The scoop on Açaí Fresh

Plus, news on the five-story building planned for Third Street, Pinkadot’s anniversary, and word on Natural Food Works

Owner Lee Pflugrath hands me a Yolo Bowl as employee Jared Azarcon shows his approval. The signature açaí soft serve comes with strawberries, banana, granola and honey. I added kiwifruit. There will be tons of healthy options when the store opens to the public later this month. (Photos by Wendy Weitzel)

Ahh-SIGH-eee. That’s how you pronounce the key ingredient of what is soon to be the newest craze in Davis.

YoloBerry Yogurt owner Lee Pflugrath is the man behind Açaí Fresh, which should open in another week or so at 431 G St., the former home of Black Frog Coffee.

I got to preview the delicious, healthy treat on Friday as Pflugrath trained employees, prepping them for a soft opening.

Pflugrath has been working on this concept for about two years, when a ride on a golf cart in Scottsdale, Ariz., ended up changing his life’s trajectory. He happened to share a cart with the owner of Berry Divine, which makes soft-serve açaí and has several outlets in Arizona.

These bowls aren’t the runny smoothie bowls you get most places. It’s the texture of soft-serve sorbet, with just two ingredients: organic açaí berries and organic apple juice. It’s vegan, dairy- and gluten-free, and full of antioxidants. Toppings include fresh and dried fruits, nuts, seeds, coconut and coconut oil, lemon zest, granola (regular or gluten-free), honey, agave, bee pollen, nut butters, cacao nibs and shaved chocolate. Prices start at $10 for a small.

“People can eat these as breakfast, lunch, dinner or a snack,” Pflugrath said. He loves it, from the texture to the taste.

I enjoyed the signature Yolo Bowl that comes with strawberries, banana, granola and honey. I added kiwifruit. It didn’t even start to melt as I interviewed him on Friday.

“I’m really excited to bring this to California,” he said. “There’s nothing like this. … We’re the first one other than Arizona.”

Berry Divine gets the hand-picked açaí berries – which look like blueberries – from palm trees in Brazil’s Amazon. It’s the only place they grow. He said there’s conservation work to ensure sustainability. The berries are processed, extracting the pulp, within 48 hours.

Pflugrath plans to open more Açaí Fresh outlets and offer it for catering. “It’s kinda fun to do something different,” he said. YoloBerry has been the most successful frozen yogurt outlet in Davis since 2008. “And it’s easier to duplicate,” noting there aren’t 100 toppings.

Hours will initially be 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. Times will adjust according to demand.