Açai: It’s got three syllables. The first two are “a sigh” as in “at the end of a long day I give a sigh of relief.” The last one is “ee”, like the sound at the end of money or funny. Now that you have the pronunciation covered, what does it taste like and where can you find a good cheap açai bowl?

The Açai Corner

Review by Daniel Spence

The Açai Corner is a food truck located in James Mitchell Park in South Perth. This truck sells an assortment of different types of açai bowls, smoothies and RAW vegan food options. I went there on April 20 at about noon. The food truck is situated in the middle of the park. 

I ordered the Coco Loco Bowl which cost $16 and the Mad Mango Smoothie which cost $10.50. The food took about 10 minutes to be ready but I didn’t mind as they have a little seating area for diners to wait and eat. The day I went there was a beautiful sunny day and I enjoyed basking in the sun and breathing in the fresh air. The Açai Corner definitely benefits from its location as James Mitchell Park has a great view of the city which looked amazing on this particular sunny day.

What I liked about this bowl is that all the ingredients, which included açai, granola, shredded coconut, passionfruit, strawberries and blueberries, were all fresh. I liked that they used fresh rather than frozen fruit. All the ingredients were fresh and ripe and all the fruit complemented each other well. If I were to make one complaint, it’s that I found it to be very sour. Take this, however, with a grain of salt as I am not a fan of sour food, so if you like sour food this will be for you. For me it needed a grain or two of sugar to balance out the sour. I know, I know, this goes against the whole natural health food idea they’re going for, however when the staff, who are incredibly friendly and inviting with a huge smile on their face, asked if I wanted it sweet or not I said sweet. If this is the sweet option, I would hate to see the unsweetened alternative.

Overall I enjoyed the experience of the location, staff and overall I enjoyed the açai bowl. I just found it a bit too sour for my taste. This is something best enjoyed on a bright sunny Perth day hanging out by the South Perth foreshore. Overall, I give the experience an 8 out of 10. 

The Little Parry

Reviewed by Dhanya vimalan

The Little Parry is a local café in Bull Creek, walking distance from many shops and other eateries. The homely café sells several baked goods, breakfast foods, and aromatic coffees. But I was there for one reason, and one reason only, açai . 

The menu, includes a variety of dishes, but my eyes landed on the word ‘Açai’ at the bottom. The lovely staff at the counter, took my order with a smile. I paid $9 for my meal, which was cheap considering acai bowls are generally priced at $15. 

I headed over to a table outside, and it took about five minutes before I was served my order, but I was stunned to see that the açai came in a glass instead of a bowl! 

I grabbed the menu again to have another look, and my eyes definitely played tricks on me because I had ordered the açai smoothie, instead of the açai bowl, which was located at the back of the menu. Nevertheless, when the vibrant purple drink hit my tongue, I was not disappointed. The perfect blend of mixed berries, açai, bananas and chia seeds were a treat to my taste buds. 

I was, however, glad I had the hiccup with the bowl/smoothie, because the smoothie itself was incredibly filling, so I don’t think I would have tackled the bowl particularly well. 

I had never had an açai bowl, well in this case, an acai smoothie, in my life before, and if you are a fan of all things sour and tangy, this one’s definitely for you! Overall, the ambience, the staff, and of course, the acai smoothie, were all a definite recommendation for anyone looking for a healthy snack! 

Oushk

Reviewed by jarrah smith-taylor

While maybe not the cheapest spot in Perth, Oushk is known around the Melville area as a local icon. The quaint, family-owned café prides itself on wholesome, delicious food and coffee with a Lebanese twist. 

As someone who has never ordered an açai bowl before, Oushk seemed the most obvious choice given all the positive reviews I’d heard from family and friends. I, an açai bowl novice, invited a close friend who’d had plenty of experience in the world of açai to educate me in the ways of this mysterious brown-purple sludge I’d never tasted. 

At around five past ten on a Saturday morning, Oushk was bustling with the usual weekend traffic, including groups of spandex-clad young women coming from the wellness centre across the street. Despite the small space inside the café, the crowd was well-managed by the friendly staff, and we were served very quickly. 

Oushk offers a standard açai bowl complete with the commonplace toppings for $16.20, as well as a list of additional toppings for varied prices. I chose the personal favourite of Turkish delight for an extra dollar. Due to COVID-19 precautions, Oushk currently does not provide table service, but my friend and I were happy to sit on the footpath in the sun.

Within five or so minutes, we were delivered two Biopack containers packed to the brim with goodies. The bowls were a decent size, being just small enough to carry with one hand. The açai took up majority of the bowl with the additional ingredients piled on top, including sprinklings of coconut, goji berries, granola, popcorn, sliced banana and strawberries, and the pink, little cubes of Turkish delight. 

Whether you enjoy the taste of açai or not, you have to admit they are a truly stunning meal visually. The warm, vibrant colours are very enticing, and the bowls look as though they are crafted with forethought. 

The all-important first mouthful enlightened me to what I can only describe as a rich and earthy smoothie. The açai was sweet and refreshing but was quite filling and left me feeling energized after. The variety of toppings included in the standard order make this bowl a solid choice, as the textures and flavours complement each other perfectly. I’d be interested to explore the other additional toppings available.

If you’re looking for a flavourful and healthy mini-meal to get you through your day, I’d recommend stopping by Oushk for a scrumptious açai bowl and maybe a coffee, if you’re so inclined. The extra couple bucks are well worth it!

Check out our other Cheap Eats reviews:

• Cheap eats for amigos
• Cheap eats for pizza lovers
• Cheap eats for breakfast