Detox on Echo Juice's High-End Juices and Lush Smoothie Bowls at Central Park
When temperatures hit 30 degrees Celsius, you know summer is around the corner. Maybe you're not aiming for the perfect “bikini body,” but you may want to shed a few pounds, and given Juice by Melissa's Xingfucun location has shut down, there's one less way to boost your body's nutrients by not moving a muscle. Luckily, Echo Juice in Central Park has swooped in to fill the vacuum of professional juice shops in downtown Beijing.
Named after the daughter of the owner, Echo Juice has a dedicated café vibe and features near-clinical white walls and tiles coupled with splashes of rustic charm courtesy of worn-in leather seats and a polished wooden floor. At a glance, you know Echo Juice means serious business – expensive juice extractors from Nutrifaster and Blendtex blenders are lined up behind the glass partition that separates the kitchen from the rest of the venue, further adding to the air of health and precision.
The menu features juices (RMB 48-57), smoothies (RMB 53-64), juice shooters (RMB 32-34), smoothie bowls (RMB 83), and various soda waters (RMB 45-47).
The is fruit cut and blended freshly in front of you and you'll receive a complimentary plate of dried fruits for your wait. The combo we ordered via Dazhong Dianping cost RMB 89 for a strawberry smoothie bowl (originally RMB 83) and a wheatgrass shooter (originally RMB 32). The bowl is first filled with fruit smoothie before being topped with fresh banana, strawberries, blueberries, chia seeds, coconut chips, and pumpkin seeds. The ice-cold smoothie base was sublimely smooth thanks to an even mix of Greek yogurt, granola, nut milk, and agave nectar, as well as a helping of homemade peanut butter.
The wheatgrass shooter makes for a health-fortifyingly bitter and sweet mouthful with a grassy and bitter kick. Thoughtfully, it comes with a slice of fresh orange to ward off the lingering bitterness, giving it the impression of the world's most robust tequila shot minus any of the regret.
One gripe may be that Echo Juice might be just too neat. Don’t get us wrong, once you step in, you'll feel like you're already detoxing and it will have you making all kinds of crazy promises to yourself about how you'll never return your normal, somewhat alcohol weary, life again. On my way back to the office, I even thought about joining a meditation class to be more mindful. That’s the power of good healthy food.
Echo Juice
Daily 8.30am-9pm. 104A Bldg 26, Central Park, Chaowai Dajie (175 0103 1125)
朝外大街新城国际公寓26号楼底商104A
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Email: tracywang@thebeijinger.com
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Photos: Tracy Wang
