DINING FEATURE
BY WESLEY GARDNER
Honey
Peanut butter
Anatomy of an ACAI BOWL Acai Brasil oers a variety of authentic acai bowls containing a range of fruit, granola and additional toppings. Here is a look at the Protein Power acai bowl.
Strawberries
Blueberries
Ban Berry ($8-$17): This acai bowl consists of acai, banana, strawberry, granola and honey.
Shaved coconut
WESLEY GARDNERCOMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER
Acai
Granola
ah-sigh-ee
(Noun) the small edible blackish- purple berries of a South American palm tree
Acai
Coxinha ($1.65-$7.95): Shredded, seasoned chicken is covered in dough, battered and fried.
Protein Power ($10.20-$19): Layers of acai, granola, shaved coconut, blueberries, peanut butter and honey make up this acai bowl.
COURTESY ACAI BRASIL
WESLEY GARDNERCOMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER
Acai Brasil Local restaurant owners oer up taste of their homeland W hen Verena Arus moved to the U.S. from Brazil in 2006, she had no inten-
location in February 2017 o Lee Road in Humble. The eatery oers Brazilian nger foods in addition to juices, smoothies and acai bowls. According to Arus, acai—dubbed “nature’s purple gold”—is packed with vitamins, antioxidants and nutrients and takes on the texture of ice cream when prepared. “It’s very powerful and produces a lot of bene ts for your body— mental, digestive,” Arus said, noting all acai bowls are dairy and gluten free. “We call it ‘vegan ice cream.’” In addition to a wide variety of acai bowls containing a bevy of fruits, granola and other toppings, Arus said she wanted to oer smaller portions of Brazilian cuisine to give customers a chance to try dishes from her native country. While many restaurants struggled
throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, Arus said Acai Brasil ourished. “We didn’t close through COVID, and because of that, people started searching for places to eat,” she said, noting the restaurant became so busy it would routinely run out of inventory early in the week. To meet the demand, the couple moved the restaurant to a larger location on West Lake Houston Parkway in May 2021. Looking to the future, Arus said she hopes to one day franchise the business to other Greater Houston- area communities. Above all, Arus said she is happy to bring a taste of Brazil to Houston. “For us to see people prioritizing having an acai bowl over other things, it makes us really happy,” she said.
tion of starting her own restaurant. Arus initially came to America to play volleyball while obtaining her degree from San Jacinto College. After graduating, she took a job in the oil industry. However, Arus said it was not until she met her hus- band, Misael Miranda, at a jiujitsu tournament that the idea to open Acai Brasil began to form. “My husband had just arrived from Brazil, and he has a passion for acai,” Arus said. “Everywhere we went, we gured out that they serve blended acai. … That’s not how they make it back home.” After starting Acai Brasil out of their home in 2016, the couple opened their rst brick-and-mortar
Verena Arus opened Acai Brasil with her husband, Misael Miranda, in 2017.
WESLEY GARDNERCOMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER
Acai Brasil 12230 W. Lake Houston Parkway, Ste. 150, Houston 281-809-5740 www.acai-brasil.com Hours: Mon.-Thu. 10 a.m.-8 p.m., Fri.-Sat. 10 a.m.-9 p.m., Sun. 1-8 p.m.
W. LAKE HOUSTON PKWY.
N
SAVE ON SELECT BOTTLES OF WINE & SPIRITS *
TWIN LIQUORS
JUNE 27 - JULY 4
IN-STORE & ONLINE
SCAN TO SHOP OUR CURRENT SPECIALS
TWINLIQUORS.COM
CELEBRATION
July 4th Celebration runs 6/27/22-7/4/22. Valid on featured products. Sale items can be shopped in-store and online at www.twinliquors.com. Selection varies by store. Items and prices subject to change without notice. No further discount on Sale Items, Final Few, or Closeouts. Some exclusions apply. Please drink responsibly.
29
LAKE HOUSTON HUMBLE KINGWOOD EDITION • JUNE 2022
Powered by FlippingBook