What's in the Bowl?

We get it, people love making jokes about avocado toasts and home-owning. We're pretty sure we've heard them all, allowing for much needed winds of change among Millennial foodies. Here it is.

Bowls of every type are popping up at a hip, one-word cafe near you: smoothie bowls, Buddha bowls, açai bowls, poke bowls. Pretty much anything you can arrange in Insta-worthy fashion is acceptable in a bowl, so long as the bowl itself is picturesque and looks healthy(ish). So what's with the change? Why are we paying a few extra well-earned bucks to have our food rearranged in some chaotically tidy fashion?

My personal search for a bowl was not hard at all. In my growing city of Orlando, there are juice bars, vegetarian restaurants, and farm to table joints in practically every neighborhood. My first stop was Florida & Co., a merchant inside of East End Market. There I enjoyed the Cilantro Brown Rice Bowl with added local shrimp for a modest $14. The bowl was served hot and steamy, with a pleasant surprise of jalapeños and a large portion size. The bowl worked beautifully together. The jalapeños were fresh and quite spicy which quickly subdued the overpowering carrot and cucumber. Fresh local greens and steamed rice added texture and substance. The shrimp was very plain, though I didn't mind that at all. I was filled before reaching the halfway point. As I was making my way through the bowl, however, I found myself constantly enjoying each of the elements by themselves. With little to no seasoning, I was quite impressed with their crisp, robust taste. I could see the appeal of having ingredients I might not have otherwise combined put together for me, and set off to learn more about the serving style.

The trend is, in fact, more psychological than you may think. Asian in origin, Buddha bowls were made popular for their harmonious marriage of aesthetics and symbolism. Carefully placing food in layers allows for the mot vibrant colored pieces to shine through. The roundness of the bowl once was a representation of Buddha, reflecting the belly of the deity himself.

In many ways, the bowl is still a reminder to be mindful. The entirety of your meal lies arranged carefully before you, allowing you to note the size, color, and shape of its contents. The bowls usually consist of healthier, fresher ingredients, so it makes sense that the eater is more likely to take a step back and appreciate the fruits or veggies in their simplicity. You become more likely to taste everything in your bowl, and are given the freedom to do so individually or to mix everything together. Although I could see bowls posing a problem for more picky and less adventurous eaters, the trust placed in the kitchen isn't without its advantages. Flavor is customizable based on eating style, and a more immersive experience is created for the eater overall.

I am wholeheartedly convinced of the merits of the bowl trend. Quality over quantity; wellness over complexity; and a present, interactive bowl over a mindless plate. The bowl trend makes sense when you take to light what foodies everywhere are focusing on more and more: experience.