iTwist

It's been a busy year for Apple Computer and its fans, even before the recent “antennagate” issue began to dominate technology headlines. 2010 has seen the introduction of the iPad, a tablet device that fits somewhere between a smartphone and a laptop, and the latest version of the popular iPhone. With new hardware comes new software, including iBooks and iOS. That's a lot of products beginning with a trendy small "i." If Apple ever decides to come out with a malleable computer made of cloth, maybe it could be called the "iTwist." Alternatively, maybe that word describes the optimal position of the user’s hand to avoid weak phone signals. Either way, the only problem is that the name “iTwist” has already been taken by a little frozen yogurt shop at Mekong Plaza, the mostly Vietnamese shopping center in west Mesa, just a short walk from the Sycamore / Main light rail station.


Aside from offering free wifi, a much appreciated feature for users of laptops, smart phones, and, yes, even the iPad, iTwist appears to have nothing in common with Apple or any other technology company. Instead, it's a simple shop following one of 2010's favorite formulas: soft-serve froyo pumped by the customer and sold by the ounce. The decor is equally evocative of current trends: pastel furnishings in Jetsons-esque shapes. The lighting fixtures might be mistaken for models of the Death Star if their hues weren't so calming. There's also music -- usually contemporary pop with autotuned vocals sure to annoy most customers over 30. Fortunately, the volume is reasonable.


If you've ever been to Mojo or Yogurtini, you know the routine here, but what makes iTwist stand out just a little from its competition is a flavor palette that compliments the east Asian food found throughout Mekong Plaza. Every place has a flavor called "original tart," and iTwist is no exception with its own impressive version that matches well with fruity toppings. The Asian theme appears in flavors like taro and lychee. Of course, there are more conventional chocolate and berry flavors, along with a token sorbet. The last item is often the least satisfying since sorbets, more than frozen yogurts, demand fresh ingredients and authentic flavors that may be beyond the reach of a small froyo shop. All flavors are dispensed from customer-operated pumps.


For a set price per ounce that applies to both yogurt and toppings, customers can fill either a short, wide cup or a tall, narrow one. The former is for yogurt with toppings, and the latter is for smoothies constructed by the shop's staff, who add a little milk and ice to the customer’s combination of yogurt and toppings and then run it all through a blender as loud as a jet engine in order to produce a liquid treat. Use one of the thick red boba staws to slurp up the viscous result. In addition to customer-compiled smoothies, iTwist offers about a dozen “behind the counter” drinks -- smoothies, milk teas, and Italian sodas -- available from the staff rather than the self-service line. Among them, the green tea latte is a cold treat of slightly sweet slush topped with whipped cream. Ask for some boba to add some variety to its texture.


In addition to boba, toppings and smoothie mix-in possibilities include fresh fruit such as kiwis, strawberries, blueberries, and mangos. Whole bananas hang above the counter and are available to be sliced on demand. Coconut appears in both dried shredded form and as a jelly -- good on yogurt, but likely to gum up a smoothie if used to excess. Dry toppings include cookie brands like Oreos and Vanilla Wafers, along with nuts, candies, chocolate chips, cereals, and granola. One surprising omission: sriracha. The popular hot sauce is present on virtually every table at every restaurant in Mekong Plaza and is offered at some other froyo places around town. It would seem a natural here, but maybe most customers arrive seeking relief from heat rather than another round of spice.


There isn't a lot more to say about iTwist. It's one of dozens of self-serve shops that have sprouted up around town lately, but it also fits into the ethnic identity of its home shopping center. iTwist might not be enough by itself to warrant a trip to Mekong Plaza from a great distance, but it's a worthwhile add-on destination for dessert after a meal of broken rice, pho, or pancit at any of the nearby restaurants at Dobson and Main. Most of the area restaurants have minimal dessert offerings, and a cool serving of frozen yogurt does a good job of extinguishing any lingering fire from the chili heat usually associated with Vietnamese, Thai, and Filipino food. Steve Jobs probably isn't going to hold an event in Mesa to promote iTwist, but you can take the train to its eastern end anytime for a little froyo with east Asian flavor.

66 S. Dobson Rd., #150, Mesa AZ, 85202 Map
(480) 733-8888http://www.itwistfroyo.com/