Dazzling Beverages

And to complete the meal, I skipped passed Lil's Taproom craft beers and zoomed in on @dangerclosebeverageco non-alcoholic sparkling fruit teas available on tap. Ideal for cleansing the palate, Li’l Los Lamb ($6) was a refreshing blend of apple, cranberries, and green tea. The taste of the tea and fruits melded together really well - tangy, sweet, with a tinge of floral, and slightly fizzy (I like that it wasn’t too carbonated).

For something light and refreshing, the Watermelon Yo-Tea ($6.80) came recommended by the staff as I wanted a thirst-quencher that was milder in yogurt taste. And it certainly delivered. Giving it all a good mix before every sip (as the distinct layers settled pretty quickly), I love the blend of flavours as you get the somewhat floral notes from the green tea with the tanginess of the yogurt as well as the sweetness of the watermelon. Surprisingly complementary, the combination wasn’t odd at all. There was also a nice play of textures with the slurpy jelly.

Want to try it for yourself? There is a 1-for-1 opening promo for their new outlets - 25 to 27 Feb for their I12 Katong outlet and 5 to 6 March for their outlet in City Square Mall. All you have to do is share a post on FB/IG stories and tag your friends, and show them at the counter to redeem a free drink (limited to Purple Rice Yogurt only) with every purchase of one drink (only one redemption per customer).

Not knowing much about yogurt-based drinks, I was rather skeptical at first ordering from Hey! I am Yogost as I am not much of a yogurt fan. But the two I tried might have changed my mind about the beverage and get me started on the other brands we have here in Singapore.

A summer-y number, the Mango Purple Rice ($6.80) was like a creamy dessert - if the classic Thai mango sticky rice was to be blended in a cup. The tropical yogurt concoction was lightly tart, fruity, none too sweet and had a great consistency as it wasn’t overly thick. Substantial without being overly indulgent, the chewy bits of purple rice were very enjoyable as well. It added that varying texture and subtle nutty flavour.

Want to try it for yourself? There is a 1-for-1 opening promo for their new outlets - 25 to 27 Feb for their I12 Katong outlet and 5 to 6 March for their outlet in City Square Mall. All you have to do is share a post on FB/IG stories and tag your friends, and show them at the counter to redeem a free drink (limited to Purple Rice Yogurt only) with every purchase of one drink (only one redemption per customer).

Another great find to satisfy my constant matcha craving, Cafe Found’s Matcha Latte ($7/ iced) was more than decent. The smooth concoction had a great balance. Not too milky or thick and with a good dose of earthiness and sweetness. 

A little lukewarm about Hearty’s Jasmine Soy Milk Tea ($5.90) as I found the drink, tea jelly and creamy organic soy foam to be quite mild-tasting (light tea and soy flavour) but the bunch of mochi was tasty. The skewer of mochi being both tender and QQ - there was also a mild sweetness to it that I enjoyed. The sprinkle of nutty powder atop also helped add some flavour. Overall, a refreshingly light concoction that wasn’t too sweet.

Ideal for a quiet cup of tea, Muse Initiative by Hvala at Keong Saik is a lovely space - a quaint Japanese Teahouse. Armed with a cup of their Iced Genmaicha Latte ($6.80), I enjoyed the slight frothy top of the concoction. The drink was not too sweet but loaded with a really pleasant nutty and roasted flavour. The crunchy brown rice puffs also added some fun textures and an extra dose of toasty aroma.

As for the popular Matcha Hojicha Latte [$5.80 (hot) / $6.80 (iced)], the blend was a little sweeter in comparison. With a shot of freshly-whisked matcha layered onto fresh milk, the concoction was smooth and full-bodied. The bitterness of the matcha was distinct yet mild. Thus, this is one for those that dislike the overwhelming vegetal taste of the tea. Noting that the flavour from their house-made hojicha syrup was also rather subtle.

Perfect for rainy afternoons, their Nutella Hot Chocolate ($6) was simply delish. My first time having the concoction, it seems to have taken the hot chocolate game to the next level for me due to the added fragrance of hazelnut. Smooth, steamy, and nutty, it was not thick or milky - did not feel like I downed a drinkable spread or chocolate milk so it is definitely a drink I see myself ordering again to warm up my belly.

