You know how everyone has a strange food thing? I mean, I know someone who likes strawberry flavoured things, but not strawberries. Go figure.
Well I actually have a thing too: while I LOVE fresh coconuts, I never did like coconut cream, or milk. So when I got the invite to visit Coco Joy’s first retail store and sample their coconut-made products, I approached with one part excitement, one part apprehension..and 2 parts hunger.
Because hunger always wins.
The verdict? The Acai bowl is MASSIVE, but also a very satisfying breakfast. I’ve been on the fence about most acai bowls I’ve come across, but there was something about the semi-frozen fruitiness that was really appealing. The pina colada smoothie also had the same frozen fruitiness, so also a winner.
The ice cream, however, had me on the fence. Made with coconut cream, it didn’t turn out as smooth as dairy-made ice creams. The cookies and cream was still quite a satisfying flavour – made from a recipe provided by the man who invented the cookies and cream flavour himself – but the salted caramel was (I felt) overpowered by the coconut flavour, which kinda defeats the purpose.
I know that there has been a big trend of coconut being healthier for you and all that, but I’m really all about the flavours (assuming you don’t have an allergy to lactose). And I just don’t think that the ice cream really compares to the full flavours of dairy-made ice cream.
But on the upside, the menu items that fully utilise those coconut flavours – namely that Acai bowl and the Smoothies – are a great, delicious start to the day.