By Stephanie Nguyen
One of the downsides of living in a suburban city is that there isn’t much to do, especially when the holidays roll around. So on New Year’s Day, many eateries and malls–my go-to spots for outings–closed. With few options, I headed north to Pasadena in Los Angeles, stopping along the way for a family member’s brown sugar boba at Xing Fu Tang in Alhambra. My destination? Erewhon, an upscale grocery chain with the off-duty it-girl vibes I was looking for (I wanted to feel rich).
I read about it for the first time online when Hailey Bieber was promoting a new ice cream flavor sold at Sprouts, inspired by her eponymous smoothie. Days later, my brother got a pint at the nearest location, letting me have a sample to satisfy my curiosity. While it was good, I never thought about it again until my spontaneous trip.
When I arrived at five in the evening, shoppers sat at tables lit by fire pits under patio umbrellas, with white plastic bags at their feet. They had drinks, but none of them were the smoothies I was looking for.
Inside, my eyes adjusted to the blinding lights and colorful shelves. Everything was in order. The produce was neatly stacked on top of each other, the packaged fruit salads organized by color and type, the fruits remaining in the boxes they belonged to; they were like fake props for a stage set. Not a fruit or vegetable was out of place. At the stores I’ve been to, there’s always a misplaced item left by customers.
Rarer items, like spirulina powder and sea moss gel, were in small containers reminiscent of skincare products. True to the store’s reputation, the prices were sky-high. Considering how little the ordinary person uses them, however, the price seems justified to me.
Don’t assume I’m crazy just yet, because I couldn’t say the same for the glass bottles of milk. It doesn’t seem like a lot, but $8.99 is pricey for a bottle of forty-eight ounces; that’s three cups of milk. I could use it for a loaf of bread and a dessert if I’m not drinking it. If I am? It’s gone in two days.
As I moved towards the other side of the building, I saw a long line at the Hot Bar. Near the bar were plastic boxes of sushi and poke bowls. While I’m sure they make great lunches, I think the ones at Mitsuwa Marketplace (in Costa Mesa) would be better.
At last I arrived at the Tonic Bar, where another long line and my smoothie awaited me. Once I scanned the QR code, I had a hard time figuring out what to get because I was worried I’d choose a flavor I didn’t like; the prices were making me cautious. Instead of living out my luxury daydreams, I was slapped by reality.
The Rose Smoothie caught my eye. Perfect for the Rose Parade in the city, it had rose water, almond and coconut milk, beet juice, strawberries, bananas, goji berries, maple syrup, lucuma, coconut cream and vanilla stevia. I tried out rose milk before, so I was hoping the drink would have a strong rose flavor too. Floral flavors are underrated and it’s nice to see them occasionally. As for my brother (who I almost forgot), he got the Hailey Bieber smoothie. It has almond milk, banana strawberries, avocado, dates, maple syrup, vanilla collagen and stevia, sea moss, coconut cream and strawberry glaze.
The bar had speedy service, and before I knew it, it was my turn. Right after I received my order, I took a disappointing first sip. It wasn’t bad, but I was expecting something…better.
Concisely, it’s okay. The texture? Thick and smooth. Quality? Very high, which is the bare minimum for its price. The taste? Nothing to write home about.
Despite being a rose smoothie, it tasted like strawberries and bananas with a hint of watermelon blended into a protein smoothie. The vanilla collagen was easily detectable, leaving a powdery aftertaste in my mouth with each sip. Even as I savored it on the drive home, that taste was still there, every time. Yet I was mentally comparing it to Jamba Juice, no matter how many times I’ve tried to like it. To give Erewhon credit where it’s due though, it’s still better than something I could make at home with a Ninja blender.
My brother, freshman Justin Nguyen, liked his drink a lot. He said it was good and tasted like the ice cream version.
Therefore, I can describe it as a creamy strawberry drink with a mildly sweet and nutty coconut note.
But the one thing I can’t do is say goodbye to Erewhon forever. That wouldn’t be fair; the smoothies were good quality, as mentioned earlier. The problem was that I picked a flavor that was simply not for me. Now I’ve realized I prefer really creamy drinks, and that’s not what I chose. I suppose if I were to choose again, I would go for the Coconut Cloud smoothie; I was already considering it while I was there.
My immeasurably ruined day wasn’t the highlight of my trip, however. Unlike the smoothies, the store didn’t disappoint. I could see why many celebrities shop there. It was super clean, had lots of expensive ingredients, was well-maintained and had quick service. Too bad my wallet wouldn’t survive a day of grocery shopping. For now, I’ll let it rest.
