Work Lunches: Smoothie Express
Our "Work Lunches" series focuses on your non-traditional food establishments, the ones without brick and mortar locations. For nomenclature purposes, we'll call them Online Restaurants
Smoothie Express
Order online
FOLLY: Our Smoothie Express review has been elusive for a while now. We've ordered it before but I can't even remember what happened but we never posted it. Outside of that experience, I have also ordered their smoothies a couple of times.
NOSA: I actually order Smoothie Express with some frequency.
FOLLY: I ordered the Kiwi Banana Smoothie and the "Spicy Shrimps" Salad. The word "shrimps" in the menu item irks me because shrimp is the plural of shrimp.
NOSA: I think I've never ordered the shrimp one for this very reason.
FOLLY: Please, owners of Smoothie Express if you're reading this please change it, please.
FOLLY: First impression of Smoothie Express is that they, unlike most of their competitors, have a decent website for online ordering that actually ALLOWS you to pay online.
NOSA: This is a MAJOR selling point for me. I can order, pay online, and at no point does anybody call me to "confirm" my order (looking at you, Chicken Republic). The website is a bit buggy, but the tech aspect of Smoothie Express' operations certainly doesn't get enough credit.
Anyway, I got the Berries Fete smoothie (not pictured because I forgot smh), which is a cup full of blueberries, strawberries, grapes, bananas, and honey. At 300 cal, per the Smoothie Express website, this is pretty healthy for a non-healthy option (Smoothie Express has "light" versions of their smoothies).
FOLLY: My smoothie arrived very cold and still frozen (i.e. the water had not begun to separate) which was great considering we're in the tropics.
The ingredient list of the kiwi banana smoothie contains kiwi, banana, pineapple, yoghurt and honey. My initial reservation on this smoothie was that the kiwi would be overwhelming cause I find kiwi quite tart and after I eat it my lips begin to tingle (that eventually happened) but I ordered it anyway.
NOSA: To be honest, I never really look out for flavor when I order smoothies. I just want it really cold and still "frozen". I hate fruit enough already, I'm not trying to taste it. But the Berries Fete my favorite of the lot.
FOLLY: I thought it was a great smoothie and the taste of the pineapple (my second favourite fruit after orange, yes, I'm basic deal with it) came through in the entire thing. It also wasn't bitter or overwhelmingly sweet.
NOSA: My salad, on the other hand, was pretty solid. Like a solid 6/7. Not great, but far from bad. Could have done with a little variety in the content. Maybe some spinach here and there. A little less cabbage and carrots. Wished it was more "leafy". Salad, not coleslaw. I got avocado as an extra to give it some oomph.
FOLLY: Now, this "spicy shrimps salad" was not the one for me. I'm very big on smells and I can condemn an entire plate of food if there's a smell I don't like. Upon opening the salad, there was a particular smell I couldn't place. I think it was one of the spicies used in the shrimp and so I could only stomach a few bites before I condemned this to the "it's a no from me" pile. Yeah, I tried and I really couldn't.
POSTSCRIPT
FOLLY: Their smoothies are great, the salad wasn't my cup of tea.
NOSA: Well, they're SMOOTHIE Express, not SALAD Express.
VERDICT
DAMAGE
Spicy Shrimp Salad - N1500
Kiwi Banana Smoothie - N1500
Chicken Salad - N1400
Berries Fête Smoothie - N1500
PARKING
N/A
Delivery only