Mana! Raw

That place is fabulous. All fresh, healthy and raw. The fresh juices and shakes are so delicious. The coconut shake is so yummy and thick, and the raw buckwheat and walnut granola is one of the best healthy breakfast bowls I have ever had. The vushi (vegetarian sushi) or the veggie wraps make a nice take-​away lunch. They are soooo good. Today I ate the Alaya vushi with celery root and cashew rice and must say it is a yummy lunch or dinner. I took the pesto salad (zucchini noodles, pesto slow dried tomatoes, asparagus, pine nuts and vegan parmesan) home to store in the refridgerator and take to work tomorrow. Already looking more forward to my day tomorrow. The staff is very helpful and friendly and the wifi works well (the password is at the wall left of the register). You can pay with your Octopus card. If only they would not use plastic bowls, wrapping and cutlery for non-​take away meals, their healthy-​green-​recycling approach would seem much more credible and honest.

My favorite shake (recommended by my cousin)? It’s mango, coconut, banana and super greens!!! Ohhh so yum! So refreshing on a hot day. And you don’t feel sick like you would if you had ice cream.
We also had tried the acai bowl — also very good but the portion size is so small! For 70 $ I wished they gave a bit more and filled that little container to the top! Still yummy though!
It’s generally pricy but your body will thank you!

I’ve always loved Mana, and this is the first time I’ve tried Mana Raw. I love the flat breads at Mana but I have really fallen head over heels with the vushi! I’m guessing it stands for vegan sushi, and uses either brown rice or rice alternatives.
I tried the Alaya vushi, which was made with celery root and cashew nuts. The ingredients consisted of avocado, romaine, lettuce and alfalfa … Might not sound too appetizing but with the teriyaki sauce & sushi it was totally amazeballs!
What else can I love more? Well with a meal you can add a drinks combo. For juices it’s only +$ 20, and I opted for the coco raw, +$ 35. Honestly this is the best coconut drink I’ve ever had — it’s basically liquid coconut!!!
I’ve posted a pic of their recycling system– pretty impressive.
The only downside — too far to go for lunch from work!

So glad this location is now open! I love the original Mana, but it’s nice to have a little bit more variety in terms of food selection at this new joint. Everything here is raw and vegetarian, but don’t let that scare you. The food and shakes/​juices/​cold coffees are tasty and refreshing.
Perhaps my favorite aspect of this location is the opening hours. I work pretty early in the morning sometimes and get a «breakfast» break at 8:00 a.m.; Mana Raw is the only healthy option for me that’s open at that hour. I love going there for a cold-​brew coffee (made with almond milk, which I prefer over the soy milk at the original Mana) and chia seed cashew pudding. That pudding, by the way, is LIFE. Chia seeds typically disgust me due to their slimy consistency, but somehow I can’t get enough of this snack.
I would make the coffee/​pudding thing my daily ritual. .. if it didn’t come with such a hefty price tag ($ 75 for a 20 oz. cold-​brew coffee. .. and I can’t remember how much the pudding is, but it’s up there). I get it though; every ingredient in Mana’s menu offerings is sourced with care, ensuring that the customers get the healthy and wholesome experience that they came there for. And that sh*t don’t come cheap.
It would be nice if they had a public restroom available, and it would be nice if there were a little more seating (only 5 bar stools inside and 4 bar stools outside). So, I’d highly recommend Mana Raw for take-​away orders. If you go during an off-​peak time though, there will enough seating for you to hang out, enjoy your snack/​meal, and use the free wifi (just ask someone there for the passcode).

The prospect of eating chia pudding doesn’t excite me the way it does some people, but after savoring a bowl of Mana’s version today, I think I finally realize what Jim Morrison was alluding to in one of his most famous songs.
My chia pudding fire has been lit!
Really, this was a life-​bettering experience. I talked to the lovely staffer who made it, and today’s ingredients included fresh mango, strawberry, vanilla coconut cream, coconut meat… and a lot of love.
I also tried a made-​to-​order juice with sweet potato, melon, and carrot. The verdict? ‘Twas excellent!
This tiny raw vegan outpost is bursting with clean flavors, vitality, and good ol’ California-​like hippie vibes. And now I’m even more eager to try their sister eatery, the much-​loved Mana! Fast Slow Food.