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Tart - CLOSED
Categories: Food Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Food Desserts Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt, Desserts [Edit]
2128 SE Division StPortland, OR 97202
Neighborhoods: Southeast Portland, Clinton, Hosford-Abernathy
(503) 233-4333
- Price Range:
-
$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
63 reviews for Tart
Review Highlights
"Very friendly staff and amazing custard."
(in 47 reviews)
"This is the best Fro Yo I have had since moving to the PNW."
(in 8 reviews)
"and did i mention they have a clover machine."
(in 5 reviews)
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63 reviews in English
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Review from Nick M.
Updated - 1/29/2011
All right, so I'm coming round on the self service. I still don't like it, but I understand it's something to do with needing to compete with how chain stores operate. You gotta do what you gotta do I suppose.
When the owner is there the service is great. Not so great when it's high-school hipster time and you have to tear them away from their phone conversation or computer to get anything.
The yoghurt is still great though, and overall I like it enough to overlook their one or two (severe) shortcomings (inconsistent staff, still using high-fructose corn syrup).2 Previous Reviews: Show all »
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1/7/2011
Well, I have to say, since I last reviewed this place, my desire to like it has gone up, but my… Read more »
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Review from emily r.
The pistachio frozen yogurt that I had was REALLY great. It tasted like jello pudding, but frozen, and better.
Its easy to get in over your head here (and any frozen-yogurt-by-the-ounce place). -
Review from Del R.
Hillsboro, OR
9/26/2010 2 Check-ins Here
Upside: Their dairy-free blood orange sorbet is really, REALLY good. And I would have loved to give Tart at least a 4 star review, but . . .
Downsides: the service was as cold as the sorbet and not at all informative. In this foodie town, customer service matters and for that I knocked off a star.
When you consider the lousy service and you have places like Swirl over on Hawthorne which offers many more options and you pay 40¢ per ounce, paying $3.50 for a small plain sorbet seems a bit too much. -
Review from dan h.
Updated - 6/21/2011 4 photos
I am so sorry to hear that Tart closed on May 31st. Went there today to get some custard and they were gone. Where oh where will I get my custard fix now? Very very sad. Goodbye Tart. You will be missed.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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6/1/2009
I love custard. Let me say that again. I LOVE custard. When I heard this place opened and bought… Read more »
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Review from Samantha O.
Portland, OR
I've been to Tart a couple times, and each visit has truly been a treat. After reading reviews and seeing they had frozen custard, I knew I had to try it. I'm an Oregon girl so I'd never experienced such a thing, it's mostly an east coast phenomenon, but lots of my east coast friends have raved about how awesome frozen custard is.
Well, I'm not sure how it is out there, but the frozen custard here is pretty awesome. It's much creamier, sweeter, and denser than the soft serve you'd get at a place like Dairy Queen or McDonald's. The vanilla might be easy to confuse with normal soft serve, but holy crap the chocolate frozen custard? It's unmistakeably thicker, sweeter, and creamier than any other soft serve ice cream I've ever had in my life. For the record, so is the vanilla. And I should know, I love me some DQ soft serve.
The frozen yogurt is also a treat. I was just in the other day and tried their seasonal Black Currant yogurt. It's sweet and smooth with a tart kick. Topped it with granola, strawberry, and honey. I gotta say, it was a delightful breakfast. Yeah, I'm counting it as a breakfast meal since their yogurt is fat free with active cultures that are good for you! With fruit and granola and honey? I'm totally feeling guilt free here.
I was tempted to add one of the Two Tart cookies they have on top of my yogurt, but I was being good. I did get a cup of Stumptown coffee brewed fresh on their Clover machine. A damn smooth cup of coffee, I almost felt bad adding creme and sugar (almost). With frozen yogurt places popping up all over the place up here, it could be hard to distinguish one from the other. With the frozen custard, Stumptown, and wine and beer offerings, I'd say this one is a keeper!Listed in: Oh snap!!! ROTD's, ya'll!
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Review from Jacob G.
2/27/2009 ROTD 11/1/2009
The promise of frozen custard led me to go to Tart. Or should I say, the girlfriend did, but the custard was the main focus of our trip to Division Street.
I've had frozen custard, being from the midwest and all. This isn't like the stuff I'm used to, but it's still good for what it is. Plus they have a Clover coffeemaker- a cup of custard and some Stumptown is a good way to end your day and get ready for the weekend.
