Calpico White peach drink: As a kid, I used to drink Calpico when visiting family in Taiwan. A Japanese “soft drink,” Calpico has a milky-white color but is much thinner in consistency. I remember it being very sweet but probably haven’t had it in over a decade until I came across this white peach flavor. My memory ended up being pretty accurate, though, as the drink was far too sweet and tasted like liquid peach gummies. It’s hard to imagine a situation when it would be desirable to drink this. 2.0/5.0
drinks japanese calpico white peach drink 2.0Pokka Sapporo Mandarin orange drink: Tangy Japanese orange beverage with bits of orange segment, it reminded me of a thicker, higher quality Capri Sun with a familiar artificial orange soda flavor. Comes in a sturdy aluminum bottle which lends a slightly metallic flavor. 3.0/5.0
drinks japanese orange pokkasapporo mandarin drink 3.0Mr. Wish Mango passion fruit babo drink with aloe: I was sad when I learned that Mr Wish in Flushing had closed, but the franchise has quickly expanded to many other locations in the city, so it’s actually easier to find now. I purchased a mango and passionfruit babo drink with aloe from the Williamsburg location. Originally I thought babo was a typo, but it’s a name they’ve given to their carbonated, non-tea fruit drinks. They just use fresh fruit, so I didn’t adjust the sweetness level. The textures in this drink, from the fruit pulp to th... (read more) 3.5/5.0
recommended nyc drinks brooklyn Williamsburg mrwish mango passion fruit babo drink aloe 3.5Zenchai Apple and ginger matcha drink: Zenchai is a matcha cafe in the LES (NYC) with seasonal green tea drinks. I was really excited to try their fall apple cider and ginger green tea drink, but after I ordered and they began to pour out cider from a gallon container of Zieglers (which I haven’t had since I was a kid), I had a sense I was in trouble. Visually, the drink was appealing with a colorful ombré effect. But it had little ginger flavor and mostly tasted of very sweet and concentrated store-bought apple cider. I did feel... (read more) 2.5/5.0
drinks cider zenchai apple ginger matcha drink 2.5 nycGatorade Strawberry Lemonade Sports Drink: Tastes like a liquified version of watermelon Jolly Ranchers. Very little strawberry flavor, but the taste of artificial watermelon is strong. Contains no fruit juice but has both natural and artificial flavors. Curious what the natural flavors are. Purchased for electrolytes. 2.5/5.0
drinks gatorade strawberry lemonade sports drink 2.5Wonderful Dessert and Cafe Grass jelly drink with boba: Wonderful Dessert and Cafe is a small shop lined with bulk candy bins. Counter for bubble tea in the back. Painted window signage declares that this shop has the "best tapioca in town." In actuality, it was one of the worst I've had from any establishment, with a mushy texture and no flavor. The herbal jelly tea was no better, with a medicinal metallic taste. Was hopeful given high online reviews and this store's location in Inner Richmond, which feels the most like Flushing, Queens as I've... (read more) 1.5/5.0
avoid sanfrancisco bubbletea innerrichmond wonderfuldessertandcafe grass jelly drink boba 1.5 drinks