This week 4E decided to taste the Corp’s newest offering: Acai bowls at Hilltoss.

Pronounced ah-sah-ee, the acai berry is a superfood from Brazil. Available in the US mostly in a puree form, these berries contain antioxidants, fiber and heart-healthy fats.

The Hilltoss blends up the organic acai with guarana and banana to form the base of the bowls, which are then finished with two sets of toppings.

Ponta Negra, $6.99
Toppings: vanilla almond granola, blackberries, banana, pomegranate seeds, shredded coconut

Catalina Island, $7.99
Toppings: vanilla almond granola, banana, blueberries, raspberries, chia seeds

Additional toppings can be added, including agave nectar, hemp hearts and bee pollen.

The acai base has the texture of a dilute smoothie and the taste of sweet wild berries.
All of the ingredients were clearly fresh, and the granola added a much-needed crunch. The pomegranate seeds and blueberries offered an important sour contrast to the sweet acai in their respective bowls.

The two bowls, while both delicious, are very similar. The only problem we encountered was they did take a little while to prepare, as they are design intensive. So if you don’t have at least 10 minutes, you should change your food order.

The bowls are very reasonably priced considering the amount of food – these could easily be a big breakfast or a light lunch (both 4E tasters put half their bowls in the fridge for later).

Ratings:
Taste – 5/5
Presentation – 5/5 (these things are beautiful!)
Options – 4/5
Service – 4/5
Price – 5/5
Size – 5/5

Overall the bowls were great and you should definitely check them out at Hilltoss, located in the Healey Family Student Center.

Photo: sunshinesmoothie.com