Qoola has opened shop in York Lanes, giving York students another healthy treat.
The first thing that struck me as I walked into the restaurant was the cool, vibrant ambience. Modern and fresh in look, the bright colours pop out at you leaving you feeling happy, ready for frozen yogurt. The place has galley-style seating, with chic white chairs. It’s a fun and welcoming atmosphere for students to chill and relax.
The moment I walked in, there was an employee ready to explain the ins and outs of how this place worked. At the time – I wasn’t really in the mood for frozen yogurt just yet. I asked if they had any food options, and to my surprise they had two interesting sandwich choices.
I was recommended the Yogurt infused Turkey Sandwich. The sandwich is made with panini style bread and prepared fresh right in front of you. It had turkey, freshly sliced tomatoes, mixed greens, Emmental cheese, and a yogurt strawberry infused sauce. The taste of the sauce comes through with each bite. It has a very subtle sweetness, with the flavor of fresh strawberries, honey, salt, pepper and a hint of vanilla essence. The nutty flavor of the Emmental cheese complimented the sauce very well. The only element that was lacking was the multi-grain bread which was brushed with extra virgin olive oil.
After having the sandwich, I sampled all 10 flavors of frozen yogurt they had. Frozen yogurt at Qoola is priced by weight. The consistency is almost a cross between ice cream and Greek yogurt. My favorite was the sweet coconut. It was smooth, creamy, and intensely infused with coconut. Some of the offerings are fat-free and probiotic. And if you really wanted to jazz things up, don’t be shy to check out their wide selection of toppings at the bar, from fresh summer berries to white chocolate shavings. For the health nuts, they also have flaxseeds and slivered almonds.
On a strip where you get fried chicken, burgers and fries, it is great to have another healthier alternative added to York Lanes. One of these days when I allow myself to be bad, I may just have to try their warm Belgian waffle with vanilla froyo on top.
Mathis ZArie Bailey
Contributor
