People often ask me, “Which acai bowl do you recommend?” But honestly, they’re all pretty good. They’re made with ingredients like fruit, granola, and honey—things that’re practically impossible to mess up—so as long as the acai isn’t too watery, you’ll usually be satisfied.
Amid all that, I came across an acai bowl that made me think, “This is different!”
Located at the western end of Waikiki, right across from the beach, is “Tropical Tribe.” After just one bite, I was amazed by the intensity of the acai. While typical acai bowls are diluted with apple juice or similar ingredients, this place serves an authentic Brazilian-style bowl made by blending two types of berries native to the Amazon: acai and guarana. Apparently, the acai used here is an organic berry rated “Grade A.”
It should be noted that, like the acai berry, the guarana berry is a fruit that has been consumed by indigenous peoples since ancient times, and it has long been valued as a medicinal remedy due to its high nutritional value.
Luckily, I was able to speak directly with the Brazilian representative who supplies acai to this shop. He even told me that he personally goes out on a boat in the Amazon to harvest acai, so it’s definitely the “real deal.”
He took out his smartphone and showed me a photo of acai berries he had harvested in the rainforest. “This is acai,” he said. “Ninety percent of it is seeds. Only the skin and the thin layer of pulp are usable.” Hearing that, I realized just how precious acai really is.
Since acai isn’t naturally sweet, I hear that in the Amazon, people eat it as a paste alongside their meals. I suppose it’s similar to “poi,” a traditional Hawaiian dish made from steamed and mashed taro.
He also says that Brazilian açaí bowls are much simpler. Apparently, piling them high with fruit is a style specific to Hawaii.
There are three steps to ordering an acai bowl at this shop.
(1) Choose a style
“Brazilian” or “Hawaiian”? The Hawaiian version is mixed with apple juice. Don’t hesitate—go for the Brazilian-style acai & guarana!
(2) Select a size
Choose from Small ($11.55), Regular ($13.20), or Large ($15.85). The Small size is plenty if you’re eating alone. If you’re sharing, go for a larger size.
(3) Choose your toppings
There are six varieties in total, ranging from the simple “Premium” with banana, strawberry, blueberry, granola, and honey, to the “Sunset” (plus $2.30), which is packed with fruits like papaya and kiwi.
My top recommendation is a dish called “Carioca” (a term in Portuguese referring to someone from Rio de Janeiro). The only fruit used is banana, combined with condensed milk, powdered milk, and “passoca,” a traditional Brazilian peanut confection. Made from ground peanuts, it had a light, nutty aroma that paired perfectly with the açaí.
It might not look very photogenic, but even a friend who usually says, “I don’t like peanut butter,” kept saying, “I love this!”
For comparison, I ordered an additional Hawaiian-style smoothie, and the color and flavor were clearly different. The Brazilian version was less sweet and had a robust flavor, with the acai taste concentrated to the max. The Hawaiian version, on the other hand, was diluted with juice, making it mild and mellow—so much so that I actually found it a bit underwhelming.
In Hawaii, where the price of acai bowls has skyrocketed, the reason you can get one here for as little as $11 is that the shop is run directly by the company that supplies the acai. Apparently, they started out as a food truck in 2013 and have since grown to the point where they now have their own store.
Since my family eats an acai bowl (of sorts) every morning, I asked if they sold them to the general public, but they said they’re currently only available for commercial use. If they ever do start selling them to the public, they’d make the perfect souvenir to bring back to Japan, so I’ll be sure to post an update here when that happens.
One last thing. I was really impressed by the Acai Soy Latte ($7.50)—it was a new flavor for me. When I saw its deep, chocolate-like color, I thought, “Is this really a latte?” and took a sip, half-doubting it. But the coffee soy latte and acai went together perfectly.
In any case, the next time someone asks me, “What’s your favorite acai bowl?” I’ll answer without hesitation: this place. By the way, when I asked a local friend in his 40s the other day, he told me, “Acai wasn’t around when I was a kid—it’s a pretty new food,” so we might see some new variations pop up in the future.
© Source travel watch