The Acai Bowl At Voi-La Is An Exquisite Treat For The Senses
Story and Photos by Julie Unger
There’s a new restaurant in Wellington with Venezuelan roots and a French name. It’s called Voi-La, which means “look there” or “there it is.”
“It’s the idea that when you have it, it’s easy, you take it and just grab it and go,” chef Andrea Larrazabal explained. “Even though we don’t have French food, we have a lot of things to take and go. It’s for busy people who don’t have the time to spend two hours at a restaurant.”
Both in the front of Voi-La and toward the back are grab-and-go options such as milanesas de pollo, milanesas de carne, milanesas de tilapia, milanesas de cerdo, chicken parmigiana, broccoli quiche, empanaditas de pollo, torta de platano Chiquita, arepitas, lasagna, fresh salads and other items to make a quick meal.
Voi-La is owned by Maria Fernanda Asuaje and professional Argentinian show jumper Ignacio Maurin. Asuaje is a Le Cordon Bleu trained chef and equestrian, while Maurin’s wife, Larrazabal, is a trained chef from the Venezuelan Center of Gastronomic Training.
The restaurant opened in the beginning of August, but Larrazabal and Asuaje have been catering together since the fall of 2015. They were catering for friends, birthdays and other events and were encouraged to open their own local restaurant. Within a few months, Voi-La was born.
The signature dish at Voi-La, Larrazabal said, is the acai bowl. It comes with banana, kiwi, pineapple, strawberries, granola, honey and coconut flakes, and customers can add almond butter.
“Acai, it’s fruit from the Amazon. You can find it in Brazil, Venezuela, Bolivia and a lot of the South American countries. It has antioxidants, is very trendy, and is really good for you. We have it in a version that is a sorbet,” she explained. “It’s something that we really like, and it’s South American. We want to take advantage of what the acai is bringing and the properties.”
An acai bowl, or smoothie, is very popular right now, but Voi-La’s twist of making it a sorbet is unique. By adding fruit and almond butter, it adds another layer of nutrition and flavor. Teenagers are choosing the nutritious fruit bowl over chocolates and sweets, Asuaje said.
Granola, fruit and coconut are arranged over the acai sorbet and then drizzled with honey. Almond butter can come on the side. The acai bowl is an exquisite treat for the senses, with a variety of tastes and textures, while providing a nutritional powerhouse.
There are many Venezuelan treats on the menu, including tequeños, which are like mozzarella sticks; meat, chicken and cheese empanadas; spinach and feta croquettes; and baked brie with honey.
“There’s nothing like this around here,” Larrazabal said. “It’s a mix of a lot of things.”
Another special item on the menu is the cheese course. With more than a dozen cheese choices, ranging from robiola bosina, brie couronne, port salut, gruere, mahon, valdeon blue and more, customers are able to assemble a cheese plate with meats — including horzoiberico de bellota, prosciutto di parma, jamon iberico and smoked salmon — and accompaniments such as plum jam, mango chutney, pesto, truffle honey and more. This creates a plate that is perfect for gathering with friends and having a relaxed conversation while enjoying the music, Asuaje said.
Recently added to the menu are gourmet paninis, such as one with jamon iberico, manchego and sweet onion jam; one with mozzarella, tomato confit, basil pesto and a balsamic reduction; one with prosciutto, goat cheese and a fig spread; and a one with brie, bacon and honey.
Fresh smoothies, be it the Greenest Favorite Smoothie, the Carolina Smoothie, the Banana Blonde, Blue Grape or Blueberry Sunset, offer a fresh mix of fruits and vegetables to cool off and get nourished. The soup of the day varies, but is always made fresh. Specialty teas add another drink offering full of flavor.
Guests can custom make their own salads, allowing customers to pick their favorite greens, toppings and dressings to create a light and healthy meal.
The mission at Voi-La is to make delicious, high-quality food that is good for the body and soul, with an emphasis on hospitality, service, passion, creativity and never-ending improvement.
“It’s our dream come true,” Larrazabal said. “I never imagined having this.”
Voi-La is located at 13889 Wellington Trace, Suite A8, in the Wellington Marketplace near Walgreens, between Dunkin’ Donuts and Wellington Florist. Closed Monday, the restaurant is open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday. For more information, call (786) 281-1589.
