Uncle Gussy’s New Pago Cart is As Good As It Gets

We’ve been telling you for the last few weeks about Uncle Gussy’s plans to launch a sister cart that will serve Greek frozen yogurt, sorbet, and other frozen goodies. The name of the new cart is Pago (translates to frozen in Greek) and it’s pretty tough to miss since it’s set up just off to the side of the big blue truck on 51st and Park. In fact, it’s nearly impossible to get your pita or platter and not be seduced into at least trying the cooling concoctions.

Nick’s brother Franky was manning the cart and was very generous with the free samples. One regular customer even walked by with a big bowl of that Yogo swill and did the ultimate taste test. One guess as to which yogurt reigned supreme.

I got to try a few of the flavors last week, which will change regularly. For the first few weeks, they’re offering a traditional Greek yogurt (this will be a constant), Lemon Mint Sorbet, and Coconut, Dark Chocolate, or Frappe gelato. But later on, they plan to experiment with other flavors, like Fig and Ouzo and toppings like crumbled baklava and visino (a homemade sour cherry syrup).

Franky gave me a taste of both the Frappe, which had a nice strong coffee flavor but was slightly too sweet for my tastes, and the Lemon Mint Sorbet. He described the latter as a mojito without the alcohol. And that was pretty much right on, it was citrusy and refreshing with a nice fresh herbal quality from the mint.

But the crowning achievement here is their frozen Greek yogurt. It’s made from the same yogurt used in their famous tzatziki sauce and it was some of the best frozen yogurt I’ve ever had (and I’ve had a lot). It had a wonderful rich, creamy consistency and carefully walked the line between sweet and tart. Definitely slightly sweeter than the stuff they serve at Pinkberry, but this tasted light and homemade. I could imagine this at breakfast with some granola; at lunch with some fruit; or as a dessert with some chocolate chips. Seriously, I think I could eat it all day long. Especially on a hot day.

The only real complain is at $4.50, it’s a tad expensive, but not more so than any of the other “artisanal” gelato options in the city and with a quality product this delicious and tangy, it’s worth the splurge. Pago has its own Twitter account, so make sure to follow them to see what new flavors are added and when they decide to have the cart fly the nest and venture to other locations.

4 Comments

  • 100% agree on the regular greek yogurt, it has the perfect balance between sweet and tart. The Athenian dark chocolate gelato is also really good. I think the dark chocolate gelato and the yogurt side by side would actually be a winning combination to try sometime.

  • It’s not fair to compare Yogo, to this full-fat, mega calorie dessert. Of course the Pago is going to taste better. Yogo is made as, and being sold as a healthier option. It’s low sodium, low cholesterol, nonfat, and low calorie. I think it’s pretty good for what it is.

  • I agree with your review of the Greek Frozen Yogurt. The flavor balanced sweet and tart. It is expensive, but they give you a large amount of yogurt in that cup.

    It’s light years better than the Froyo trucks that are around. I highly recommend.

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