The seemingly constant appearance of excessively large smoothie cups brought into my classes by fellow students after open lunch begged the question of where they were all getting them from. “Tropical Smoothie Cafe!” they said. I knew I had to try it.

   With three different flavor smoothies still coursing through my body, I feel confident rating this new hot spot located at 2759 Pfingsten Rd. If I’m being honest, I was unimpressed with the strawberry banana smoothie (Jetty Punch), but “Awesome Orange” was indeed awesome. It includes orange and white chocolate, an unusual yet flavorful mixture. Even though my cup was the size of a football, I almost finished it because it was that good.

   Towards the end of the trip, my friends and I were presented with samples of “Avocolada”, a smoothie infused with avocado. I didn’t think that would be a good combination either, but it was surprisingly great. You couldn’t really taste the avocado, but it created a creamy texture, almost like a shake.

   They offer many healthy food options as well, and I chose to get the buffalo chicken wrap. It was a simple chicken and vegetable mixture wrapped inside a tortilla which was the perfect compliment to the smoothies. Sitting there eating my meal, I felt like I was on spring break in Cancun enjoying a smoothie by the ocean.

   The workers there were very nice, and I love the vibe of the place, how the tropical pictures and colors match the type of food they offer as well as (obviously) the smoothies. Overall, I would highly recommend Tropical Smoothie Cafe to anyone who likes smoothies and healthy food. It’s really close to South and always an option for open lunch.