Gone nuts over acai!
I am usually slow to taking on food fads and the acai berry is embroiled in my quest for healthier living. Mostly mispronounced, it is supposed to read ah-sigh-ee and this famous berry purportedly tastes like chocolate the more you chew on it. These acai bowls are fast replacing smoothie bowls as the must have and a ton of goodness goes into it from fruits, superfood seeds, coconut water as well as acai. Good things aside, I slurped my way into this many bowls to bring you this acai trail!
NGreen
11 Collyer Quay, The Arcade #01-27
Acai Bowl ($7.90)
Housed within a fruit and fruit juice stall is a corner that also caters to acai bowls. The bowl came with a medley of mangoes, dragonfruit, kiwi, blueberry, strawberry, banana granola, goji berry, cacao nibs, coconut flakes and chia seeds. Goji berries made this tick, and the chocolate game was strong here. I actually liked it so much, it started my obsession with the acai berry.
Absolute Acai
3 Pickering Street #01-38
Crunch Bowl ($8.90)
This was served in a smoothie cup rather than a bowl which halved the experience. We opted for a top up of bee pollen granules and cocoa nibs which were superfluous. While cocoa nibs had some distinct taste, bee pollen was indiscernible.
I already like my acai berry in this and the nutty combination worked...though a more generous dollop of nut butter would have been divine.
Smoothies were a different drink game altogether and paired with raw bananas. I was half contemplating if the bin deserved it better than me. Sour blueberries and raw banana aftertaste made this too pretty to dump purple drink more instagrammable.
Service is definitely not high on their priority, twice I faced the sour faced, clueless millennial who probably did not have enough filter to hide her clueless expressions from using the Fave by Groupon App to abso-effing-lutely flabberghasted I wanted to add granola to my smoothie.
And thank you, I may not see you again.
Haakon
313 Somerset
Haakon's Classic Acai Bowl ($12.90)
Organic acai, in-house granola, coconut flakes, chia seeds parfait, blueberries, bananas, seasonal fruits
Seed and Soil
1 Tanjong Pagar Plaza, #01-22
Pitaya Sunrise ($8)
Smoothie bowl with red dragonfruit,grapes, blueberries, wolfberries and coconut shavings
I would have gone for the acai bowl first, if not for the $10 price tag. The smoothie bowl was more of a fruity slushy and a superfood base.
Urban Orchard Juice ($8)
Orange, blueberry, strawberry, banana, coconut water
Many a time I get fooled by the description of cold pressed juices and once again I fell prey for a flavour that tastes good on paper. Bitter and hardly as refreshing as juice should be.
The Cafe by HIC
176 Orchard Road, #01-104 The Centrepoint
I almost missed this after the reno, located in a corner of the mall. Juices, smoothie bowls and acai bowls are the regular fixes.
Classic Acai ($11.90)
acai, banana, coconut gula melaka granola, chia seed, coconut flakes, goji berry
My acai bowl took too long to arrive and given the frozen state of acai (as I discovered later which explained the time needed), I was already disappointed.
Portions were the tiniest across all brands attempted and the acai was tasteless, coconut flakes barely fragrant and bananas were raw.
Project Acai
Takashimaya B2 32A
Three sizes available, handy ($6.80), medium ($9.30) and large ($14.50) for three types of acai bowls.
Original Flower Bowl ($6.80)
Acai base, granola, fresh fruits, blueberries, bee pollen, cacao nibs, coconut shavings, chai seeds, goji berries
The prettiest in such a cute size, if only the bananas were more ripe, it would have been hands down best tasting acai bowl around. It must have been the generous serving of bee pollen that made the acai base extra delicious, and I am already looking forward to my next visit!
Nuts for an Acai Bowl ($9.90)
Acai base, banana, granola, cacao nibs, chia seeds, almond/hazelnut/cookie butter
Gone nuts for acai with this bowl, I picked a combination of cookie and almond butter which tasted like the ultimate nut dessert. Less fruity than the original for obvious reasons but I love both versions the same!
Acai bowls and smoothies are retailed with creative yet healthier takes on the usual PBJ (U Jelly with organic acai, coconut milk, oat milk, almonds, banana, cacao, almond butter and housemade acai jam). Caffeine addicts are also encouraged to swop their shots for coffee acai blends.
