We popped into Daily Juice at Barton Springs on Sunday to grab a smoothie and a fresh squeezed juice. We have caught them at the Farmers Market before but have never visited one of their locations. There is a dizzying array of fruity and veggie treats to order - from fresh squeezed juice concoctions to simple or “serious” smoothies. It looks like you could visit every day for two months and not have the same thing twice. As we stood there, sort of mesmerized by all the choices (we wanted to try everything), we just threw a mental dart and landed on what sounded good for that moment.
I landed on the Berry Melon-O simple smoothie which consisted of: strawberry, mango, raspberry and fresh watermelon. No added sweetner, no nothing, just the fresh juice and frozen fruit blended up to a nice texture. Some fruit smoothies end up being cloyingly sweet. These were not, it had just the right amount of natural sweet and we were able to savor and detect the different fruits in the mix. Hillary chose a fresh squeezed juice. The Prototype had cherry, organic goji berries, fresh Texas grapefruit, fresh pineapple and lime. The grapefruit and lime shone through and cut the sweetness of the cherry – very satisfying and refreshing.
There will be lots to try on future visits. Some are veggie and spice blends that sound intriguing and particularly good. The Thai Curious is a blend of organic carrot, ginger, beet and cilantro with coconut juice, cayenne, lime and Himalayan salt. Mmm… interesting. They also offer several ”add-ins” that include super healthy proteins, miracle foods and plain ol’ natural flavor enhancers. Some items on the menu are sweetened, however they only use agave nectar which is lower on the glycemic index and considered a healthier option than other processed sweeteners. Get ready to pay a premium for all of this freshness — but it is only slightly more, especially when you compare it to some of the less healthy and less tasty choices around town.
This location has a pretty cool vibe. It is somewhat Zen-like, although not because of any overt decorating style… it just seems to exude it. The parking is sparse and I get the feeling that they cater to the Town Lake walkers and joggers, the local neighborhood, and to the bikers riding the trails in Zilker and the nearby greenbelt. We saw plenty of folks in their various exercise gear. When you walk into the smallish, but comfy shop, you are greeted by a blast of cool air as the AC seems to be blowing on high. I could easily imagine some making this a weekly ritual. Hit the trails, come here for a nice cool reprieve from the heat, and then order-up something that is good for the body and soul.