Last time I went there, I had some of their chocolate cookies- they were very good because of the addition of salt on them. You'd think salt on a cookie would be bad news, but I have news for you. And it is that these cookies are a good addition to the custard. Therefore, we have ourselves a Trinity of Tart Goodness here: custard, coffee, and cookies.Listed in: ROTDs
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Review from Suzanne F.
Portland, OR
7/24/2008
Based on Yelp reviews, proximity to the neighborhood, & the demands of my sons, we stopped in to Tart. It was just the ticket on a warm evening, with friendly service, plentiful samples, and delicious frozen yogurt (I just cannot call it 'fro yo'...haven't we chopped, channeled, & lowered the English language as far as we can go??)...anyway, the 3 Musk-A-Teers overwhelmingly agreed that this stuff is good! They had vanilla custard (with nuts on top) and the oldest boy opted for the 'tart' frozen yogurt with boysenberries on top. They shared with me & I have to say this is very good. Not too sweet, a nice tart flavor, and great consistency. There are not many options for flavors, but maybe this is a good thing. Too many choices can get to be...well, too much, sometimes.
We are fans & will return. I am so curious about some sort of hot chocolate with lemon & lavender. It sounds weird & as tho' it may have too many flavors vying for attention, but when the weather turns chill, I am going to try it. For now, I am enjoying the warm summer weather & my chilly frozen treats. It's a great addition to the neighborhood. -
Review from kristin e.
Portland, OR
7/22/2009
And so it was, dessert before dinner last night. Got the chocolate/vanilla custard swirl in a kids cup (which is probably like a small size cup at other ice cream/frozen yogurt places I've been to in the past). The custard is deliciously smooth, thick and creamy. I've had frozen custard before and there's just something about that ultra creamy texture that makes it so good, plus just hearing the word "custard" is fantastic enough.
Current seasonal frozen yogurt flavor is Lime Riki which is apparently the bee's knees but I haven't tried it yet. -
Review from Brice B.
9/28/2008
I spent my high school years slinging flavored sodas and frozen custard at an old school drive in that was opened in the 1930's. I worked there, then my little sister took up the mantle, then my kid brother followed. What does this mean? I come from a custard family.
So... I am a complete ice cream snob. Thus, I'm completely shocked by many of the prior reviews. If you can't tell the difference between the product here and McDonald's ice cream, you are a philistine. The product served at Tart is substantially more dense and creamy than iced milk (served most commonly at McDonald's). Unfortunately, the folks at Tart haven't done a great deal of homework on how frozen custard should be prepared, so you don't get an experience that's anywhere near what it should be. The overrun process is critical in making good custard (http://en.wikipedia.or...), but Tart is running their custard mix through what appears to be a standard soft-serve machine. The result?
Meh.
The place is cute enough, and who doesn't pull for the little guy? I guess I'm just a grinchy sonofabitch with too much time on my hands. You be the judge. -
Review from Xia S.
Portland, OR
7/24/2010 1 Check-in Here
I'm a jerk from California.... Chasing the pinkberry dragon & this just didn't really cut it for me. The name of the place is tart & the yogurt is anything but that. Plus the service sucked ass, they don't weigh their cups & their portions are inconsistent. Wah wah
The hipster behind the counter was unfriendly & was having such an in-depth conversation with her coworker that I had to interrupt them and say "hi" so I could get some service.
Overall.... poor service coupled with just "okay" fro-yo. I will spend my time, effort and $$ elsewhere. -
Review from JW D.
Portland, OR
3/3/2009
Blowing into your hand alleviates brain freeze. True! This friendly hint (along with some less efficient suggestions) adorns a wall of Tart.
The people of the counter were friendly and helpful. I showed up for free stuff (disclosure!) and was presented with three teeny paper cups of Tarts wares. There was a "tart" (read: unflavored) frozen yogurt, a black currant, um, I'm not sure if it was yogurt or custard, and a vanilla frozen custard. All were tasty and I decided on a cup of the black currant, whatever the hell that is, other than yummy.
I got a serving that came in one of the small waxed cups used for soup in some places. In fact there was a warning that the contents were hot. Oh, Tart, you so funny,.
Disclosure, this was also free. I was prepared to pay for it, but no money was required (I put some in the tip jar).
