“Acai R,” located near Balboa Park, is a great place to get a sweet treat and study. Surrounded by some of the Bay Area’s best food, “Acai R” proves why it is among those, even as a healthier option.
“Acai R” offers different varieties of acai, smoothies, toast and more. My fellow food reviewer and I chose the, “build your own acai bowl,” option. In one bowl, we selected the, “New Acai,” base with french vanilla almond granola, strawberries and pineapple. In addition to the base and strawberries, for our second bowl, we got honey & almond granola, bananas, goji berries, coconut shavings, and a honey drizzle. Their fruit was right in between fresh and tart, but they do give you a great amount of fruit in the bowl.
We each chose the Large bowl, which will run you to $15.89 each, resulting in a total of about $31 for two people, before tip. They have two other sizing options, being the medium bowl for $12.95 and their small bowl for $10.85.
We chose the acai base titled, “New Acai” which personally wasn’t their best option. Personally, I enjoyed their “Original Acai.” The difference between the two is that the new base has a thicker, more grainy feel, while the original base has a more smooth, ice cream-like consistency.
Their french vanilla granola has a sweet flavor, but lacks much of a crunch, which doesn’t blend well the best with the acai. Their honey & almond granola doesn’t have a sweet flavor, and there isn’t much of a honey taste. Depending on the selected size, they will add granola to the center. It complements the bowl well once you hit the half way point, but I wish they would add granola at the bottom as well.
The current selections of fruits available are strawberries, bananas, blueberries, pineapple and apples. These selections incorporate both regular acai fruit toppings, but introduce unique ones in the pineapple and apple as well.
“Acai R” has the option for unlimited toppings, similar to most acai shops. “Acai R” has 34 different options to mix and match different toppings. There are also great options for bases, such as mango, matcha and even chia seed pudding.
“Acai R” uses tablets to order if using a card, but if you’re paying with cash, they will take your payment at the front register. The speed of the service depends on what time of day you’re going. If students are just getting out of class from the neighboring schools, Balboa High, Archbishop Riordan High, or City College of San Francisco, then it will be more busy. The interior of the shop is simple and practical; a lot of comfortable seating is provided, allowing you to enjoy your bowl while studying or catching up on work.
This is a great spot to go for a change of scenery where you can get some work done. “Acai R” is surrounded by many places such as Beep’s Burgers, Quickly and Whole Foods. Parking may be hard to find depending on the time of the day, but once you do, you will have to pay the meters. It’s about a 15 minute drive from Skyline College by car, so it is a little farther if you’re willing to make the drive to the city.
