Matchabar Fuji apple ginger iced matcha tea: Was feeling sleepy, so I picked up this matcha beverage at The Foodhall en route to The Chapel. This dark green beverage is a mix of green tea, Fuji apple, and ginger. It has a fantastically clean and balanced flavor, where each component is easily identifiable. The ginger leaves a tingly spiced flavor in your throat, as any good ginger beverage should. And it definitely woke me up, but not in a way that made me feel jittery or gave me a headache. Super quality beverage that I would recomm... (read more) 4.5/5.0
exceptional drinks matchabar fuji apple ginger iced matcha tea 4.5
Asha Tea Pineapple Oolong: I’m not a huge fan of pineapple but have exhausted the entire Asha tea seasonal fruit teas and decided to try this one. It was perfectly balanced - just sweet enough without being tart, with a very fragrant oolong tea. It’s no wonder I always bring visitors to this worthy Tea Shop. 4.5/5.0
exceptional drinks berkeley tea ashatea pineapple oolong 4.5
Tartly Ginger pear shrub: Purchased from quality but pricy SF-grocer Bi-Rite, this bottle of ginger pear shrub is from California Brand Tartly. On their site, they describe the origin of the company: “One late summer day in California, two health-conscious foodies got together for lunch.” Sorry, but can there be a more generic template to describe every artisanal/small-batch/environmentally-conscious food company based in California?! Back to the soda-it’s sweeter than other shrubs but has a satisfying ginger and app... (read more) 3.0/5.0
drinks sodas tartly ginger pear shrub 3.0 birite
Saigon Bakery Che Ba Mau: I’ve always been curious about the array of brightly colored pre-made beverages / desserts at Saigon Bakery in the Tenderloin District of SF and decided to finally try one. This one was a pastel mint green color, but others were a muted violet. They are typically covered with saran wrap, even though there is a plastic lid on the cup. The drink itself has an aggressively sweet coconut flavor, and on the bottom is a mix of chewy and soft textures, including green gelatinous strips (similar ... (read more) 3.0/5.0
drinks vietnamese dessert saigonbakery che ba mau 3.0 sanfrancisco
Coco Libre Coconut water: After having the very good Real Coco coconut water, I have a new baseline with which compare all other coconut waters. This one from Coco Libre has a stronger, slightly off-tasting flavor, which I definitely took as a sign of it being less fresh than the cleaner tasting Real Coco drink. On the more affordable side as far as coconut water goes, but I would gladly pay a bit more for better quality. 2.5/5.0
drinks coconutwater organic cocolibre coconut water 2.5
Gatorade Citrus Cooler: Tangy citrus alternative to the classic lemon, this one has an equal mix of lemon and orange flavors. I find it less cloyingly sweet than the strawberry watermelon. Still, I wouldn’t choose to drink this save for health concerns (in this case, refueling my body with electrolytes due to a stomach flu). Good news is I think I’m recovered! I still have some more beverages to review that I consumed during my illness, though. 2.5/5.0
drinks sportsdrinks beverages gatorade citrus cooler 2.5