The wares are tasty, the space friendly. There was a game of Risk being played, a surprisingly curse free one. Not the way I've played it with my friends, but the good folks of Tart are undoubtedly nicer than the loser squad.
Hm, I think this review is coming across as sarcastic. Well, it ain't. If you're into frozen yogurt and custard, you'd dig Tart. I still don't know why people would do this when ice cream is available. I'm starring as if this isn't the case.
If there are cons, Tart's selection is limited, both in flavors and toppings. And they have some kind of light projector thingie that drove me out of an otherwise comfortable seat. Weird, that. -
Review from Nader A.
Portland, OR
4/4/2009
Funny thing, Fro-Yo has been getting a lot of love on Yelp (and in the rest of pdx), in recent months, yet despite the fact that I miss this wonderful and relatively guilt-free frozen yumminess, I haven't partaken in any of the well reviewed fro-yo spots in town. The last time I had any fro-yo in pdx was at a TCBY in/about Tigard about 5 years ago.
Anyway, it was with high hopes and lofty expectations that I visited Tart on SE Division today, and it was by no means bad...but left me feeling a little...sour.
It's a pretty spartan, but pleasant, little spot a couple blocks east of the nearby New Seasons. The nice young girl at the counter asked if we'd ever been before, then directed our attention to the wall on our right to see what flavors they had. I have to admit I felt a little dim for a minute because all it said was "Original Tart & _______"
Thinking, "I'm gonna have to look like an idiot and ask", I queried whether (since no other flavors were listed) they had any flavors of fro-yo OTHER than "Original Tart". I felt somewhat vindicated when she told us that they DID have a seasonal pomegranate but other than that, nada.
I'm sorry, but that's awfully disappointing to me that they only have TWO flavors. No chocolate, vanilla, rasp/blue/boysenberry, peach...nothing! The fro-you joints I grew up on always had at least 4-6 flavors, and often many more.
As if sensing my unspoken dismay, she volunteered that they did have both chocolate AND vanilla frozen custard (fro-cus?), but that's just not the same thing. Maybe fro-cus is great (many Yeeps seem to recommend it), but it's no substitute for the nonfat, lactobacillius filled treat that I had been craving.
Anyway, My Lady and I ordered up a small cone, and child's cup of the pomegranate fro-yo (fairly reasonable at $6.25 all in) and off we went to enjoy a frozen treat in the welcome dose of sunshine on this Saturday afternoon!
I was thrilled to see the eco-spoon (looks and feels like solid plastic, but is made with processed veggies) they offer for cups and to-go orders - way to go green! And they had a small but nice selection of mostly healthy (granola, fruit, etc) toppings, and a few not-so-healthy choices (M&Ms, coconut, etc) - but unfortunately my favorite fro-yo topping on earth (gummi bears) was nowhere to be seen.
Finally getting to the point, the yogurt itself was quite good. It had the proper light, semi-smooth, and creamy texture, and with just the right amount of yogurt-tartness (though I agree with James that it was a little lacking in flavor - I would have had a hard time identifying it as pomegranate in a blind taste test).
So, maybe for fro-cus Tart is THE place to go; and for fro-yo it's not horrible, but it didn't wow me and the selection was weak. Ultimately I don't see myself coming back here at least until after I've tried some of the other fro-yo shops in town...and now that the weather may finally be turning a bit warmer, hopefully that will be soon!Listed in: SE Portland
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Review from Jens J.
3/10/2009
If you have to choose between the custard and yogurt, pick the custard.
We paid our first visit last night to Tart as it was spitting snow outside. Even though Tart is only a block from our house and has been open since last summer, we still didn't notice Tart was open for business until this past week!
On first impression, Tart seems bare-bonesy, from the toppings to the interior decor.
The dude at the counter offered us samples of, first the yogurt, and then the custard. The yogurt tasted like regular (not frozen) yogurt. In other words it was surprisingly sour. The custard was much more pleasing to the palate!!
I ordered the chocolate vanilla swirl custard plain since the selection of toppings was so pekid and none of them really looked that great (one of them looked like gummy worms!).
But you know, while very good, the custard was about on par with the frozen yogurt that Costco sells (identical in both flavor and texture). Maybe because of Yelp reviews for other locations, such as Amb. Katie S's review of Peak's Custard in Seattle, I had high expectations for Tart Dessert (until today, I had never eaten frozen custard).
I will come back to Tart Dessert, but I'm gonna wait until summer when it will be more tempting.
