Acai bowls – fruity mixtures of acai berries or juice and other fruit with granola – are quite the popular health-food snack, and they’re found everywhere from smoothie chain Jamba Juice to restaurant Feed Body & Soul in Venice.

But Snow Flower Ice in Marina del Rey is stretching the concept with the introduction of an acai bowl made with what the frozen dessert stand calls shaved snow, thin sheets of shaved ice with the texture of ice cream.

Don Weiner, co-owner of Snow Flower Ice, said he wanted to make his own interpretation of the antioxidant-rich acai bowl because many places either make it too thick like a yogurt or too soupy like a smoothie.

“Because we’re actually shaving thin ribbons of ice, it comes out consistent every time,” Weiner said. “And the nice thing about it is because the ice is so cold the texture really keeps, whereas with other acai bowls you kind of rush to eat it before it melts.”

It’s not the first time the shop has mixed in a healthy ingredient. When it first opened nine months ago, Snow Flower Ice offered a vanilla whey protein shaved ice. Weiner, who owns the store with partner Steve Chen, said they offer high-protein, vegan and gluten-free options – and now the acai bowl – to cater to their Marina Center location.

“Our style of shaved ice is inspired by the Taiwanese version,” Weiner said. “But we know that we’re not particularly in an Asian community so we have to appeal to the local communities’ flavor profiles.”

– Subrina Hudson