Açai Bowls in Logan

EAT LIKE A LOCAL

WIL WOOD owner, Love to Cook

Some people call it healthy junk food, some call it purple ice cream, vegans call it Mother Nature’s nectar. We call them Açai bowls (pronounced ah-sah-EE).

Açai is a superfood, but all you really need to know is that they are like a Brazilian blueberry. The bowls are usually some combination of an açai smoothie with fresh fruit, granola, and unlimited toppings.

There are a few places you can get them in town and I go to all of them for different reasons. The first one I will tell you about is Bloom Eatery on Center Street in Logan. They are mainly known for smoothies and bowls, but they also do vegan soups and occasionally have fresh vegan cinnamon rolls with thick, creamy frosting. I go there when I’m starving and could eat a meal. I usually order the almond açai bowl (plus protein). They have three types of granola to choose from; I always get the Mum’s. I’m making my way through their specialty drinks which are delicious as well. They also have a kid’s menu which is fun because you can give your child a small, healthy dish and not spend another 10 bucks. Speaking of money, the prices for a full size might give you a little sticker shock, but the portions are generous, and you get what you pay for. Bloom has been through different names and owners: Ah-sigh-ee, then Crush, and now new owners Brandy and Matt Jarboe call it Bloom Eatery. They are locals, so give them a shot!

Next up: Everyone has heard of Jamba, but not everyone knows they have berry bowls there. They are all delicious with very fun colors that derive from fruit: strawberry, pitaya, spirulina (cyanobacteria is like fruit too), and of course açai. I usually get the chunky strawberry bowl sub the soy milk (I don’t trust soy milk) and add 3G energy. 3G energy isn’t a type of cellular phone radiation that will calcify your brain, it is just some caffeine powder they put in the smoothies that makes you feel like HeMan (or Sheera) for a few hours. Also, if you haven’t tried the Greens and Ginger juice, it’s worth a try. Even though Jamba is a franchise, it’s locally owned and operated by Melissa and Jon Anderson. Jon is a tall slim fellow with a great beard and, like me, is usually the only dude working in the store.

Last and certainly not least is the place that got me addicted to this açai bowl madness. Westside Café, owned by Cache Valley natives Diane and John McMorris, is the place I go when I need something sweet, but I don’t want to feel guilty afterward. The two previous berry bowls have sort of a runny smoothie texture, but Westside scoops their frozen açai into the bowl then adorns it with fresh fruit and their sweet, perfectly soft but crunchy house-made granola. Yes, the granola is the highlight for me, and they sell it by the bag, too. I usually order the Westside bowl and almond butter. Westside also has a location next to Fredrico’s Pizza called Eastside Café.

All of these serve a different purpose and are all worth a shot. Give them a taste and tell them we sent you!