Oh, one last thing --- Tart indicated that their Voodoo doughnuts were half off after 5:00pm, but I didn't see any doughnuts. But I understand that, Voodoo doughnuts are delectable and they are not bound to stay in stock! -
Review from Anna B.
12/27/2009 1 photo
Wowee! That Tart is tart for sure, and I love it! I'm not a big dessert eater, but continuing an adventurous eating path up Division the other night, ducked into Tart. The shop itself is pretty basic - order (to eat in or to go available) at the counter, menu is the frozen yogurt or custard, beer, wine and... wait for it... a THREE dollar glass of bubbly, oh hello!
I told my plus-one to remember that... $3 glass of Cava is a darn cheap date, especially considering a glass of Cava next door at Bar Avignon is going to run at least $9. While not all Cava is created equal, $9/glass is a rip-off, that's for sure.
Anyway, back to the actual namesake product. This frozen yogurt is great because it's unsweetened, naturally fat-free, and friggin' delicious! Add a sauce topping for free or assorted other toppings (cookie pieces, nuts, marshmallows, etc.) for a small charge. They really encourage guests to sample everything (typically, 2 yogurts and 2 frozen custards offered at once), so we were coerced into trying the Chai Spice flavor as well- very good, but I prefer the non-sweet, classic tart variety.
Fun shop, free wifi, good coffee selection as well. Nice addition to that little strip on Division! -
Review from Danielle K.
Portland, OR
8/11/2008
Frozen custard? Okay, you have my attention.
It's been a few weeks I've allowed this idea to marinade, going back and forth, trying to decide if it'd be delicious or not.
Did they take a flan and freeze it? When it melts, would it still have jiggle? Can I crack the top like a creme brulee? And most importantly, was it frozen in its own plate, or did they make a deep-dish, and scoop it out?
Answer? NONE of the above.
In fact, there was really nothing special about frozen custard. It was soft serve (tell me how THAT works) that tasted like...wait for it...vanilla ice cream from McDonald's. Yes, I just said it. I mean, it's not a bad thing--McDonald's ice cream is tasty and creamy! But it's not worth $3.50 for a stingy medium.
The staff was nice, and the place was cute, but it really isn't compensating for the overpriced and underwhelming frozen goods and lack of toppings.Listed in: Death by Dessert
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Review from Kristina K.
Portland, OR
Updated - 3/14/2009
The frozen custard and strawberry special led our dinner group to Tart. Upon our arrival, we found out they were out of strawberries, but the woman behind the counter was sweet and broke the bad news gently. She was attentive and understanding. We could not have asked for any better service. We had a peanut butter sandwich cookie with our frozen yogurt. I much prefer the frozen yogurt over the custard.
What irked our visit the most, was not the restaurant, the food or the service; but the patrons. Two women and one child walked in after us. The child was shoeless and had an air of innocence about her. She said to her mother-figure, "I want to work here!" The mother-figure replied, "No. You don't want to work here. I don't want to work here. You wouldn't want to work here." It was loud and clear enough that there was no way it could have been ignored by the woman behind the counter. This scenario reminds me when children say they want to be objects like, "I want to be an bulldozer or a semi-truck" or hold occupations like "I want to be a bulldozer driver or a semi-truck driver." The child loved the atmosphere of the store, so much so that she would love to be surrounded by it. It still surprises me how human beings treat each other.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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3/2/2009
I concur with almost all reviews. Tart has an almost homey feel, but the bright, cream colored walls… Read more »
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Review from Erin E.
Portland, OR
8/27/2008
Danielle K. and I are in total agreement here. Frozen Custard sounded intruiging, and is the reason we made a special stop here on our bike ride home a couple weeks ago.
Don't get me wrong, my tiny serving of Vanilla Frozen Custard was quickly gobbled up. But with each bite I tried to find the difference between "custard" and regular old ice cream. And I couldn't. My boyfriend had the Chocolate version, and same thing: ice cream. Nothing wrong with that, but nothing special either. -
Review from C K.
New York, NY
2/16/2009
This gets my pinkberry seal of tarty goodness!
I'm not a fan of creamy fro yo. Fro-yo should taste like Fro-yo... TART! If I wanted sweet & creamy, I'd go for the real deal - ice cream. But whatever, I don't like ice cream.
Anyway, I got the original tart flavor with blueberries and it was so good!
