Gallery • 2 Photos

Kylie Emery

This is an acai bowl from Big Acai. It has the acai base and is topped with granola, peanut butter, banana and mixed berries. Customers have the ability to choose what kind of base and toppings they want in their bowl.

Big Acai is a local restaurant that has an extensive menu depending on which location one visits. Items on the menu include smoothies, burritos, avocado toasts, salads, soups, espresso, hot chocolates and of course sorbet bowls with a variety of bases to choose from. Big Acai has several locations such as Valley Junction, Ankeny, Ames, Pella, and most recently Johnston. There are also food trucks in both Des Moines and Okoboji. I decided to visit the Johnston location (5800 Merle Hay Road, Unit 9) to sample some of their food.

When I walked into Big Acai, I was immediately welcomed by the friendly staff who recommended the chicken burrito. I also decided to order a sorbet bowl with the acai base since acai bowls are what the restaurant is most known for. However, they had many other options for bases as well, such as warm oats, matcha, and coconut if someone is not a fan of acai. I topped it with peanut butter and mixed berries. (All of their sorbet bowls come with banana and granola automatically.)

First, I tasted my acai bowl. Overall, it was very delicious with the perfect amount of sweetness that was not overpowering. The texture of the acai sorbet was not too thick or too runny, very similar to the consistency of a scoop of ice cream, (though it is much healthier obviously.) I loved that the granola was sprinkled directly on top of the acai and peanut butter, as it added a nice crunch to all of the creaminess. The fresh fruit toppings were tasty as well. The sliced banana was fresh and sweet, and it was not overly ripe. The mixed berries were lovely as well. They were perfectly fresh and added a lovely tartness that complimented the sweetness of the rest of the bowl. I really enjoyed the fact that there were multiple different kinds of berries as well, such as strawberries, blueberries, and blackberries. All in all, I rate this bowl a 10/10 stars.

Next, I sampled the chicken burrito that the employees recommended. The chicken burrito comes with chicken, rice, cheddar cheese, beans, and avocado. The burrito was a decent size, not too large but big enough to fill me up. I also really liked that their were not too many toppings on it, because sometimes burritos will have all sorts of things on them which causes flavors to clash with each other. The chicken had a nice kick to it but was not too overpowering either. It is also important to note that anyone who knows me well knows that I do not like avocado at all, however, I surprisingly did not mind it on this burrito. The freshness of the avocado really complimented the spices of the chicken. To summarize, the chicken burrito was surprisingly yummy despite being from a restaurant that is known for acai bowls and smoothies. The chicken burrito earns an 8/10 stars.

Overall, I highly recommend Big Acai to anyone looking for a refreshing breakfast, lunch or even just an afternoon pick-me-up to satisfy their sweet tooth. Big Acai has an extensive menu with many customizable elements. Because of this and the superb taste of their food, Big Acai earns a 9/10 stars.