Jacob J.
Yelp
Without looking at Google translate I'm guessing their naming is d' fruit of life! I like the "d" part but wish it was a "da" instead. Partly because we are in Chicago and this is the place of the da bears and da cubs and da white sox too!
Recently I've been jamming on a new workout program and trying my best to stick to a healthy weekday diet. Now, don't go looking at my Yelp check-ins holding some of my recent visits against me. Like I said, I've been trying.
It was late the other night and rather than sit down to a big meal I decided on a fruit juice or smoothie to quell my later night hunger. Usually I have a couple go-to's in the Logan square / Bucktown area but on this night decided to try a different place.
Their space is brightly lit inside, so you shant miss it if stopping by. At night it shines like an oasis since many of their neighboring stores were already closed. The color schemes and menus made me hungry for fruits and desserts. Also, it made me feel warmer on an otherwise chilly evening.
It's not just a juice or a smoothie bar. It's a goto for snacks, ice cream treats, the new fad of "rolled" ice cream, desserts, fruit platters and juice too. There are a few ethnic snacks like empanadas, elotes on-the-cob, mangonadas, jamon sandwiches and what I call snack bags with pizzazz. Which are snack bags of potato chips, Cheetos or takis that are covered with any combination of chili, cheese and or hot sauce and usually served in the bag. These snacks can be found at those single proprietor bicycle wagons or bodegas too. Some refer to them as Tex-Mex snacks or in other areas of the US, IG: #hoodratsnacks
How was my smoothie? Kale goodness! I can't remember the exact smoothie I ordered. Something with lots of green produce, mango, pineapple and a banana too. It'd be good if their website had information on the "about us" tab, so I could learn more about which ingredients make up their ice cream. The smoothie was more mango ice cream than real mango chunks but could as well be mango ice. I ended up with a medium smoothie and a single chicken empanada. The cost was around ten dollars which is a high cost in my opinion. The empanada came with a small green sauce which was more herbal than salsa. The shell was perfect as if pressed from a machine and its contents were ample with mashed potato and pulled chicken. However it was very salty.
The space and marketing look like a money maker except for the offering of snack bags. It's a low brow snack anybody can prepare at home. Those are sold at most bodegas around the hood and that one lady that sells it out of the back of her minivan. I get it, y'all are trying to catch any business you can get but give it some thought. How about making waffles bowls and cones. Doctor it up with Mex-influenced flavors too. So many delicious directions one could go with a business of this type and the appliances at their disposal. How about tequenos or cachapas! Also, per reviews it doesn't sound like they have their rolled ice cream down. They should retrain and perfect it. Currently most Chicagoans will travel across the city to Chinatown to get their hands on that perfectly crafted Thai rolled ice cream. (Where nightly it can be standing room only) Just some thoughts.
