Over the weekend, Central Florida temperatures reached a high of 91 degrees. Driving around town, I saw convertible tops down and a lot of traffic, presumably people heading to a nearby park or family member’s home for some outside fun. For me, this type of weather is a clear call, bat-sign if you will, for the best time in summer: smoothie time.
Outside of my daily water intake and morning cups of tea, smoothies are my favorite drinks. At some point I will invest in one of those expensive smoothie makers, but for now, I have to depend on outside means to get my smoothie fix. I have tried a number of different smoothie shops and coffee shops, but for the most part, those smoothies were made with some type of milk product or with things that I had no idea what they were. All I wanted was a fruit smoothie. Nothing more. Nothing added. Just when I needed it the most, I lucked up on a short review on The Smoothie Room in an Orlando Weekly paper. The very same day I read the review, I remember inputting the location into my gps and heading straight for what would become my go-to smoothie spot.
The Smoothie Room is located in the SODO area, right outside of Downtown Orlando. It is locally owned by two brothers, Rey and Miguel, and serves fresh, all-natural smoothies. Smoothie options are made up of a variety of flavors including Pina Colada, Pineapple Express, and Papaya Love. My favorite is Chocolate Factory. It is a tasty mix of dark chocolate, banana, peanut butter, and almond milk. It is thick, chocolaty, and peanut buttery smooth. The banana adds a nice touch of sweetness. To be honest, I have stuck with Chocolate Factory since my first visit. I have tried other flavors, which were good, but I found myself drawn right back to it.
If you are more of a vegetable juice or tea person, the shop has a list of options for you, as well. During a recent visit, Rey made me an off-the-menu concoction made of carrots, spinach, beets, and broccoli. I was a bit hesitant at first, but it turned out to be really refreshing.
I could honestly go on and on, but I will try to contain myself. For an inside look at The Smoothie Room, take a peek at the video above.