NGreen
11 Collyer Quay, The Arcade #01-27
Acai Bowl ($7.90)
Housed within a fruit and fruit juice stall is a corner that also caters to acai bowls. The bowl came with a medley of mangoes, dragonfruit, kiwi, blueberry, strawberry, banana granola, goji berry, cacao nibs, coconut flakes and chia seeds. Goji berries made this tick, and the chocolate game was strong here. I actually liked it so much, it started my obsession with the acai berry.
Absolute Acai
3 Pickering Street #01-38
Crunch Bowl ($8.90)
Blend: Acai with Guarana, Fresh Apples, Bananas, 100% Coconut Water
Toppings: Granola, Pumpkin Seeds, Sunflower Seeds, Coconut Flakes, Macadamia Nuts, Almond nut butter/Hazel nut butter
This was served in a smoothie cup rather than a bowl which halved the experience. We opted for a top up of bee pollen granules and cocoa nibs which were superfluous. While cocoa nibs had some distinct taste, bee pollen was indiscernible.
I already like my acai berry in this and the nutty combination worked...though a more generous dollop of nut butter would have been divine.
Smoothies were a different drink game altogether and paired with raw bananas. I was half contemplating if the bin deserved it better than me. Sour blueberries and raw banana aftertaste made this too pretty to dump purple drink more instagrammable.
Service is definitely not high on their priority, twice I faced the sour faced, clueless millennial who probably did not have enough filter to hide her clueless expressions from using the Fave by Groupon App to abso-effing-lutely flabberghasted I wanted to add granola to my smoothie.
And thank you, I may not see you again.
313 Somerset
Haakon's Classic Acai Bowl ($12.90)
Organic acai, in-house granola, coconut flakes, chia seeds parfait, blueberries, bananas, seasonal fruits
Seed and Soil
1 Tanjong Pagar Plaza, #01-22
Pitaya Sunrise ($8)
Smoothie bowl with red dragonfruit,grapes, blueberries, wolfberries and coconut shavings
I would have gone for the acai bowl first, if not for the $10 price tag. The smoothie bowl was more of a fruity slushy and a superfood base.
Urban Orchard Juice ($8)
Orange, blueberry, strawberry, banana, coconut water
Many a time I get fooled by the description of cold pressed juices and once again I fell prey for a flavour that tastes good on paper. Bitter and hardly as refreshing as juice should be.
The Cafe by HIC
176 Orchard Road, #01-104 The Centrepoint
I almost missed this after the reno, located in a corner of the mall. Juices, smoothie bowls and acai bowls are the regular fixes.
Classic Acai ($11.90)
acai, banana, coconut gula melaka granola, chia seed, coconut flakes, goji berry
My acai bowl took too long to arrive and given the frozen state of acai (as I discovered later which explained the time needed), I was already disappointed.
Portions were the tiniest across all brands attempted and the acai was tasteless, coconut flakes barely fragrant and bananas were raw.
Project Acai
Takashimaya B2 32A
Three sizes available, handy ($6.80), medium ($9.30) and large ($14.50) for three types of acai bowls.
Original Flower Bowl ($6.80)
Acai base, granola, fresh fruits, blueberries, bee pollen, cacao nibs, coconut shavings, chai seeds, goji berries
The prettiest in such a cute size, if only the bananas were more ripe, it would have been hands down best tasting acai bowl around. It must have been the generous serving of bee pollen that made the acai base extra delicious, and I am already looking forward to my next visit!
Nuts for an Acai Bowl ($9.90)
Acai base, banana, granola, cacao nibs, chia seeds, almond/hazelnut/cookie butter
Gone nuts for acai with this bowl, I picked a combination of cookie and almond butter which tasted like the ultimate nut dessert. Less fruity than the original for obvious reasons but I love both versions the same!
Acai bowls and smoothies are retailed with creative yet healthier takes on the usual PBJ (U Jelly with organic acai, coconut milk, oat milk, almonds, banana, cacao, almond butter and housemade acai jam). Caffeine addicts are also encouraged to swop their shots for coffee acai blends.
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