Original Grain: My LA Home Away From Home

One of the first new things I was introduced to in LA was the poke bowl. Only about a week into our program, we were taken to Warner Bros Studio for a tour and given a voucher for a free meal at their cafe. I had never heard of poke before, but all of my friends made a beeline for the counter, so I said what the heck and filled my bowl with a few safe options- quinoa, tomatoes, edamame, cilantro, kale, cherry tomatoes and a drizzle of avocado sauce. One bite in and my taste buds were screaming. It was so good, and one of those meals you don’t regret eating after. Poke quickly became my all-time favorite meal while in LA… until about a month and a half later when I was introduced to a second superfood I had never before heard about. If you’re close with me at all, you’ve absolutely heard me talking about this food nonstop since I’ve returned, and I’ve probably even tried to force feed it to you at one point or another. If you don’t already know where I’m going with this, the food that I’m talking about here is acai, and I have been forever changed since this berry has entered into my life (insert a couple dozen heart eye emojis here).

Until a couple of months ago, the only place to get an acai bowl in Syracuse (at least that I knew of) was at Jamba Juice in Carousel. Not really a great quick snack option being a chain store located in the heart of the most frustrating mall to get into. Yet, here I was making the trek at least once a week up to the second floor in the canyon area just to get myself a bowl of the fresh, fruity goodness. Well that is no longer the case with Original Grain’s move to town!!

Located at the corner of East Fayette and South Salina downtown, one foot in this cafe and I was transported back to Acai Jungle, my go-to acai spot in Burbank. The entire place has a very cali vibe, with vintage wall hangings and earthy light fixtures. Modern and eccentric is a good way to describe it, and there’s a ton of natural light which makes dining more enjoyable (and made for some really great pictures).

The menu is pretty extensive, and although it took my parents and I a few minutes to decide what we wanted, we settled on one Purple Swag Brekkie Bowl, one Hail MF Kale Poke Bowl, and one Antioxidant Boost smoothie (featured from left to right here):

Original Grain also offers toast, kelp noodles, nori wraps and sandwiches. While I was waiting for my food I watched a NY Minute sandwich being made behind the counter and I can honestly say I’ll be back before the end of the week to sink my teeth into that sucker. Everything on the menu is super delicious, affordable, and the best part HEALTHY, which is something I’ve struggled to find since being back in Syracuse. Especially in the colder  weather, I notice us Central New Yorkers tend to gravitate toward our easy to make comfort foods, but now having this option so conveniently located nearby, I’m hoping to avoid that pitfall come the winter months.

You can check out the full menu on the Original Grain website here:  http://originalgrainsters.com/menu/

BUT the best way to get in on the action is go for a visit yourself!

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