Krokodile Pear
1867 West 1st Ave in Kitsilano
You know ALL the food & bevvy spots in your neighbourhood. You almost can’t help it. Fellow foodies, you can attest to this, right? Whether it’s from pacing the local streets, mentally marking all the food joints (don’t worry, I do it, too…) or from simply living in and becoming well acquainted with the neighbourhood, when a new kid arrives on the block, you know.
I was innocently picking up some groceries on my usual corner in Kitsilano, when and a glimmer of stark white counter caught my eye; I stopped in my tracks. Something new. Something fresh. Something “very Kitsilano” had come to West 1 Ave. Organic, cold-pressed, (gluten free) juice. In lieu of bringing cupcakes to welcome them to the neighbourhood, I instead, promised I would put a little “juice” behind their juice, in this week’s blog post!
So what’s the concept of “cold-pressed” juice? Here’s what I learned: your everyday blender or juicer uses friction (spinning blades) and electricity to break down the fruit and/or vegetables and extract the juice. Yet, the fact, that surprised me during my visit, is that this process can also break down some of the enzymes and nutrients in the fruits. With the cold-pressed concept, everything is kept in it’s purest state by simply shredding the ingredients and pulling them in hydraulic press. It a laborious endeavour, but the high-pressure system gets every last drop of juice outta there without stripping away any enzymes or nutrients. Apparently, the remains of this process are similar to a piece of cardboard!
So it’s fresh, organic juice, (and it’s real tasty at that!) However, it’s not like Booster Juice where you take a seat and plug your ears while your order is made. They do have a menu of juice & smoothie combos that they’ve designed, but all of the individual fruit juices are chilled and ready to go in glass-bottled taps – meaning that you can:
a) enjoy the peace and quiet while your beverage is made
b) have your order ready in a matter of seconds
c) customize your drink, exactly how you like it!
It’s a bit of a pricey endeavour (juices/smoothies are $7-$10,) but Krokodile Pear certainly came to the right spot. The idea to provide an “on-the-go option without compromise,” in the form of premium, organic juice, is perfectly aligned with the Kitsilano neighbourhood that is home to the healthful like of Tractor Foods, Whole Foods, Ayoubs, and Fable. After a morning run or afternoon swim, while dashing to work or walking the dog, why not try something fresh at Krokodile Pear? You can give ’em a warm welcome and get a cool treat!
ps. Wondering about the name, “Krododile Pear?” Crocodile Pear and Alligator Pear are other names for avocados, a food that became somewhat ostracized when food (it’s nutrition, information, production) became (over)complicated in the media. The thought behind the name of the store, was to “reclaim” the avocado, and bring it to the forefront as a healthy and multi-benefit food.
