Bernard O'Shea: Five things I've learned about açai bowls

I ended up with a purple slurpy that promised youth, health, and the ability to pronounce itself correctly.

Bernard O'Shea: "Ordering an açai bowl declares internally to your refined self: 'I care about wellness, and I'm willing to pay for it'."

1. They’re basically ice cream in disguise

My first encounter with an açai bowl occurred not in Brazil, where the berries originate, but in a café that seemed to have been decorated entirely by Instagram. You know the type — white subway tiles, plants in every corner, and a wall mural of wings you’re meant to pose in front of. The menu listed “Açai Bowl €8.50.” I stared at the word for a full minute before placing my order. Was it “ack-eye”? “ah-kay”? “a-kigh”? I considered just pointing and saying, “That purple one.” Eventually, I whispered something that sounded like a sneeze, and the young staff member nodded with pity.