I also tried frozen custard for the first time on my visit here. I am now a fan! Majority of the reviewers compare it to Mc. D's soft serve... which is true for the most part... but not really.
Let's put it this way, they may come from the same family, but they are an entirely different species with a different genetic makeup, and you can tell. Frozen custard is less sweet, more smooth.. luxurious. Fro cus is the SEXY, SMART, SOPHISTICATED cousin of the cute & ditzy soft serve.
Thanks to a fellow yelper for suggesting this place : )Listed in: Whatchu know about FRO-YO?!
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Review from cassandra c.
Portland, OR
4/13/2010
"Woohoo! As good as it gets", as far as I know!
I'm going to be searching high and low this spring/summer for froyo options. Tart is my new favorite. The only other place I've tried is Skinnidip (near Pioneer Square) and Tart far far far exceeds skinnidip.
Tart has a menu that says, "If you've never been here before, let us know!" We did. And then we were immediately served samples (pretty hefty samples) of the tart and regular custard frozen yogurt.
I ended up really liking the tart flavor...it was like a creamy lemon. Not a super strong fruity/citrus taste but almost like an italian ice lemon flavor. Subtle and not-too-sweet.
I also tried my boyfriend's custard swirl with peanut butter cups. I didn't know chocolate custard was an option! Next time, that's my choice, maybe with Oreo pieces.
They were both about $4 for smalls. I coulda had a kid's size and been plenty full. The toppings are $.50 and $1, depending which you choose. It's a small place but feels nice. It has sitting space and has a nice surrounding area for walking, shopping.
I would definitely come back to Tart for any of their flavors!Listed in: Froyo
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Review from Katrina W.
Portland, OR
7/24/2008
That frozen yogurt boom from the early 90s has returned, but with a tangy flavor twist. Stop the Insanity (tm)!
These boutiques are sprouting like that circus game where all the little frozen yogurt shops pop up and you're trying with your little spoon to hit them all before they disappear.
Tart is one of them. And it's just fine. Maybe not The Country's Best Yogurt (TGIF), but good enough. And in a good neighborhoodly spot.
I hope they'll ride the wave with grace. -
Review from David Z.
In a word: delicious.
Tart is a great little (and I mean little!) dessert shop on Division specializing in Frozen Yogurt/Custard. The menu, albiet small, offers up delicious options at extremely reasonable prices. It was my first time here, and, as such, I was immediately treated to samples of both the "tart" and the "custard" options. Both were tasty - the tart pairs perfectly with fruits while the custard goes well with the cookie/candy toppings.
Since it's not exactly the season for fresh fruit, I decided to opt for the custard. That said, I definitely want to come back in the summer to enjoy a refreshing tart/fruit combination! I went with a small with 1 topping and ended up paying $4.25. It may sound spendy for a small, but believe me, the portions are generous. My only complaint would be that, while some toppings are $0.50 (fine by me) many are $1.00 (seems a bit expensive).
All in all, I was ready to give Tart a resounding "4" star rating - great treats, ample portions, with a star docked for toppings that seem a bit overpriced. So what tipped the review to 5 stars? Service. I was warmly welcomed as soon as I came in. I received samples to help me decided what I would like. Lastly, I was given a few doughnuts for free because they're adding them to the menu soon and want people to try them.
So what have we learned in our few minutes together, my dear readers?
- Tart is delicious.
- Service at Tart is great.
- I want to go back.
- A fifth star can be bought for free doughnuts. What can I say, I have a sweet tooth!Listed in: My Favorite Restaurants!
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Review from Kitty P.
Portland, OR
8/27/2008
Three stars means "A-Okay", remember?
It is! Really OKAY! The McDonald's soft serve comparison is strong...which is great if you like McDonald's soft serve AND supporting a local business.
Have been there twice - first time paid $1 for what I ordered as a "Teeny tiny cone of vanilla custard". I'm mostly in it for the last gooshy cone bite. They should serve just those, you know, like muffin tops? And the server was delightful.
The second time I ordered the same thing, and paid $2. Which is fine. Worth it. Fine. But the servers were a little younger, a little more "this is a job" -esque. I find the frozen yogurt bitter and blechy.
It's a great dessert for after you leave Nuestra Cocina, if you didn't have 16 homemade tortillas (easy to do),Listed in: My Neighborhood
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Review from Ben K.
