The Scoop: An Easy Breezy Inner Sunset Dessert

When I saw the sign heralding the coming of Easy Breezy to the 9th and Irving corridor, I stopped in my tracks, my heart aflutter. Finally, a dedicated frozen yogurt shop in the Inner Sunset! My first visit was a whirlwind; I can hardly recall how many flavors or toppings I amassed in my cup. Clearly a return trip with the entire Scoop team was in order, with an eye towards quality reporting.

I was the first of the team to arrive on a Saturday evening. From the moment I walked in, it was clear that sweetness permeated the shop. Hardwood floors and chalkboards listing the flavors in bubbly handwriting set a very organic and homey vibe. Both the girl at the register and the one offering samples were tirelessly lovely, providing great detail about the care and ingredients poured into each flavor, and exhaustively sharing anecdotes about their favorite combinations, their roommates’ favorites, their rommates’ dog’s favorites…okay, maybe not the latter, but you get my point.

At any given time, there are eight flavors on tap. While some seasonal flavors rotate, you’ll almost always find tart, custard, non-dairy and fruit-based tart options on the menu, as well as a chocolate and vanilla. The tart (non-fat), a fro-yo staple, was on point, with just the right amount of tang and a smooth texture. The full-fat Custard is unique to Easy Breezy, and well worth the nutritional splurge; for any Midwest native, this rich, creamy treat will remind you of a summertime trip to Culver’s for a scoop of the same. While a bit heavier than the other options, it is unequivocally delicious, though a bit sweet for some of our tasters.

 The non-dairy option, “Goin’ Bananas,” was almond-based, non-fat and a huge failure. Though the bananas used in making the flavor were all hand-peeled that day, the texture was icy and unpleasant. A similar concoction could be made at home in a blender for a fraction of the price. A better fruity option was the “Blueberry and Beyond” flavor (non-fat, organic), a mixture of real blueberries in a tart base. The fruit was so fresh and the flavor so pure that you could still taste the skins of the blueberries in the frozen yogurt.

My favorite flavor of the evening was the Chocolate Milk (low-fat, organic), which reminded me of drinking a cold glass of that awesome chocolate milk that costs a pretty penny from Whole Foods. According to the servers, the flavor is made with four different types of chocolate, and I believe it: a rich, creamy, tasty dream come true. Dawn thought it was overwhelmingly sweet, so proceed with caution. On the other hand, all of us thought that the Vanilla Bean (non-fat, organic) tasted a bit forced, with a cloying vanilla flavor that left a funny taste on the tongue.

The seasonal flavors were a hit and a miss. The Key Lime Pie was quite tasty—a mix of lime zest and juice in a tart and vanilla base, with graham crackers mixed in (making it the only option that wasn’t gluten-free). While I wouldn’t have wanted more than a bite, it was innovative.

The other seasonal flavor was Pistachio (low-fat, organic), which is usually my go-to. As a pistachio fan, I found it okay—there was something funny about it, but I couldn’t put my finger on it until Dawn had a taste. The first word out of her mouth—after making a “that was gross” face—was: “saccharine.” The off-putting sweetness overpowered the pistachio flavor.

The Scoop team was quite impressed by Easy Breezy’s wide array of toppings, ranging from the standard sprinkles, fruits, nuts and crushed candy, to options as innovative as potato chips, marshmallow sauce and just the Charms (i.e. from Lucky Charms).

The trip to the register was a bit frustrating. The store is understaffed with two people; self-sampling is not allowed, so while one person is handing out samples, another has to be watching the machines in the back, cleaning up any messes at the toppings bar, directing confused visitors through the tiny space…and ringing people up. The wait was long enough that people in line were sadly watching their delicious concoctions melt. Because cost is per ounce, you have to weigh your dessert before taking a lick, making for a sloppier than desired mess by the time you finally have a chance to enjoy. And speaking of the register, a trip to Easy Breezy will likely leave your pocketbook winded. At $0.58 per ounce, our two medium cups and a cone set us back over $12.

After the traumatizing payment process, we finally sat down to enjoy our dessert in the limited seating available in the store. All in all, Easy Breezy is a nice addition to the neighborhood as it fills an important niche, but with generally mediocre flavors at a hefty price tag, it is definitely not the best dessert joint in town.