Everbowl makes sweet indulgences with health in mind | Grub Scout

The Grub Spouse and I actually walked into a restaurant for the purpose of reviewing it a couple of weeks back, but at the last second, I decided (for multiple reasons) that particular establishment no longer warranted coverage. Fortunately, Everbowl — which also happened to be on my to-review list — was a short stroll away in Western Plaza shopping center. The Spouse and I were still not terribly hungry, having had a big lunch earlier in the day, but Everbowl’s light-and-healthy approach to dining sounded much more palatable than the type of cuisine we originally had in mind.

All bowls are made with plant-based ingredients that are also dairy-free, gluten-free and all-natural. Bowls come in small, medium and large sizes, and each is centered around one or more of six different bases. For example, the acai base is flavored as a cross between blackberries and unsweetened chocolate and is sweetened with organic tapioca syrup and organic cane sugar. The Blue Majic base is a creamy flavor blend of coconut, pineapple and mango, and it’s sweetened with organic coconut nectar.

The Spouse and I both ordered one of Everbowl’s nine signature bowls. The Spouse got a small Nutty Butty ($9.49), a vanilla base topped with Everoats, banana, strawberry, peanut butter, almond butter, almonds and cinnamon. I ordered a small Blue Lagoon ($9.49), which is built on three bases ­— the aforementioned Blue Majic as well as pitaya (pineapple, mango flavor) and CocoLove, a mild coconut-flavored cream. The toppings are chia pudding, strawberry, pineapple and shaved coconut.

Other signature bowls include the Everbowl (acai base), Apple Up, Pina Colada and Perfect Date, the last of which features granola, banana, blueberry, dates and peanut butter on Cacao Wow and CocoLove bases. Guests may also custom-order a Whatever bowl, choosing any combination of bases and toppings that suit their fancy. Prices there range from $10.49 to $12.49 to $15.49, depending on the bowl size.

There are other things on the menu, however, including signature, Whatever and Super-Powered smoothies. Collectively, they use most of the same ingredients as the bowls plus either almond milk or coconut milk. And as one might expect, Whatever smoothies allow customers to hand-pick their ingredients. All smoothies can be boosted with supplements like beet root, collagen, greens, spirulina, turmeric, wheat grass and either soy or whey protein powders.

Rounding out the menu are coffees, pressed juices, the vegan and dairy-free Everwhich dessert, and take-home pints of all the different varieties of bases.

We watched the friendly Everbowl staffer go to work on our bowls, and we added no customization to either of our orders. We were content to consume them as described on the menu. It took only a couple of minutes for her to top them both off and for us to find a table in the dining area and start digging in.

I was so glad we made that last-minute decision to go to Everbowl . For those who balk at superfoods or think they have to sacrifice taste and satisfaction to indulge on the healthier side, Everbowl may have you covered on all fronts. I really enjoyed my creation, finding each of my three bases a distinctive treat and appreciating the freshness of the chopped pineapple (my favorite fruit) and strawberries. I especially liked the gooey chia pudding that separated the top fruits from the bases. Flavor and texture both covered a lot of ground in one small bowl, which turned out to be more filling than I had suspected at first glance.

My sampling of The Spouse’s bowl yielded similar feelings. In fact, I liked the vanilla base quite a bit, so much so that I’ll be picking it as a main ingredient on any hypothetical future visit to Everbowl. The banana, strawberry, peanut butter and cinnamon toppings of the Nutty Butty offset the vanilla flavor with explosive diversity.

I definitely recommend a stop at either local Everbowl location (the other is at 10909 Parkside Drive in Turkey Creek) . Whether you see it as a meal, post-workout recovery nutrition or even as a dessert, one of their bowls will do you good, and it will actually taste good in the process.

Everbowl

Food : 4

Service : 3.75

Atmosphere : 3.75

Overall : 4

Address : 4481 Kingston Pike

Phone : 865-346-2695

No alcohol service

Hours : 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays; 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sundays

Bottom line : Healthful and delicious bowls, smoothies and more await at this chain of nutritiously minded eateries.

This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Everbowl makes sweet indulgences with health in mind | Grub Scout