Portland, OR
3/16/2009
I grew up in St. Louis, where frozen custard is enjoyed from birth. Finally we have a vendor here in Portland!
Walked in late on a Sunday night at the end of our evening to a short line. The owner was serving and was a delight to chat with. The custard was rich and delicious with a small variety of toppings that is just right. Vanilla and a variety of fruit flavors make the selection more than adequate
They also serve frozen yogurt with, if you want it, old kid's favorite breakfast cereals as toppings.
Good coffee and even some beer on tap! Love this place. -
Review from Bibi P.
Portland, OR
7/24/2010
Thumbs up for serving a unique product: custard. The varieties we had were quite good, so much that I'd go back. The yogurt was nothing special. The business model seems a little flawed: why not just serve custard? And the menu is a bit confusing; when the counter gal states, "yeah, we often have to explain a few times" that probably means some refinement is necessary.
* A daily flavor menu that only applies to the custard, not the yogurt.
* the pricing scheme is all over the board, e.g., the size minimum for the daily flavor is a medium, what?
* clover coffee - is that a flavor, no it's just the name of the machine
...the brain freeze info on the wall is very cool. Hope the place succeeds, but iffy seems to be the forecast. -
Review from Esther Y.
5/31/2010 1 Check-in Here
Not much of a selection, just tart, green tea, vanilla custard, and chocolate custard. Very small selection of toppings too, and when I went there were only like 2 fruit options (strawberry or blueberry).
I got the tart and green tea (not the swirl, just separately). I think the tart was okay, it wasn't tart enough for my tastes...but the green tea was really good. The green tea is not too strong, so if you're scared about trying it, go for it!
This is close enough to where I live that I'll probably be back again, but I'm still on the search for a really good tart froyo place in Portland (preferably even self-serve). I've heard of a few, so watch out for updates in the near future...(keep in mind I come from California, where froyo is HUGE and the quality is amazing since there's so much competition...and I've also spent a couple months in Korea, the birthplace of tart frozen yogurt...so my standards are quite high). -
Review from jimbo a.
I learned of frozen custard from the Food Network. It looked so damn delicious that I licked the screen. This was not such a great idea because the fuzzy taste of a dusty tongue is not very pleasing.
I immediately did two things. 1) I vowed to clean my TV screen more often, and 2) I fired up the Mac, logged into Yelp and searched for "frozen custard".
When I got to Tart was met with friendly service. They gave me the run down on how to order and asked me if I'd like free samples. "Free samples?!" I said. "Don't mind if I do!"
I tried the first frozen yogurt... hmmm... that not so good. Then I tried their signature Tart flavor and fight every urge to spit it out. I asked the girl that just handed me the samples if she has checked the dates recently, because from the taste of it it must have expired. That was the most sour rotten tasting frozen yogurt ever.... EVER!
Then she handed me the vanilla frozen custard (I don't like chocolate things).By this time I had lost my high hopes after nearly puking up the yogurt, and carefully took a bite. OMG! De-effing-licious!
Frozen custard is not like soft serve ice cream or frozen yogurt. It's BETTER! Top that cup of custard off with some crumbled oreo and mini peanut butter cups and you will be in taste bud ecstasy. -
Review from Erin K.
5/6/2010
I love sweets, and I am not a snob when it comes to sweets. But my high hopes for Tart justed didn't play out in reality...
The frozen custard was good, I tried the chocolate vanilla swirl, but nothing amazing. I think I would try it in the cone next tine. We sampled the seasonal flavor of green tea frozen yogurt, and although I love green tea ice cream, this yogurt just didn't work for me.
One big plus is that their serving sizes are pretty generous, and I found a "small" to be just about right, and I may have been satisfied with a "kids" size.
So, I may try it again when the weather is hot and something cold and sweet hits the spot, but other than that I will not become a regular at this place. -
Review from Liana A.
Portland, OR
3/8/2009
Searching hi and lo for a place that has a Clover Coffee machine (there a only a couple hundred in the nation not owned by Starbucks) and I discovered the only one in Portland lives about three blocks away from me. So off I ran. I had Clover brewed coffee only twice before while living in LA. I've since done some research.
The CLOVER Machine, if you're not familiar, is for coffee what a vaporizer is for herb. It brews a single serving at a time, under high heat for a short amount of time. The water and grinds are vacuum extracted so you get virtually no sediment. It the hands of skilled barista you can get a coffee experience like none you've ever had. That said, Tart uses Stumptown roasted beans only. They had four choices the day I went. I followed their suggestion and had the Guatemalan roast.
