Photo by Maria Helena Carey
I freely admit to having somewhat of a Goldilocks problem in my life: things have to be “just right” or I do not feel at ease. Take delicious treats, for instance: you would think that one amazing confection would be the same as any other, and I should thank my lucky stars that our neighborhood is suddenly teeming with more than just a couple of options, right? Well, yes, but that’s not quite the point: for instance, sometimes you feel a little cupcakey. Sometimes, you feel a little cookie-ey. And sometimes, you just have to have something frozen, especially in the summer. I refuse to take digs at Baskin-Robbins, because many a pregnant craving was satisfied there, and because BR has come to my aid more than once. (Let’s just say that I’ve licked my share of Rainbow Sherbet from all sorts of crevices, and leave it at that.) And now that we have Pitango Gelato close by, I no longer need to make the shameful and fuel-inefficient pilgrimage off-Hill just so I can hoard some Crema and Gianduja and go downstairs at night and open up the fridge and call it, “My Precious.” But a simpler, slightly healthier, child-friendly and fun option — with optional gummy worms — was definitely missing. And lo! It no longer is: we now have 32 Below cheering up the south end of Barracks Row, and all is right with the word (except for the fact that I’ve foregone weighing myself for the rest of the summer).
If you are acquainted with the model of self-serve frozen yogurt shops that offer optional toppings, and which you pay for by the ounce, then you will feel a wave of familiarity upon entering 32 Below: yes, it’s just like those *other* places we won’t mention in this space. For the uninitiated: you walk into the cheerful orange shop, grab yourself a sample cup; draw a taste of the flavors — from delicious, intriguing banana to cool and comforting vanilla and chocolate — and then you help yourself to a cup, which you can fill with as little or as much frozen yogurt as you like. Then you move over to the topping bay, where you can dress your cold concoction with fresh berries or shredded coconut or sprinkles or syrups or GUMMY WORMS!! WANT GUMMY WORMS, MOMMY!!!! Afterwards, you can nab a table at the store and enjoy your frozen yogurt with a side of air conditioning — they have a pretty decent seating area.
What strikes you right away at 32 Below as different from other frozen yogurt retailers is that your odds of being greeted by the owner are much higher here. Right from our first visit, owner Mark Underwood himself handed us sample cups and was genuinely interested in knowing whether we knew what to do; which flavors we’d liked; whether everything was to our liking, and so on. When asked whether sugar-free frozen yogurt would be available (as it is a fixture at those other franchises), he said it would be and soon enough — possibly within a couple of weeks more. But 32 Below wants your input, both in person and online: there is even a place in their site where you can vote for the next flavor in the rotation.
32 Below still needs a few more flavors and a few more toppings to catch up to the downtown competition; but thanks to a warm and caring owner, the shop is well on its way to becoming a great and kid-friendly place to get a delicious treat of your own making. Definitely, it is a welcome addition to the all-new Barracks Row stable of sweets.
Oh, and they have gummy worms.