Jim N.
Yelp
We LOVE Mag's Local Yogurt!!! (How Yelp* knew that I would be in a position to write a review I am not clear...)
Mag's should be a franchise. I am familiar enough with the product and distribution of yogurt recipes on the open market, but, if quality control were an options they actually have one of the top three best yogurt products in the vicinity IMHO.
We are in the San Francisco Bay Area where we have many desert and snack options available, many healthy.
However, it is quite obvious that Frozen Yogurt as a category has come back overall, yet, it a very different from its grandparent-self, such as College Park, now, exclusively in Berkeley, California, AFAIK as they used to have a second outlet in Walnut Creek, a few miles away.
The new family of yogurt is clearly marked as full of good bacteria which fulfills our stomach's needs. It tends to be tart,at least as a base, with flavorings added to imitate other flavored yogurts and ice creams.
The other tendency of the New Yogurt is a more icy texture, less creamy than ice cream and other versions of frozen yogurt.
Mag's does the best of both worlds imho.
Fraiche Yogurt on Fillmore Street in San Francisco is also one of the top three. However, I have never had a very positive experience interacting with the staff: always seem a bit pushy and not investing in me. I found there Stanford University branch seemingly comparable to any other vendor serving the vertical University market, so no negative impression.
Fraiche and Mag's are similar in texture. Somehow they have been able to avoid the icy outcome their health-centric competitors cannot avoid or choose. The icy ones are also unique in that they focus on ingredients to mix coarsely with the white, tart yogurt: not a blend to subdue the tartness with a given familiar or surprise flavor.
To also highlight a brand, Easy Breezy, on Irving Street, in San Francisco, is probably the best of both the creamy and icy worlds under one roof: each component, more or less fat content, seems to dictate either extreme.
But Mag's as a BRAND is the best of all in a manner of speaking: the color scheme; the layout and design; the staff being young people within the local community with a vibrant and appealing approach, adds to a more traditional overall experience.
Larkspur being a small close-knit community, the place, product, awning and benches outside, parking usually readily available (they close at 9 PM,) make for a very welcoming and warm experience.
Why 4 stars:
We have been disappointed with the less- firm consistency the last three or four times we have arrived "late in the day". I contacted the proprietor about this who stated it was a known issue and repairs were coming very soon - the next day, actually. Well, since then, we have had the same issue occur TWICE.