The Clover brewer (infuser?) does not make the coffee any better than the beans. What it does do is give you a clarified experience of them. It was the opposite of "mud coffee". I was able to taste a BRIGHT and SPARKLING, low acid roast that was very fruity, and had the lightest vegetable-ness to it. I rarely drink my coffee with out a little cream, but for the Clover experience, if you really love coffee, you MUST go BLACK.
The SHOP ITSELF is small, has no parking in front, blink and you'll miss it. It is definitely not a lounge kind of place, though there is a basket of kids toys. Bring you're own to-go cup! The girl who brewed my cup was capable, but not a coffee artist, and that's fine.
It's funny that the most sophisticated coffee brewer on the market is sitting in a custard shop. I'm just glad it so close to home. The price however is just enough to make it a once in a while treat. See you there Sat. Mornings. -
Review from Teresa L.
Portland, OR
7/25/2010
Not bad, and it's in my hood! I can walk there on a hot day- lovely.
I had the mango fro yo swirl cone. I might give this place another star if I try a cup with toppings- the real sign of delicious fro yo.
A little "spendy", but then every Portland fro yo place seems to be.... -
Review from CeeCee P.
Portland, OR
9/13/2009
We stumbled upon Tart one Saturday night when we were itching for some frozen yogurt, and to my surprise, there was only ONE person working... did I mention that it was a Saturday night???
Not only was there a lengthy line, the chocolate chip waffles special was going on too, and between one waffle machine and one waffle maker, the wait was ultra-long.
Determined to try their frozen yogurt, we waited... and waited.. and waited only to be disappointed in the end. It's not that the fro-yo was bad... it just wasn't as tart or bright tasting as it should be...
Perhaps I'll come back to try their frozen custard when the wait isn't 30 minutes... && as for trying their waffles??? let's just say that I highly prefer my waffle to come from a window some few blocks away... -
Review from Krista G.
1/23/2010
The reviews and beautiful weather brought me here today to give their frozen custard try. I have never eaten frozen custard so I have nothing to compare it to. The place was cute and clean inside and absolutely empty. I ordered up a kids size small of the custard swirl, vanilla and chocolate. Most if not all yogurt shops I have been to give you a nice generous portion, you know it looks like a little swirly mountain in your cup. Not here. My yogurt looked like it had the top of it's mountain blow right off. :(
Portion aside I found it to be pretty ok. Would I go back, yes but not for the custard I think I would give their regular TART yogurt a try. For me, the calories of that custard out weighed my enjoyment. -
Review from Minna S.
Portland, OR
8/21/2009
I was offered a sample of their vanilla custard upon entering the (cute, tidy) store -- it wasn't what I was looking for - I had a serious tart frozen yogurt jones - but it still hit the spot. I haven't had any frozen custard since moving out here four years ago, it was a welcome reminder of how much I love the stuff.
So, on to what I actually ordered... a small twist of their original frozen yogurt with the seasonal Lime Riki and fresh strawberries on top. They don't use artificial coloring to signify the flavor (thank goodness!), so my swirl wasn't too visually distinguishable, but the flavors definitely popped out. Both frozen yogurts have that excellent balance of sweet and tart, but the lime riki has a little extra citrus tang to it. It totally hit the spot after the somewhat over salty lunch I had earlier.
The medium size is about 3 ounces larger than the small, but to be honest, the small was perfect for what I was craving.
There is so much more I want to try here (the chocolate chip/fleur du sel cookie for $0.75? Mochi topping? Waffles?!) but I'll be hard pressed to veer away from this deliciously tangy combination! -
Review from jim t.
Portland, OR
6/18/2009
Five -star frozen custard - who knew?!
There is NOTHING to draw you in to this quirky little place. (Hell, it took me almost a year to venture inside.) However, the creamy rich goodness of their custard makes you realize that there are many things in this world worth putting in your mouth - languish in Tart's custard as it sensually sachets across your tongue and teasingly trickles down your throat. -
Review from Dustin C.
New York, NY
3/11/2011
Very friendly staff and amazing custard. Will deffinately return.
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Review from Nicole C.
Portland, OR
2/8/2010
I walked by Tart one day and my stomach perked up when I saw the words "frozen custard" on the sign. What, really?
