What: Green smoothie
Where: Big Juice Bar, 35947 Date Palm Drive, Cathedral City
How much: $8.99 for 16 ounces, as shown
Contact: 760-459-3334; big-juicebar.com
Why: It’s refreshing and delicious.
Tucked between Michael’s Café and Barrel District in Cathedral City is Big Juice Bar, a place serving up a wide variety of drinks and eats that go well beyond juice.
The menu offers smoothies, shakes, fruit bowls, various coffee drinks and “detox” regimens in addition to breakfast and lunch wraps, burritos, sandwiches and more. With such a large selection of offerings, I had no idea what to order. I wanted a smoothie, but I was otherwise stumped, so I asked the woman behind the counter for advice.
She suggested the “green smoothie,” with green apple, pineapple, kale, spinach, yogurt and honey. I normally prefer my spinach in salads, and my kale nonexistent, but I decided sure, why not?
When the smoothie finally arrived, I was shocked at the color: The name is accurate. It’s green. VERY green. I braced myself as I took my first sip … and OMG. It was SO good.
At first, I tasted apple. Then I tasted the tartness of the yogurt. Finally, I got just a hint of the pineapple, and then the honey. The kale and spinach did offer more than just color; they were there in the background, offering a vegetal earthiness, but no bitterness or kale nastiness (yeah, I said it). I was pleasantly shocked.
If I haven’t convinced you the green smoothie is worth a try, never fear; I guarantee they offer something you’d like. Again, there’s a LOT on the menu, from a dozen herbal extracts (milk thistle!) to 17 juice ingredients and even “activated charcoal.” Hmm … I think I’ll take the kale instead.
If you like juice or smoothies or coffee or breakfast burritos, consider giving Fresh Juice Bar a shot. (Oh, yeah: They sell juice shots, too!)
