Tropical Smoothie Cafe — Restaurant in Cranston

2/26/24–After running errands for a few hours, my feet were weary, and my mind yearned for the comfort of a decaf oat latte. Yet, fate had other plans as the nearby Starbucks, my beacon of caffeinated solace, stood closed for renovation. With a sigh, I resigned myself to fate's whims and found myself gripped by an unexpected desire for a fruit smoothie. Despite the winter chill lingering in the air, the craving persisted, refusing to be ignored. Embracing the peculiar urge, I set off in search of a remedy for my fruity hankering. It was then that I stumbled upon a quaint tropical cafe tucked away on a quiet street corner. Stepping inside, a sense of tranquility washed over me as I surveyed the serene surroundings. The cafe was devoid of the usual bustling crowd, allowing me ample time to peruse the menu at leisure. My eyes danced over the offerings until they settled upon the "Sunrise Sunset" smoothie, a tantalizing blend of strawberries, pineapple, mango, and other tropical delights. The young girl who crafted my smoothie possessed a smile that could light up the darkest of rooms, and her makeup was a work of art in itself. As she deftly blended the fruits behind the counter, her hands moved with the grace of a seasoned artist, each motion a testament to her skill and passion . In that moment, I couldn't help but think that she was destined for greatness, her talent too immense to be confined to the walls of a humble cafe. With her radiant smile and impeccable makeup, she exuded the same confidence and artistry as the legendary Mario Dedivanovic, a maestro of the makeup world. As I waited for my smoothie, I couldn't shake the feeling that I had just witnessed something special. The woman behind the counter was more than just a smoothie maker; she was a true artist in every sense of the word, and her talent was destined to leave a lasting impression on the world. As I waited for the my smoothie I couldn't help but notice a particular table strategically positioned across from a captivating photograph adorning the wall. The image depicted a picturesque boardwalk stretching out towards a turquoise sea, evoking visions of faraway shores and sun-kissed sands A curious sensation washed over me as I gazed at the tableau before me. For a fleeting moment, it felt as though the table and the photograph were inextricably linked, forming a portal to a distant paradise. It was as if someone had conspired to create this surreal moment, anticipating my arrival and granting me a fleeting glimpse of tropical bliss. With a smile playing on my lips, I sipped my smoothie, relishing each sip as if it were infused with the essence of the Maldives itself. Whoever had arranged the tables in this quaint cafe surely possessed a keen understanding of serendipity, for they had crafted an experience that transcended the ordinary and transported me to a realm of...

The cafe just opened in the past few days, not a few months ago, so I was somewhat excited to see a smoothie bar show up in the area. I went there with my wife on a Saturday night, around 8:00pm, so not too late, but also not that early. Given that they just opened, I did expect it to be swarmed with people, but it was not as busy as I had anticipated.

The size, as you might be able to make out from the cup, is not bad for the price, around $5 with no add ins. I did not try any of the food offered, and I only saw one couple in there eating food, so I cannot comment on how popular it is.

The flavor combinations are pretty run of the mill, with their own names added to them, like Sunrise, Sunset or Peaches N Bliss. I mention those two names as those are the two we ordered.

The flavor was decent, after they had melted down a bit. When you first receive your smoothie, they are extremely thick, from all the ice that is used. So thick, that they are hard to drink, but we struggled on.

I felt that they use more ice than they should, to reduce the amount of ingredients that are put in the smoothies. I say that because when they started to get liquid, with no frozen consistency left, they tasted more of water than the fruit that was in them. Also when too much ice is used, the flavors don’t blend together perfectly. For example, the Sunrise, Sunset, while it was still very thick and frozen, the only flavor profile that was noticeable was the orange juice, but as it melted, and the fruit started to mix together, you started to get the real flavor that was intended. When it was at that point, they were quite tasty, but before that and when it was very melted, it was kind of forgettable.

To fix this, I think, based on my own experience making smoothies at home, and drinking them across the globe, you blend the fruits together first, in the blender, with no ice added yet, then you slowly add in the ice, while blending. It adds time to the process, yes, but it will improve the flavor, and as a direct result, the customers will be happier and more inclined to return on a more frequent basis.

There are also add ins available for all the smoothies, to make them healthier. I did not add any in. The list is posted on the register where you are ordering. They appeared to be 0.99 each, which is a bit pricey, in my honest opinion. The average price I have found has been 0.50 each, and some places will do 3 for $1.

All in all, the place does have potential, as long as certain things are rectified. I understand it is a corporate franchise, and rules need to be followed, but with some indie places around, competition...

I ordered online for pickup. When I got there my food was ready and sitting in the pickup area. I also ordered two smoothies. The counter was full of blenders so I figured they were working on it. One person was sweeping while the other two made the smoothies. After about ten minutes I was acknowledged and said I was waiting on two smoothies. The person went to the counter and moved all the dirty blenders out of the way and found my slip on one. The person lightly rinsed a second blender out and went back to sweeping. The phone rang and all three went to stand around the phone while one person talked on it(mind you one staff member had both of my unblended smoothies in hand). After the phone call the smoothies went over to the blender but still didn’t get blended while the staff members talked about the phone call. After I finally received my smoothies and got home I opened my chicken quesadilla to find the attached photo. Thank you for the waste of...