Muji Chai: I had to go shopping for some shoes and realized that all department stores here are extremely high-end, where Theory seems to be the most affordable recognizable brand besides Muji or Uniqlo. The Muji at the top of the Akomeya mall in Shinjuku had a vending machine and I decided to give it a try. My top choice, a lychee drink with konjac nata de coco, was sold out, so I opted for a can of chai, which comes in an aluminum bottle with a twist-off cap. I liked the minimalism of the packagin... (read more) 2.5/5.0
drinks muji japanese tokyo chai 2.5
Ito En Nata de Coco Yogurt Taste: I knew vending machines were everywhere in Tokyo, even randomly in the streets in residential neighborhoods, but I didn't realize that drinking while walking is not polite in Japan. When people buy drinks from vending machines, they drink it right then and there before continuing on their way, or they pack it to drink later. Since there are essentially no public drinking fountains to Tokyo, and I'm always thirsty, I've been buying more drinks from vending machines. This one is a creamy yogur... (read more) 3.0/5.0
drinks japan vendingmachine coconut itoen nata de coco yogurt taste 3.0 japanese
Sun Fruits Apple Juice: In the basement of the swanky Tokyo Midtown department store is a speciality fruit shop called Sun Fruits, the type of shop where sumo oranges (dekopan) are individually wrapped in a form-fitting web of styrofoam and boxes of pale white strawberries go for 8,000¥ ($73 USD). The one item I felt I could afford, and also I was most interested in trying, was a bottle of what I presumed to be a barely-pink fruit soda, which cost $3.50. It turns out that it was a bottle of apple juice, with frui... (read more) 4.0/5.0
exceptional drinks applejuice tokyo japan sunfruits apple juice 4.0 japanese
That Indian Drink Blueberry cardamom lassi: Got this mini 8oz lassi from the Park Slope Food Coop, which has a very creamy yet sharp flavor combining blueberry and cardamom. It reminded me of Siggi's skyr but spiced. Really liked it! 4.0/5.0
recommended drinks parkslopefoodcoop thatindiandrink blueberry cardamom lassi 4.0
Bao Tea House Jasmine peach milk tea: Bao Tea House is a small shop in the West Village close to the West 4th subway stop, and it's my favorite place in the city for tea. Their jasmine peach milk tea was very well balanced, with a fragrant, creamy, floral, and fruity flavor (a combination I imagine most places would not get right). The drink came with brown sugar aloe cubes, with a slightly chewy texture that still has a bit of bite. Though it's an entirely different type of dish, the closest analogy I can make in terms of textu... (read more) 4.0/5.0
recommended drinks nyc milktea jasmine baoteahouse peach milk tea 4.0
Vermont Sweetwater Bottling Co Sparkling Maple Seltzer: This bottle of soda was purchased from a small cafe in upstate New York (Palenville). Extracted from maple trees, the maple water is weakly carbonated and has a faint sweetness, identifiable as maple, but otherwise largely absent of flavor. Contains no artificial color (the liquid is clear) or artificial flavors - very simply exactly what it states itself to be (maple water). 2.5/5.0
drinks vermont soda vermontsweetwaterbottlingco sparkling maple seltzer 2.5