Has Mumbai seen enough frozen yogurt places? Until a few months ago, there were five in the city, all within driving distance of each other. Then came along SMOOCH, the third frozen yogurt shop in the Juhu area, prompting Mumbaikars to ask “Another one? How can it be any different?”
When you walk into SMOOCH, you are greeted by a décor that is a cross between a spaceship and the 80s’ vision of the future, replete with neon lights, angular seating and pod-like stools. One of the walls inside is a massive “Kissing booth” – a whiteboard where you can leave messages – which is probably why SMOOCH is called just that. Another fun surprise is the iPad installed inside for customers to play with. The bonus: it has free Wi-Fi internet.
And now for the yogurts. This is where SMOOCH lays to rest Mumbai’s doubts. Their menu has 100-odd flavours, but only 6 a day are offered, on a rotation basis. The day this reviewer visited, flavours available were original tart, caramel, pomegranate açai, blueberry, mango and green tea – a good mix of conventional and unconventional tastes. But where your mouth really waters is at the toppings section. You name it, they have it. Sprinkles, M&Ms, coconut flakes, gummy bears, marshmallows, crushed cookies, chocolate chips, raspberry sauce, chocolate fudge, chopped fruits… the selection is seemingly endless. And there is no limit to how much of each you can have either as SMOOCH runs on a policy of self-service.
What goes against SMOOCH is its pricing system. You pay for your frozen yogurt by weight – Rs. 0.85 per gram for just the yogurt, but Rs. 1.10 per gram if you opt for toppings as well. So if you fill up the 200 g cup to capacity with no toppings, you end up spending at least Rs. 170 for just one serving..Shop No. 2, Sagarika Building, Juhu-Tara Road, Juhu, Mumbai – (Rs. 170 per person)
-Ken Joseph
