Skip to content

A town square for an unsquare town

redbankgreen

Standing for the vitality of Red Bank, its community, and the fun we have together.

WHAT’S FOR LUNCH? A SMOOTHIE IN A BOWL

020316freshica4-500x290-7542716The Acai PB&J bowl from Freshica’s Juice Bar, owned by Jessica Dalmedo, below. (Photos by Susan Ericson. Click to enlarge)

By SUSAN ERICSON

020316freshica3-220x131-3779468It might seem counter-intuitive to put a juice bar in the same building as a luncheonette known for its porkroll, egg, and cheese sandwiches, but Jessica Dalmedo, owner of Freshica’s Juice Bar says it works.

Sharing space with Fairwinds Deli on River Road in Fair Haven for almost four years, Freshica’s counter takes up a portion of the dining area. At lunchtime, you’re likely to see a construction worker downing a sub as you are a gray-flannel suit or someone coming from the gym. Less expected: the number of children from the preschool next door taking sippy-cup-sized swigs of kale- and spinach-infused juices.
020316freshica1-500x375-3090590Lee Ann Caporicci holds a Lean and Green. Below, a typical lunchtime crowd in the dining area shared by Freshica’s and Fairwinds Deli. (Photos by Susan Ericson. Click to enlarge)

020316freshica5-220x143-9230629The juice bar is busy with customers texting and calling in orders, including Christine Cofone, who ran in to pick up her Lean and Green juice. “I come here every day,” she tells PieHole, “It balances out my other bad food choices.”

Is a juice a healthy substitute for the more traditional soup, salad or sandwich for lunch? Behind the counter, Lee Ann Caporicci tells us it is, as she feeds big chunks of carrot into an enormous juicer.

“We make shakes with about 20 grams of  protein and some almond butter for a little fat,” she says. “That makes them filling.”

In addition to the almond butter, the pretty, emerald-hued Lean and Green is made with almond milk, banana, whey,  a protein powder, cardamom, and spinach.

A lovely, well-thought out balance of flavors, it was refreshing and filling. A large, 24-ounce cup will set you back $9.50.

Customers can rely that any single menu item “will always be the same,” says Dalmedo. “We have specific recipes to follow so there is consistency.”

“You have to taste the PB&J Acai bowl,” says Caporicci. “It’s one of our best sellers.”

Acai, a deep-purple colored berry, comes from a palm tree, and is said to have antioxidant qualities. She corrects us on our pronounciation: “ah-sigh-ee,” she says.

Priced at $9.95, the dish is a big bowlful of acai complimented with sliced banana, granola and peanut butter. Missing the creaminess of yogurt or gelato, it nonetheless has a similar cold, slushy consistency, and a flavor that is neither very sweet nor tart.

How does Freshica’s fare at Fairwinds? “There are definitely people who aren’t coming over” from the deli side of the room, Dalmedo tells us. But there are also “those who get a sandwich and then grab a smoothie. We compliment each other.”

Business must be pretty good as Freshica’s is opening a second location this spring in Red Bank. Stayed tuned to redbankgreen’s Retail Churn for more details.

For fast pick-up, you can call or text Freshica’s at 732-788-9980. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., with shorter hours on the weekend.

susan-ericson-9177851

Remember: Nothing makes a Red Bank friend happier than to hear "I saw you on Red Bank Green!"
Partyline
RED BANK’S FINEST – AND NEWEST
Red Bank Police Officer Eliot Ramos was sworn in as the force’s newest patrolman Thursday, and if you’re doing a double take thinkin ...
EASTER EGG MAYHEM AT THE PARK
An errant whistle spurred an unexpectedly early start to the Spring Egg Hunt on Sunday, which had been scheduled to begin at eggsactly 11am ...
PRESEASON DOCKWORK
RED BANK: With winter winding down, marina gets ready for boating season with some dockwork on our beautiful Navesink River.
CORNED BEEF AND DISCO FRIES?
It’s Friday, and smart Lent-observing Leprechauns know the pot of gold at the end of Red Bank’s rainbow is actually the deliciou ...
SURFBOARD DITCHED
It’s a violation of etiquette in surfing to ditch your board.  (it could hit another surfer and hurt them). But someone appears to ha ...
ELSIE, TAKE ME WITH YOU!
Soaked by pouring rain with the temperature hovering in the low 40’s, this sign in the window of Elsie’s Subs on Monmouth Street ...
WALK THIS WAY
PARTYLINE: Before-and-afters of a sidewalk cleanup on West Street.
SOGGY NOTION
RED BANK: Breezeway sculpture captured the mood downtown as heavy rains fell Saturday morning.
HOME DELIVERY
RED BANK: After a subdivision, an instant house rises on a new Catherine Street lot.
COMMUNITY PROFILES
For Black History Month, Red Bank's Community Engagement and Equity Advisory Committee has been running a series of local profiles on Facebo ...
HEARTY FAREWELL FOR HARDY
RED BANK: Council to honor DPU supervisor Rich Hardy, who retired recently after almost 39 years of keeping things running.
HOMEBOUND? READ ON…
RED BANK: Can't get to the public library? It's now offering free delivery and pickups for homebound borough residents.
TAMING A BEAST OF A WEEK
RED BANK: After the second snowfall of the week, a borough family finds the perfect use for it – a Godzilla snow sculpture.
RED BANK: LIBRARY CLOSED, BUT THE HILL’S OPEN
RED BANK: Though the library was closed by a snowstorm, kids got to enjoy the riverfront property's steep slope Tuesday.
LIGHT(HOUSE) MAKEOVER
This year, getting ready for spring means a midwinter makeover for Strollo's Lighthouse in Red Bank.
TODAY: LOCAL PUPPY COMPETES ON ANIMAL PLANET’S “PUPPY BOWL”
Red Bank’s very own rescue puppy, Biscuit, is set to compete in Animal Planet’s Puppy Bowl this Sunday, February 11, at 2 PM. Th ...
WHAT? NO redbankgreen NEWSLETTER?
Apologies to redbankgreen newsletter subscribers: the daily email hasn’t gone out for two days because of technical issues.
RED BANK: TIRED OF SKEETERS?
RED BANK: Tired of mosquito bites every summer? Monmouth County has a free program to help eliminate skeeter breeding grounds.
SEA BRIGHT: POLAR PLUNGE FOR ST. JAMES, OTHERS
Hundreds braved the wind and sea on Sunday at 1PM in support of St. James Elementary School, and other Catholic schools in the area. The eve ...
RED BANK: RBR CLAIMS TITLE
RED BANK: Watch pure joy as the RBR boys basketball team celebrates its first B North championship in 17 years.