Cheap Eats - Fruit gets new attitude at LottaFrutta

I like fruit. I even, on occasion, love fruit. But to be honest, it rarely gets me excited. Maybe it’s because it’s so wholesome. One never gets a feeling of being naughty when biting into a shiny red apple. Fruit is good for you — where’s the fun in that?

Banana-Rama: For anyone who’s ever passed over a pear in favor of a slice of chocolate cake, LottaFrutta may be just what the doctor ordered. The place bills itself as a “gourmet fruit house and market,” specializing in heavenly fruit cups with fanciful names like Dolce Vitta and Cremolatta. Besides the fruit cups, LottaFrutta whips up fresh fruit juices and smoothies, and stocks a freezer case with homemade tropical fruit pops. A handful of non-fruit items rounds out the offerings, including panini-style sandwiches and strong Cuban coffee.

Fruit Goes Cute: As the name suggests, LottaFrutta is totally adorable. Located in the heart of the up-and-coming Old Fourth Ward, LottaFrutta occupies a tidy row house at the corner of Auburn Avenue and Randolph Street. A cheeky mural of Carmen Miranda beckons to passersby. By the front door, two small patio tables are shaded by umbrellas in the shape of giant green leaves.

Inside, you’ll feel as though you’ve actually stepped into a giant bowl of fruit. One wall is painted to look like a close-up view of a strawberry, and another has been transformed into a slice of kiwi. The space is a riot of color, from the vibrant wall art to the stand of fresh flowers for sale by the front door. Past the counter, a row of refrigerated cases stocks homemade fruit pops, whole uncut fruit and Jake’s ice cream (possibly a concession to those of us who insist that they stock at least something unhealthy). LottaFrutta doesn’t seem to be getting much traffic yet, but the locals must be thrilled with the addition to the neighborhood.

Fruit, Juiced: Made-to-order fruit cups take center stage at LottaFrutta. Head-turning concoctions like the Limonatta — a mix of cantaloupe, fresh coconut, cucumber, pineapple, papaya, mango and watermelon doused in lime juice and spicy chili powder — resemble nothing you’ve ever tasted before. Everything is perfectly ripe and bursting with flavor. Another favorite is the Dolce Vitta, which layers banana, orange, apple, pineapple, kiwi, mango and melon with vanilla yogurt and a sprinkle of crunchy granola. It would be heaven for breakfast. Fresh fruits can also be whizzed up into juices or batidos, creamy drinks that are kind of like milkshakes without the ice cream. Frozen fruit pops are also available in tropical flavors like guanabana, coconut and mora (Andean blackberry).

Pressing Your Luck: Pressed sandwiches aren’t quite as extraordinary as the fruit cups, but they help to round out the offerings. The “Hav to Ham It” sandwiches slices of ham and havarti cheese into a round mini-loaf (sandwiches are all made on breads from the Sweet Auburn Bread Company). After a minute in the panini press, it’s a melted, delicious mess. The “Queso Quartet” sandwich could’ve used a bit more heat; its slices of cheddar and Swiss weren’t quite melted, and we all know that an inadequately grilled grilled-cheese sandwich is a sad thing indeed. They’ve landed on a fabulously unique side item to serve with the sandwiches, though: chulpi, Ecuadorian toasted corn kernels that taste like a cross between corn nuts and popcorn.

You’ve got to hand it to LottaFrutta’s owners: They’ve come up with a unique concept, and they’ve carried it through to fruition (sorry, I couldn’t resist). They’ve taken that most wholesome of foods, fresh fruit, and given it a dose of sex appeal.