By Jessica Bagley:
As a health nut, Buffalo may not be the best place for me to live. Don't get me wrong-- I love chicken wings and beef on weck once in a while, but most of the time I'm looking for something more nutritious. This can be a difficult task in the land of Anchor Bar and Labatt Blue.
Luckily for me, a few restaurants and cafes fill this vegetable void.
Liquid Energy is one of these places. Located on Main Street, the juice bar serves raw juices, smoothies, and lunch items, which are all made from scratch using organic and natural products. Customers can choose between breakfast smoothies, including the popular Early Bird, espresso smoothies, and wheatgrass shots, in addition to a wide array of lunch options, which include quesadillas, wraps, paninis, salads, and rice bowls.
The bar itself is quite small, and works for most customers who grab a breakfast smoothie on the go. Those who prefer to sit down and eat a meal can do so in the accompanying modern style lounge.
On my first visit, I felt an obligation to try something different. I ordered the Green Up juice, made out of kale, parsley, celery, spinach, cucumber, lemon, and green apple. I was stupidly hoping it wouldn't taste like a salad in liquid form, but I was let down and barely managed a few sips of the green sludge. I learned my lesson-- if it doesn't sound good, don't order it.
I chose a safe option for the lunch, the veggie-dilla, made on a tomato basil tortilla with diced avocado, roasted red pepper, garlic, onion, diced carrots, and mozzarella cheese. It was simple, yet tasty, as all the vegetables blended together perfectly. I ate almost the entire portion and was satisfied, but I could imagine those with larger appetites leaving hungry.
My mom was a bit smarter with the drink choice and ordered the Bahama Mama smoothie, made with pineapple, banana, orange, strawberry, probiotic yogurt, and coconut. It tasted like a normal smoothie, but with extra health benefits and less sugar.
She also had the mega-protein salad, with chickpeas, seeds, grilled tempeh, pistachios, and spinach with balsamic dressing. Unfortunately, she missed the "tempeh" on the menu, a soy based product that resembles tofu. We both tried it, but neither of us liked the strange texture, which was firm but chewy.
Despite our ordering mistakes, the food was prepared well and was extremely fresh. The prices are a bit steep for the amount of food provided, but the quality of the ingredients makes up for the few extra dollars.
If you're health conscious, Liquid Energy is the place for you. But be aware of what you are ordering, and be wary of things you might not like. If you're not used to tempeh or green smoothies but want to stop in, I suggest ordering a fruit smoothie and a turkey wrap or quesadilla. If you have a huge appetite and don't want to drop $10 on a salad or wrap, I'd stick to the taco truck - but if you're looking to spend a bit little more on quality, healthy food, Liquid Energy is right up your alley.
Liquid Energy is located at 298 Main Street and is open Monday-Friday 8am-5pm.
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As a health nut, Buffalo may not be the best place for me to live. Don't get me wrong-- I love chicken wings and beef on weck once in a while, but most of the time I'm looking for something more nutritious. This can be a difficult task in the land of Anchor Bar and Labatt Blue.
Luckily for me, a few restaurants and cafes fill this vegetable void.
Liquid Energy is one of these places. Located on Main Street, the juice bar serves raw juices, smoothies, and lunch items, which are all made from scratch using organic and natural products. Customers can choose between breakfast smoothies, including the popular Early Bird, espresso smoothies, and wheatgrass shots, in addition to a wide array of lunch options, which include quesadillas, wraps, paninis, salads, and rice bowls.
The bar itself is quite small, and works for most customers who grab a breakfast smoothie on the go. Those who prefer to sit down and eat a meal can do so in the accompanying modern style lounge.
On my first visit, I felt an obligation to try something different. I ordered the Green Up juice, made out of kale, parsley, celery, spinach, cucumber, lemon, and green apple. I was stupidly hoping it wouldn't taste like a salad in liquid form, but I was let down and barely managed a few sips of the green sludge. I learned my lesson-- if it doesn't sound good, don't order it.
I chose a safe option for the lunch, the veggie-dilla, made on a tomato basil tortilla with diced avocado, roasted red pepper, garlic, onion, diced carrots, and mozzarella cheese. It was simple, yet tasty, as all the vegetables blended together perfectly. I ate almost the entire portion and was satisfied, but I could imagine those with larger appetites leaving hungry.
My mom was a bit smarter with the drink choice and ordered the Bahama Mama smoothie, made with pineapple, banana, orange, strawberry, probiotic yogurt, and coconut. It tasted like a normal smoothie, but with extra health benefits and less sugar.
She also had the mega-protein salad, with chickpeas, seeds, grilled tempeh, pistachios, and spinach with balsamic dressing. Unfortunately, she missed the "tempeh" on the menu, a soy based product that resembles tofu. We both tried it, but neither of us liked the strange texture, which was firm but chewy.
Despite our ordering mistakes, the food was prepared well and was extremely fresh. The prices are a bit steep for the amount of food provided, but the quality of the ingredients makes up for the few extra dollars.
If you're health conscious, Liquid Energy is the place for you. But be aware of what you are ordering, and be wary of things you might not like. If you're not used to tempeh or green smoothies but want to stop in, I suggest ordering a fruit smoothie and a turkey wrap or quesadilla. If you have a huge appetite and don't want to drop $10 on a salad or wrap, I'd stick to the taco truck - but if you're looking to spend a bit little more on quality, healthy food, Liquid Energy is right up your alley.
Liquid Energy is located at 298 Main Street and is open Monday-Friday 8am-5pm.
I luv the grasshopper drink, alittle minty and so good for you.