Jugo Juice: Meal-in-a-Smoothie

I admit I was a bit apprehensive when I passed by Jugo Juice in the Podium (Ortigas Center) on the way to the office. This was partly because I was sick and tired of juice and smoothie shops claiming that they made 100% all-natural juice and they end up tasting like water with a lot of sugar and artificial flavors.

However, Jugo Juice seemed different. For one thing, I was totally attracted to their colorful and attractive display. Their menu showed the contents of their smoothies, and there were signs indicating how many servings of fruit each order contained. And okay, I have to say, all the combinations looked DELICIOUS. So I decided to give it a try.

Find out what I thought about their smoothies after the jump…

The very first smoothie I tried was the Jugo Classico (Strawberries, banana, apple juice, and orange juice – equivalent to 5 servings of fruits). From the very first gulp, I knew straightaway that their claims of each serving being, literally, a “meal” in a cup, were completely right. Contrary to most juices that have been sweetened (to a fault sometimes), the Jugo Classico had none of the sweet, saccharine, sugary taste that, sadly, most fruit smoothies have. In fact, I was taken aback at how “un-sweet” it tasted. It was still bursting with flavor, though, and halfway down the 14 oz. cup, I was feeling quite full.

Since then, I have come back several times to taste their other creations. Righteous Red (raspberries, strawberries, cranberry juice, and low-fat yogurt) was a lovely combination of these red berries, and had just the right blend of sweetness and a hint of “sourness” that you find in most berries that wasn’t overpowering at all. Summer Strawberry (strawberry, peaches, apple juice, cranberry juice) was exactly what it was – a perfect summer drink, light and totally intoxicating.

Perhaps what surprised me the most were their Buzz Smoothies. Today I tried the Strawberry Buzz (strawberry puree, iced coffee, low-fat frozen yogurt) and was expecting something that was more coffee than anything. Instead, I got this absolutely blissful blend of lovely light coffee and – hallelujah! – glorious strawberries. The combination was absolutely perfect, with each element complementing each other instead of overpowering.

The prices are a bit dear, with a 14 oz. cup ranging from anywhere between 130 to 160 pesos and the 24 oz. cup going well above 200 pesos, but it’s money worth spending. Other premium smoothie shops charge nearly as much, but don’t offer as much nutritional value. With Jugo Juices, you get what you pay for – a naturally delicious, healthy and fruity meal in a cup.

Jugo Juice Philippine Branches:

RCBC
3/F Tower 2 RCBC Plaza
6819 Ayala Avenue
Makati City

Philippines

The Podium Mall
Level 1, 18 ADB Avenue
Mandaluyong City

For more information, visit http://www.jugojuice.com