Froyo at Cocomero hits the spot on a hot day

It’s very hot outside. None of us like it. We’re either blasting the AC and refusing to leave the house, or spending all day outside tanning to a crisp.

So when I was searching for a way to cool off, a friend and I decided to take a drive to Cocomero Frozen Yogurt in Oswego’s Mason Square.

I had previously been to the Route 34 shop several years ago, and I remember greatly liking what Cocomero had to offer. But I hadn’t had the chance to go back for quite some time, so I was looking forward to this visit.

Walking into Cocomero is a shock to the senses. The interior is a bright yellow, bursting with decorations, bright white chairs, tables and benches. There’s a children’s play area in the center of Cocomero, with games, books and puzzles, watched over by a large balloon arch – which I thought was awesome.

This was my friend’s first visit to Cocomero, so the two of us went through the creation process together. Customers who would like to order frozen yogurt can choose a cup size, and then serve themselves their choice of froyo – or sorbet – from one of several dispensers along the wall with flavors such as Dulce de Leche, Pomegranate Raspberry, Pink Lemonade, Alpine Vanilla and New York Cheesecake. After getting the frozen yogurt, customers then choose their toppings from a large buffet-style serving area, with choices of fresh fruit, popping boba balls, sprinkles, Oreo chunks, and syrups.

Cocomero also offers shakes, smoothies and teas. But for this visit, we went with the frozen yogurt.

My guest chose a cup of Alpine Vanilla, with cheesecake bits, cookie dough chunks and Oreo crumbles, while I went with a cup of Pomegranate Raspberry sorbet, and what probably were too many fruit-flavored popping boba balls.

The Alpine Vanilla yogurt chosen by my friend was delicious, she said, clearly tasting of vanilla, without coming across as artificial. The toppings she chose tasted fresh and indulgent with her froyo. I sampled her cup, and I had to agree that it was delicious; the cheesecake bites were particularly good, with just a touch of cream in the chunk of cheesecake crust.

I went with the fruitier options, and I was pleased with my choices. The Pomegranate Raspberry sorbet was a jolt of flavor, but as with the Alpine Vanilla it didn’t taste artificial or overly sugary. It was fantastic. To accompany my sorbet, I got several spoonfuls of popping boba balls in a variety of fruit flavors.

For those who don’t know, popping boba balls are tiny gelatin balls filled with fruity syrup. When you eat them, they pop in your mouth, hence “popping boba balls.” Admittedly, they’re not for everybody, but the rainbow balls, and the mango- and strawberry-flavored boba balls were delicious and a lot of fun.

The cost of dining at Cocomero is, obviously enough, determined by the customer, as the cost of your cup of froyo and toppings is determined by its weight. So if you don’t mind paying more, load the toppings on, or if you’d like to pay a bit less, ease up on the sprinkles.

An unexpected benefit of Cocomero, is its hours. Open until 10 p.m., we saw several young couples on a late-night date, parents with children enjoying a late treat and several groups chatting for a long period of time.

A family-friendly location with plenty of healthy choices (and not-so-healthy ones), Cocomero Frozen Yogurt is a great spot for all ages.

• The Mystery Diner is a newsroom employee at the Record Newspapers. The diner’s identity is not revealed to restaurant staff before or during the meal. The Mystery Diner visits a restaurant and then reports on the experience. The Mystery Diner is not intended to be a restaurant critic but does highlight the parts of a dining experience that he/she can recommend.