Natural Juice (cart)

In a word: Runner-up.

The specs: #0576  
Address, hours & details via Isthmus.

JM ate the strawberry banana smoothie.
Nichole ate the raspberry smoothie and a spring roll.
Skip ate the banana blueberry smoothie.
The bill was about $4/person, plus tip.
JM gave Natural Juice a B; Nichole gave Natural Juice a C+ (see our grading rubric).

Latest Natural Juice news and reviews

Natural Juice is another smoothie and spring roll cart just feet from Fresh Cool Drinks. Because we'd been to Fresh Cool Drinks first, and because it's one of Nichole's favorite carts, she needs to disclose a preference for FCD that gave Natural Juice a bad rap even though it stands fine on its own four wheels. JM wonders if a good 32 flavor Hawaiian Shave Ice cart could make a better go of it instead of two so identically themed and served carts.

A bucolic scene on the side of the cart invited us to drift off and soak up vitamin D as we waited. No such relaxation was on hand for the sole operator inside, who juggled orders from two service windows.

Skip started things off with a banana blueberry smoothie. He said:

It was quite smooth and very refreshing on that hot day. When it first hits your palate, you taste the luscious blueberry and banana in equal measure. As it slides back, the banana becomes more prominent. Very tasty indeed.

JM, too, enjoyed his run-of-the-mill choice, the strawberry banana smoothie, which was standard and just fine. Though he spilled a small amount of it and hopes that's not where the best slurp had lay.

Trying our best to be objective, we still think we noticed more ice and less body to the smoothies at Natural Juice (also evinced by their quickness to melt). This could be a good thing if you're looking for a lighter and more hydrating option than a dairy-based cup, though you can request a milk-based smoothie.

The spring roll was still $2 but a bit smaller, drier and less complex than Fresh Cool Drinks' - no spike of mint or cilantro and no shrimp option, but it was a decent snack of fresh shredded cabbage, carrots, and this time rice stick, with peanuts and Sriracha.

Natural Juice. That's about it.