New Eats: Melu

What’s on menu at Melu?

Glad you asked. This new Coal Harbor juice bar/lunch joint whips unexpected ingredients into its offerings, like activated bamboo charcoal in its Black Magic juice, daikon radish in its Radical Detox blend and lightly sweet winter melon in its jade-green Winter Wonderland concoction. Smoothies also see unusual additions (we’re referencing The Cob here, blended with corn), but co-founder Angela Luo, who holds a Stanford degree and swapped into health food after pursuing a career in education, isn’t creating novelties—just tasty, nutritious food that breaks the mould. We loved the Cold Brewhaha (a mix of homemade almond milk and local coffee) and recommend Melu’s pretty chia puddings: parfait-like layers of seeds, coconut cream and raw caramel. The health bars, which look like opera cakes but are entirely raw, would be darling for health nut’s birthday. Lunch salads are also on offer, with cleanses to come.

For a healthy treat downtown, make Melu your must-hit. —Adrienne Matei

Melu Juice & Health Bar, 1110 W Pender St., Vancouver, 778-379-6358, www.melujuice.com