Tominga Melon Cream Soda: Purchased from Galco's in Los Angeles, this Japanese fruit soda is like a carbonated melon-flavored Calpico: intensely sweet and like a liquified starburst with its artificial fruit flavor and atomic green color. It has a slightly milky finish, with a white froth that collects at the top of the bottle. I've never had a soda like it before, and I probably don't want to have a soda like it again. 3.0/5.0
drinks japanese tominga melon cream soda 3.0
Mr. Wish Mango slush with aloe: Right next to the Flushing Main St subway station is Mr. Wish, a Taiwanese fruit and milk tea stand that has excellent frozen beverages. Their mango slush was a perfect solution to the summer heat, with diced mango mixed alongside aloe pieces (the latter of which I added for an additional toppings fee). If you find yourself in Flushing, I highly recommend this alternative to the more ordinary Coco and Quickly chains. 4.0/5.0
recommended drinks flushing nyc mrwish mango slush aloe 4.0
Ripple Unsweetened original pea milk: I decided to try this plant-based milk after months of seeing it in the dairy-free section of the milk aisle. I’m not lactose intolerant but enjoy alternatives like soy milk and almond milk. This pea milk doesn’t taste like any milk I’ve had before. I expected it to have a fairly sweet flavor like fresh green peas, but instead it had an off putting bitter aftertaste that I would describe as what I imagine burnt hay may taste like. It’s really unpleasant to drink and I keep trying find ways t... (read more) 1.5/5.0
avoid drinks ripple unsweetened original pea milk 1.5
Pomo Tierra Farms Hot Apple Cider: When I stopped at Cheeseboard this morning to pick up some breakfast, I saw a handwritten sign for seasonal hot apple cider from Pomo Tierra farms. I purchased the drink, then saw a man pour apple cider from a bottle of Bernie’s, a local apple cider brand they sell at various East Bay shops. I asked to clarify-was it Pomo Tierra Farms or Bernie’s? They told me they were the same thing. Then I had a sinking feeling that I had become That Berkeley Person, challenging exactly which organic app... (read more) 3.5/5.0
recommended drinks cheeseboard berkeley pomotierrafarms hot apple cider 3.5
Smile More Sparkling Lychee Spritzer : I’ve seen an upwards trend for vinegar-based sodas in the past year, and this Asian lychee-flavored one is sour and lightly sweetened with a faint lychee aftertaste. It’s not a drink I would want to consume in one serving though the bottle is smaller than most. If you appreciate carbonated beverages that aren’t sweet, you may enjoy it. 3.0/5.0
drinks vinegar asian smilemore sparkling lychee spritzer 3.0
H2C Coconut Water: At this point, I bucket coconut water into three categories: ones that have a strong, slightly off flavor (somewhat metallic, too sweet, etc), those that are just fine, and those that have the lightest and cleanest flavor. This one is just fine - nothing makes it stand out as being particularly good or bad. But given the price of coconut water, I would only recommend those that fall in the last category. 3.0/5.0
coconutwater drinks h2c coconut water 3.0