Posted by Michael Stern on July 12, 2009
The name of this place says it all. It's a tiny shop with a few indoor tables and some patio seating where the house specialties are all about refreshment. The basic ingredients are ice cream, shaved ice, chunks of fruit and fruit nectar, all of which can be combined in a nearly infinite number of ways.
The most popular item, and the most refreshing, are the raspados, which are crushed ice combined with fruit and nectar of your choice with an option of ice cream added. Flavors range from Tamarind and peach to coconut and pina colada. Your raspado is served in a tall Styro cup with a straw and spoon, and it is cold enough to induce brain freeze if you go at it too quickly.
For the health-conscious, a menu posted on the wall lists twenty-six different "jugos naturals y medicinales," with such names as El Vitaminico, Energetico and Rejuvenecedor -- all combinations of fruits and juices from sweet to savory. And for those with a relentless sweet tooth, there is a long roster of ice cream concoctions festooned with chocolate syrup, chocolate chips, coconut, peanuts and almonds.
Overall: Worth a major detour
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Raspados
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Pico de Gallo
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"Pineapple, coconut and a scoop of vanilla ice cream are combined with crushed ice to make this raspado an enormously refreshing snack."
Michael Stern
"This pico de gallo includes watermelon, mango, cantaloupe, orange segments, coconut chunks, sliced cucumber and a couple of small-size but big flavored limes. This one is dusted with hot pepper."
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"It was 103 degrees in Tucson when this photo was taken, but Juice N Fruit's cool menu goes a long way to compensate for the desert heat."
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