The nature aesthetics!!!!💚💚💚
I visited with my sister for a little treat before she heads back to school. I was a bit nervous when I walked in and saw the vast array of plants being used as decor but fortunately they are all faux plants.
Yanaya is a snug little spot located in Joina City, 3rd floor next to SK. They opened officially in 2019 and have branches in Avondale and in the Avenues in Harare.
What makes Yanaya unique is that they offer wholesome wellness food that is both filling and yummy. This completely takes away the need to have a “guilty meal” whenever you’re on the go. With 100% natural smoothies, juices, healthy burgers (yes, I said that), Buddha bowls and of course salads, Yanaya makes eating healthy easier. They also have a galore of vegetarian options to try out.
They have a double seating area. One for regular customers and the other for pre-booking. I personally fell in love with the pre-booking area. You have to pay around $5 to sit here. It has a floor table with a mattress and cushions for a lush experience as you devour a healthy meal.
The staff is generally friendly. We were served by Yeu, who was an absolute darling as I pestered her about not adding banana to my smoothie. (I have a terrible banana allergy). Our order took about 10-15 minutes. My sister and I ordered the Dr. Beet and Strawberry Crunch smoothies. We received a generous helping of these but they were surprisingly light on the stomach. Much different from sugar and milk smoothies that leave you feeling slightly queasy.
Pricing? Yanaya is moderately priced. My sister and I spent $6 on both smoothies and $10 on the wraps that we ordered soon after the beverages. To be honest, it could be worth more considering the food is healthy.
My sister chose the Beef Banting Wrap. She thoroughly enjoyed it and wouldn’t stop complimenting the delectable sauces drizzled on the potatoes and cucumbers. Her wrap had a filling of baby spinach, english cucumber, red onion, avocado, feta, cajun beef, sunflower seeds, suggested dressing with lemon & herb.
My wrap had little surprise mozzarella cheese cubes that I did NOT complain about because they were an amazing complement to the whole ensemble! The wrap wasn’t as intact as I’d want it to be but the way it unraveled whilst I was eating was satisfyingly pleasant. The flatbread was thin and the perfect texture for a wrap but perhaps a tad too dry to hold its filling. The filling had mixed lettuce, English cucumber, grilled peppers, chicken, avocado, suggested dressing and honey mustard.
The downsides to this restaurant is that they don’t have an in-house lavatory. You’ll have to use the public Joina City restrooms, which you’ll need to produce proof of being a diner (a receipt). I also overheard other diners complaining about Yanaya not selling drinking water. Odd, right? The noisy cranking of the blender was irritating especially when we were trying to have a conversation but perhaps it’s part of the aesthetics.
All in all, I’m definitely dining here again to try out their juices and perhaps the Shepherd’s Pie or Mushroom Risotto.
Just For Foodies 