M.I.A. isn’t the only one yelling “Come back Jimmy!” Customers at Xiangmihu’s newest juice spot, Jenergy, are also now screaming the name out of sheer superfood delight, calling out to owner and operator Jimmy Jiang to praise his smoothie and fresh-squeezed elixir haven, which started business only a few weeks ago.
The Paleo eater had two days to go before moving to Brooklyn for a design job when he acquired the shop’s space. Jiang immediately turned down New York and started renovations. Two weeks later, Jenergy opened. He describes Jenergy as part of his “personal quest” and “a healthy feel-good place.”
His quest began four years ago, when he began eating a whole food diet. The recipes that make up Jenergy’s menu have come from his own juicing and blending experiments since that time.
Juices sell for RMB40 and smoothies for RMB42 – steep prices for a city where juice shops seem to sprout on every corner. However, this isn’t the average juice shop. Jiang sources organic material whenever possible, even driving out to farms to inspect produce himself. He also imports bee pollen, spirulina, protein powder and grows his own wheatgrass in-store.
So far, his best-seller is the “stress buster,” an energizing blend of beets, celery, cucumber, banana and spinach, which promotes detoxification. Add a spirulina shot (RMB5) to get even more nutrients, especially amino acids.
A quick look at the wall-length chalkboard menu reveals a beverage that only Jenergy makes in Shenzhen: the cactus-based “longevity drink.” Yes, Jiang juices cacti, and it’s awesome. The desert delicacy’s mildly sour base is filled in by tangy passionfruit and a bit of pear juice. Before arriving tableside in an upside-down light bulb cup, the juice is strained, so no fiber or hard seeds ruin the drinking experience.
Jiang also offers juice cleanses ranging from short one-to three-day stints, to longer ones of seven days to a full month. Each is customized, with Jiang consulting with customers about their lifestyle and what they want to achieve from the cleanse.
Thus, his quest continues, a lone man with a few fruits and a cold-press, out to change the world.
Price: Approx. RMB40-80
Who’s going: People who take care of themselves, Xiangmihu wanderers, juice-cleansers
Good for: Healthy drinking, custom meals, good life choices
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