I walked in and looked around. Then, I stopped myself from making a mistake - I noticed the frozen yogurt soft serve machines, but didn't see any frozen custard machines...Now that's bush league.
The very friendly man behind counter asked me what he could get me. I replied (and lied), "Uh, I left my purse in the car. Whoops!" And walked out.
You can't make frozen custard without the right equipment. Should of read Brice B's review first. -
Review from brie p.
12/4/2010
I found this place because of the promise of custard ice cream. For some reason I always get the yogurt. Which is odd but soo delicious.
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Review from Paul C.
Portland, OR
7/22/2009
If you go here expecting ice cream you're going to come away a bit disappointed, as I kinda was.
I had a hard time telling this apart from any other soft serve that I've ever had in my life. Tasty, sweet, soft and all-together not too bad. The cone was a major disappointment, just a cheap sugar cone.
They do have a decent selection of other desserts though, including Two Tarts cookies and Voodoo donuts.
Overall, nothing special and I can't see myself returning for the frozen custard, although it is a convenient place to grab some cookies. -
Review from Winthur D.
Portland, OR
1/29/2011
This is one of my favorite neighborhood places. I feel so lucky to have such a delicious and friendly family run yogurt shop so close to my house. My two daughters and I trek to Tart rain or shine. There are board games, which make it a good place to have some fun on a rainy day and get out of the house with my little ones. The tart yogurt is delicious, not too sweet. They have one other flavor available that rotates- memorable flavors have been blood orange and green tea. I wasn't crazy about the pumpkin, too sweet, but my kids liked it. They just switched to a self serve set up, which I am going to have to get used to, but the product is so good and the staff so nice that I will still be happy with my treat even if I have to make it myself! Their toppings are good too- I love that they have mini-mochi topping! and there is always fresh fruit. Sauces are free, and their blackberry and marshmallow sauces are delish!
Also, their coffee and hot chocolate are really good, too.
I don't think you could ask for much more in a yogurt shop. -
Review from Laura N.
7/24/2008 1 photo
sold. (And today was supposed to be about Pho, not Fro...)
As discussed earlier, I'm on team "pro-fro-yo." While I can appreciate the fight that team "anti-yo" is putting up, I think they're gonna lose this battle. We're only in the first half of the fro-yo craze that we're bound to see play out here in Portland, and I'm thinking that you're either going to have to take a ride on my fro-yo thimble, or, well, go to jail.
Not a monopoly fan? Well good, because Tart is independent. Oh, and delicious. As soon as I walked in, before I could even ask, two amazing samples were eagerly passed my direction. I devoured the namesake "tart" fresh yogurt, which by the way, is delicious with FREE honey on top, and that's when I found out about Tart's secret weapon:
Frozen....wait for it.....CUSTARD.
wow. For those who can't get behind the fro-yo craze, give frozen custard a chance. Tart is the only joint offering it in Portland, and it's something I could really get behind. This creamy, eggy, custard deliciousness only has one thing going against it...
What are we gonna call it? Fro-Cus? Fro-tard?
I can see it now: "Give Tart Fro-Tard a Chance" or maybe "Try Tart's Fro-Tard" Or not.
p.s. Ok, so my team names aren't nearly as cool as, I don't know, "Oklahoma Thunder," but what is, really?Listed in: FroYo like a Mofo!
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Review from Cam T.
7/21/2008
we've been cruising by this place on the way to the park for weeks waiting for it to open and it finally has. now i can slurp down decadent frozen custard (flavorful creamy vanilla or decadent chocoooolate) {gaaaarrrhh.} with different toppings (fresh strawberries, Cocoa Puffs, granola...they change regularly). they also have frozen yogurt in 2 flavors (tart and green tea) that you can mix with toppings. i've always felt that frozen yogurt was like cheating on your BF with that guy you had a crush on in HS who's divorced with 3 kids & still listens to Vanilla Ice {froyo, froyo, baby}. from now on i'll have to:
"rock a mic like a vandal
Light up a stage and wax a chump like a candle
Dance go rush to the speaker that booms
I'm killing your brain like a poisonous mushroom"
because this is not you're HS crush's yogurt. 3 instead of 4 stars for the frozen blueberries on the tart frozen yogurt--sour & grainy, go fresh! going to try the lavender lemon hot chocolate which is "strange and delicious" once the weather complies. {ice ice baby}
