Farm Fresh Bowls to open Campus Point location Aug. 22

An outlet of a popular Visalia eatery has a new home in Fresno. After months of planning, Farm Fresh Bowls is scheduled to open on Aug. 22 in Campus Pointe, the popular shopping center near Fresno State that is anchored by Maya Cinemas.

Cousins Kristen De Groot-Vaz and Jacqueline Baxley founded Farm Fresh Bowls with a mission: to use local ingredients to provide a healthy, on-the-go dining option.

With their combined experience in the food and nutrition industries, they’ve done just that. Farm Fresh Bowls specializes in serving nutritious meals made to be eaten on the go.

The success of their original location prompted them to open a second restaurant in Fresno. Campus Pointe, with its proximity to “the college campus, Save Mart Center and the gateway into Clovis,” was a natural fit, De Groot-Vaz said.

“This is also a local complex,” she added. “It was a good fit for us; that is what we’re all about.”

Farm Fresh Bowls keeps it local by purchasing from local growers and food suppliers. The Visalia location features items from Top O’ The Morn Farms, Cary’s Honey Farm, Kingsburg Orchards and Harris Ranch.

“We work hard at sourcing local milk, almonds, fruit, honey,” she said. “All of our citrus and dried fruit is local. That takes a lot of effort.”

De Groot-Vaz said they’re working with Fresno and Clovis-based businesses to bring local flavor to the new location. Their berries, she said, will be supplied by Saeteurn Family Farm, and they’ve also been working with Fresno State to provide eggs and other items, when available.

Breakfast bowls include oatmeal with seasonal fruit and almonds, egg scrambles with bacon and pico de gallo and yogurt parfaits garnished with seasonal fruit and housemade granola. Lunch and dinner options include a variety of acai bowls and salads.

“You are getting a nutritionally balanced bowl,” said De Groot-Vaz. “We make sure that we’re using almonds for fiber, fibrous fruit and flax seed to bring down that sugar content.”

With their Fresno State-based clients in mind, De Groot-Vaz said, they’ve also expanded their menu and added budget-friendly items. A $5 breakfast burrito or $6 breakfast burrito and coffee combo can be purchased from a walk-up window on the west side of the restaurant. “They don’t have to stop, they don’t have to go inside,” explained DeGroot-Vaz.

She said the salt-rubbed potatoes and sweet potatoes and topping bar are also new: “For students they’re easy to grab, put toppings on and walk to class.”

For a complete meal, a selection of coffee and espresso drinks, teas, juices and natural sodas is available. Natural smoothies are also on the menu.

While the Visalia location is open for breakfast and lunch only, the Campus Pointe location will be open from 7 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. to better serve college students and theater-goers.

This story was originally published August 4, 2016 at 4:32 PM with the headline "Farm Fresh Bowls to open Campus Point location Aug. 22."