Between sips of any number of bountiful, fresh-squeezed smoothies, regular customers can tell you why "Juice" is Mother's middle name. Have a hankering for chocolate or need a dose of wheatgrass to get you through the afternoon? You'll find the perfect fix for a sweet tooth or sedentary slump at Mother's. Beyond a liquid diet, Mother's other offerings include breakfasts and lunches, with an emphasis on healthy, nutritious ingredients.
Mother's breakfast menu features bagels, homemade sweet breads, waffle sandwiches and more. Bagels are fresh from Seattle in savory varieties including pesto parmesan and jalapeño. Mother's offers four acai bowls, centered on the potent antioxidant and omega-rich acai berry, grown in the Amazon region of Brazil. This super food, pronounced "ah-sigh-yee," has a rich flavor of berries and cocoa. I enjoyed the small NW Bowl, a blend of organic acai berries, blueberries, marion berries, strawberries, vanilla non-fat frozen yogurt and apple cider, and topped with fresh blueberries, sliced banana, crushed hazelnuts, hearty granola and honey.Lunch at Mother's includes a two item combo that changes daily with a choice of soup, salad, small sandwich, and smoothie (choose two for $7.95). There's always a new combination to try, so look to the specials board for variety.
While the lunch menu is fresh and nutritious, it lacks the creativity of the breakfast and smoothie menus. The Mt. Everest sandwich wasn't what I expected, but it was still good. The name conjured up images of a sandwich piled high, but what arrived was more like the Oklahoma panhandle, long and flat with limp vegetation. On my first bite, the contents of the sandwich fell out of the other end - mashed avocado, four small pieces of cucumber, two slices of tomato, pickled onions, honey mustard and mayo - only the slice of havarti remained intact between the bread.
The Orchard Bleu salad was packed tightly into a small bowl with ingredients arranged on top of the greens, including the dressing which was served on the side, but not by request. Tossing the tightly packed salad myself resulted in blue cheese landing in my lap - which literally stinks. The properly dressed bites of salad were very good eventually; fresh apple provided sweet and tart flavors that complimented the blue cheese crumbles perfectly.
On another occasion, I was lured in by the "Hot Soup" sign. I chose the Veggie Chili, loaded with cauliflower, corn, chick peas, pinto and black beans. The broth was thick and salty and needed a counterpoint.. The side of oyster crackers was thoughtful, but adding more salt wasn't an option for me. A dollop of sour cream or Greek yogurt would have helped.
On a lunch visit, the counter person was accommodating. As I placed my order, he explained that acai bowls are only available until 11 a.m., but offered to make one anyway. The same guy delivered the bowl, cleared a dish from my table and returned quickly with a fresh spoon. Since there is a self-service utensil area, I was impressed by his effort. However, I have also observed that during busy hours, tables are not always wiped down between customers.
Working out of a small kitchen with little more than hot plates for stove tops, Mother's emphasis on liquid nutrition is logical. Vegans and vegetarians can rejoice over the non-dairy smoothie list, hemp/soy alternatives, and freshly squeezed fruit and vegetable juices. Smoothies can be customized with any variety of supplements ranging from probiotics to proteins.
There are more reasons to stop by Mother's this summer; great new additions are on the horizon. By mid-June, Mother's will add wine and beer to their menu, adapting to the current trend on Galveston. This not only makes sense, but also makes Mother's a great spot to enjoy casual food and drinks while taking advantage of the weather that's just around the corner.
Mother's Juice Café
1255 NW Galveston Ave.
Mon - Fri 7am-5pm;
Sat - Sun 8am-5pm (541) 318-0989