I have long heard about açaí berries’ excellent antioxidant effects and I try to bask in its glorious powers with my intake of chocolate covered gummy centers made of açaí juice concentrate. However, my attempts at home seem minimal compared to the açaí bowls in Hawaii. Originated in Brazil, açaí bowl was a huge hit when it landed in Hawaii. These bowls are covered with assorted bright, colourful fruits and filled with purees of açaí berries. Who wouldn’t want one?
So, of course, our Hawaii trip would not be complete until we at least try one of these açaí bowls. And it wasn’t hard to track them down because they were everywhere. We narrowed our choices down to Basik Cafe.
Basik Cafe was located on the second floor, on top of Snorkel Bob. It solely served açaí bowls, with 6 different options.
During our first stopover, we ordered Brazilian bowl (topped with granola, bananas and honey) and
Kilaueu bowl (topped with granola, strawberries, goji berries, papaya, bee pollen, and honey).
The thick açaí base blend was super refreshing, slightly tangy and not overly sweet. The granola added a good crunch. I don’t usually like goji berries in soup or dishes, but these dried goji berries were sweet and reminded me of candied fruits without being covered in tons of sugar. The bee pollen was interesting, not too sure what to make of it, but it sure made the bowl sound natural and mighty. The fruits drizzled in honey were fresh and wholesome.
During our second visit (since we enjoyed it so much), my boyfriend ordered the same brazilian (boring?), and I got Forager (granola, bananas, strawberries, cacao nibs, crushed almonds, and honey). I loved the rich chocolatey touch and almond bits for protein boost.
All the fruits were freshly sliced in the kitchen, you can stare at them as they show off their cutting skills. Just kidding, don’t stare, that’s rude. Not only were these açaí bowls visually satisfying for the eyes, but they were also yummy parties for the mouth and energizing fuels for the body. Eating one bowl made me feel like I attained my week’s worth of antioxidant. It is certainly a refreshing start to the day, which is why people often refer to them as breakfast bowls. Although to me, they are more like a dessert or snack, on the healthier side, because I doubt they will last me the whole morning?.
Despite the bowls being on the pricier side, $11 USD for small, I would still come back for them as a treat, because they were sooo delicious and nutritious!