I don't often find myself in Hackensack, especially not when I'm looking for healthy food, but now that's going to change thanks to Blend Cups Organic. Once you conquer the major struggle of finding a place to park within 3 blocks of this place, you will be extremely satisfied with what awaits inside.
The space is so charming. Bright whites and blues cover the walls, and it's extremely spacious, so I'm sure as much as you look forward to being squashed up next to other people who chew with their mouths open and talk way too loudly while you eat, you won't have to worry about that here.
There's also a fro-yo area at the back of the store where the toppings are arranged on a shelf in glass jars to keep them fresh (and more importantly, away from the reach of kids' dirty hands). In other words, it's a refreshing change from your traditional fro-yo setup.
Blend Cups thrives on variety. First off, there's the display case which holds things like quiches, sandwiches, puddings, hummus, and a variety of vegan and/or gluten free baked goods (mainly cakes). Then there's the salad station where you can have them but together a salad together for you with all your favorite ingredients (they earn extra points from me for having marinated artichokes). Once your eyes finally look up from all this deliciousness, you'll notice their menu board that features juices, smoothies, and most importantly, crepes; both savory and sweet. Next to the crepe menu is where you'll also find their daily special board; this is usually a warm dish that can be anything from fish, to soup, to rice, and just about any other healthy and comforting dish you can think of. Finally, there's the aforementioned fro-yo station, because every healthy meal requires some sugar to counteract it.
With all these options, you might be wondering if everything is actually being executed well. The definitive answer is YES, and I can say that because I tried just about everything...
We'll start off with my favorite item: the broccoli and salmon quiche. I don't have a ton of experience with quiches, but this was without a doubt the fluffiest, most satisfying quiche I've ever seen/shoved in my face thanks to its perfect mixture of mozzarella and goat cheese, topped with chunks of salmon and broccoli, all perched on a crispy crust that sent it over the top.
The quiches are also massive, but that didn't stop me from having two of them; they were that good. I also tried some of the spinach and feta quiche and fell in love with that one too. You can get these bad boys to go, or have them heated up for you to eat on the spot, which I highly recommend.
The daily special on the day I went was broccoli and cheddar soup, and I certainly was not going to pass that up. It was hot, creamy, and everything you could want in a soup.
For the sandwiches, you can choose from options like the chicken, pesto, and sun-dried tomatoes, or the tuna and avocado. But the best part is that you can turn any sandwich into a wrap, either whole wheat or regular, and have it pressed or eat it cold. Better yet, you can build your own sandwich or wrap like my friend did and have it completely loaded (no really, it was massive) with all your favorite ingredients.
As if my two quiches weren't enough, I couldn't resist trying a crepe. I went the savory route and got a crepe stuffed with chicken, pesto, sun-dried tomatoes, and mozzarella. It came out warm, huge, and stuffed with ingredients. I folded it up and ate it with my hands (I know, unheard of), but this made it so much more satisfying, almost like a burrito. I was skeptical about how it would taste since crepes seemed a little random for this spot, but I genuinely enjoyed every last bite of it.
Onto dessert...
Of course we didn't need any after all this ridiculously good food, but the fabulous owner Suzanne insisted, and how can you turn down cake? I tried some of the gluten free carrot cake, which is sold by the (massive) slice and it was moist and delicious.
However, I was even more impressed by the almond croissant I had. Just like everything else here, it was huge and filled with an incredible almond paste. I cannot even express how soft and satisfying this croissant was, probably because it was baked by a local French pastry chef that provides them for the store. The French obviously know their croissants.
Well there you have it. Your new destination for every meal for the next three months, or even longer than that once you start repeating orders.
But in all seriousness, Blend Cups Organic is worth checking no matter no matter what your tastes are. You really can't go wrong here. And hey, did I mention it's all organic? 😉