Got their house-made Grass Kombucha. Smooth and refreshing, the taste of the 3-ingredient blend (Lemongrass, Pandan, and Wheatgrass) worked surprisingly well together. The balanced brew had a light tang, a delicate fizzy, and a very gentle herbaceous fragrance that gave the concoction a clean-tasting quality as well.

Another week, another spot to get my bubble tea fix, and this time it was at Bober Tea!

With Bober Tea’s extensive menu, having something off the Brown Sugar Series is a no-brainer for me. An instant classic made with their unique blend of fresh tea leaves with milk, the Brown Sugar Boba Milk Tea ($3.80/M, $4.80/L) was well-balanced and none too sweet. The pearls were warm, chewy-soft, and the brown sugar syrup imparted a lingering caramel flavour to the concoction.

For something light, the Hokkaido Chizu Matcha ($4.50/M, $5.50/L) combines fresh milk, Uji Matcha, and their signature cheese cap - Hokkaido Chizu. Mild, mellow with a slightly sweet aftertaste, the blend doesn’t taste too earthy and was overall pretty refreshing. Similarly, their Fragrant Taro Latte ($3.90/M) was smooth, creamy, and gently flavoured.

Do note that islandwide delivery is available~

Thank you @boberteasg for the drinks!

Having Singapore exclusive Pandan Shake ($7.80), I appreciated the thicc consistency and the textures from the gula melaka crumbles layered atop. The floral taste of pandan was strong which I enjoyed and in terms of sweetness was alright for me as I have a slightly higher tolerance for sweet but may be cloying for most.

*Throwback

Made for tea lovers, like myself, Steeped Tea Bar’s offerings are just perfect for our local weather. With their popular Pear High Mountain Oolong ($6.30), I found the thirst-quenching concoction to be delicately sweet. Paired with the distinct floral notes from the oolong tea, the fruity flavour of the Williams pear puree were mild yet pleasant. The more pronounced profile of the tea matched surprisingly well with the puree.

Similarly on a much lighter side, the chilled Mango Fruit Latte ($6.30) was smooth, creamy and plain soothing. The mango was well-balanced with the use of Hokkaido Milk - it tasted like equal parts mango and milk to me. Perhaps a little subdued in mango flavour, the drink was still fragrant and really refreshing. What’s more, I got to enjoy these beverages at the price of 1 thanks to Burpple Beyond!

Drink to brighter and younger looking skin with LiHO’s newest skin beautifying concoctions! Launching today at 9 selected outlets, LiHO BEAUTY TEA is not just for the ladies. A wonderful collaboration of two homegrown brands, LiHO TEA & Recherché Skincare, the formulated series infuses Recherché Beauty Nutrients which are high-quality ingestible beauty actives. Said to be easily absorbed into the body, the two beverages acts as beauty booster for both day and night.

In the day, quench your thirst with Recherché-LiHO Whitening Beauty Tea. Featuring a Jing Syuan Tea base with a medley of citrusy fruits such as Green Lemon and Grapefruit, the extra ingredient is Recherché Skin Brightening Plus. Extracted from a synergistic blend of berries, pomegranates and herbs, the skin brightening plant actives is just perfect for those staying in Sunny Singapore.

And at night, Recherché-LiHO Collagen Beauty Tea serves to rejuvenate the skin with a blend of Yuzu, Vitagen and Grapefruit. Pumped up with Recherché Collagen Amino Acid for that boing boing skin.

So, upgrade from the usual fruit teas and grab a cup because as the saying goes 'You Are What You Eat'. Furthermore, each cup purchased will entitle you to a stamp on their loyalty card and with 10 stamps collected you can redeem a specially packaged Recherché’s award winning amino acid cleansing mousse.

Many thanks to @lihosg and @rechercheskincare for hosting as well as sharing more at the Media Preview!
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(Outlets: Funan, Tanjong Pagar Centre, Bugis+, Suntec City B1, JEM, One Raffles Place, Vivocity, Star Vista & Orchard Gateway)
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*the jars were used only at the media preview event*