Who makes the best acai bowl?
Blue Hawaii Lifestyle
One of the most popular spots to pick up an acai bowl is Blue Hawaii Lifestyle (Ala Moana Center, 808-949-0808). It’s a favorite stop for shoppers and surfers alike, all lured by Blue Hawaii’s big portions and generous toppings.
This little shop in Ala Moana Center — another opened on Bishop Street this month — not only serves espresso, freshly made juices, sandwiches and acai bowls, but Blue Hawaii boasts locally made merchandise, including organic Hawaiian honey (shown here), books, body lotions and music.
Most of the acai bowls here are blended with organic soy milk. If you’d like you can swap that with apple juice or order the Jasmine bowl, which is made with green tea. (Seriously!) I ordered a basic acai bowl ($7.85) to go — hence, the paper cup — which came topped with organic granola, blueberries and sliced strawberries and bananas. The texture — creamy and thick — was nice, but the acai itself was a bit tangy. My only complaint: you’ll end up with seeds in your teeth. So bring Scope.
Over assessment
It’s impossible to taste every single acai bowl and concoction out there — but we did our best with the top suggestions we got.
Here’s my ranking of the places we visited:
Tie for No. 1 — Jewel or Juice and Blue Hawaii Lifestyle: I couldn’t decide between the two — so I made them both my top picks. And for different reasons. Jewel or Juice had the best texture and balance of flavors, while Blue Hawaii Lifestyle boasted robust flavors and generous portions of fruits.
No. 3 — Diamond Head Cove Health Bar: We can’t deny that this eclectic shop had the most complex acai bowl with a variety of toppings, including a sweet bee pollen honey drizzle. But we were mixed about the tartness.
No. 4 — Mocha Java Cafe: The bowl here had a little bit of everything: smooth acai blended with apple juice, slices of fruits and crunchy granola.
No. 5 — Lanikai Juice: While we loved the flavor — which was spot-on perfect — we couldn’t agree on the texture. Too thin? Perfectly smooth? The jury is out.
No. 6 — Kokonuts Shave Ice & Snacks: It’s hard to compete with the shop’s super-fine shave ice. The acai bowl just doesn’t compare.
No. 7 — Coffee Talk: There wasn’t enough acai — and we didn’t care for the icy texture — to boost it above the rest. But we did enjoy the organic granola.
February 26, 2010 | Credit By Catherine E. Toth | (http://honolulu.metromix.com/restaurants/essay_photo_gallery/who-makes-the-best/1785824/content)