In the bustling Del Mar Highlands Town Center, SunLife Organics settles in its new cozy corner beside the Sky Deck and CeramiCafe. The brightly pigmented smoothies gleamed in their cups bearing their easily recognizable lotus flower logo, the juice bar begged us to try it.
As we entered the store, SunLife reminded us of the infamous Erewhon — pricey and health-oriented. The decorations resembled a farmers market, with an assortment of items on shelves for sale ranging from gummy bears to sweaters to skincare products. The interior design was an aesthetically-pleasing, clean and refreshing atmosphere.
Arriving at the store around lunchtime, we were surprised to find only two to three other customers in the shop. After we reached the counter, we ordered the Hawaiian Bowl ($13.95), Pink Cloud ($11.95) and Peanut Butter Chocolate ($12.95) smoothies.
The Hawaiian Bowl contained an açaí sorbet base topped with granola, strawberry, banana and coconut flakes. The açaí base was smooth in texture, pairing perfectly with the crunchy granola. The strawberry and banana slices tasted ripe and fresh. The components seemed of very high quality, as expected considering the price. We would recommend the Hawaiian Bowl for granola lovers, as almost half the bowl contained granola. The ratio of the ingredients felt well balanced despite the overload of granola as it left the açaí bowl with a satisfying crunch. Considering the growing price of açaí, the Hawaiian Bowl is one of the better-priced items on their menu.
Despite the very few customers in the shop, we waited around ten minutes for both smoothies. The Pink Cloud, the cheapest smoothie on their menu, contained banana, raspberry, dragon fruit, hemp milk and pineapple juice. The Peanut Butter Chocolate protein smoothie contained banana, peanut butter, raw chocolate plant protein, raw cacao and almond milk.
Based on the prices, relatively long wait and aesthetics, we had high hopes. But to our disappointment, both smoothies were chunky because of the pieces of unblended banana and ice chunks, which also made it difficult to drink with a straw (a spoon would have been more appropriate).
The Pink Cloud had a slight banana taste, but the rest of the ingredients were tasteless. Neither of us has a sweet tooth, but yet we found the smoothie to be lacking in flavor and sweetness. To our surprise, the Peanut Butter Chocolate had a grainy texture, with an overpowering peanut butter and a light chocolate taste. The peanut butter overpowered the chocolate flavor, but the smoothie was much sweeter than the Pink Cloud smoothie. The Peanut Butter Chocolate smoothie melted quicker than the Pink Cloud, leaving it with a far less enjoyable, liquidy peanut butter taste. For peanut butter lovers, however, this smoothie would be delicious.
Although the smoothies and bowls were nothing special or particularly addictive, we could not stop drinking it (perhaps we were motivated by the cost). The biggest issue was affordability due to the fact that the smoothies did not quite live up to their prices. The Hawaiian Bowl was our favorite, but whether it was worth $13.95 is debatable.
Overall, SunLife Organics was appetizing but not remarkable. We recommend this juice bar for those who want to enjoy a treat that aligns with a healthy lifestyle, but price may be an issue for many.
