sure there were no mice (or remnants thereof) in sight, we ordered – plain with fresh pineapple for my mom, plain with cookies & cream for me. We paid ($3.45 for each small cup with one topping) and, scanning one last time for any signs of mice, stepped outside before taking our first bites.

Despite our hesitation, we had to admit that it was pretty good. Delicious, actually. And the fact that our dessert was so fresh and healthy made it even more appealing.

Now I understand why the mice were so eager to get a taste.