Two of the nation’s greatest coffeehouse chains go face to face on this battle of seasonal flavours.
Autumn has lastly arrived in Japan, which implies it’s the season for candy potatoes. Right here in Japan, they don’t simply eat these scrumptious root greens, they drink them too, and in the mean time you possibly can slurp them up at two rival American-born coffeehouse chains, Starbucks and Tully’s Espresso.
The seasonal drink at Starbucks is known as the “Yaki-imo Kobashi Caramel Frappuccino” (“Fragrant Baked Candy Potato Frappuccino“), and though it formally goes on sale on 4 September, our reporter Okay. Masami was in a position to get an early style of it, as Starbucks Rewards members like herself can buy the drink within the two days main as much as the official launch.
Alternatively, Tully’s Espresso has been promoting an “Oimo Tea Shake” since 28 August, with the oimo (actually “potato”) referring to candy potato. As an ardent lover of the autumnal vegetable, Masami was eager to attempt each these drinks to see which one is price your yen, and discover out if the extra standard Starbucks chain does issues higher than Tully’s.
▼ She began the style comparability at Starbucks, the place the brand new Frappuccino value her 700 yen (US$4.81).
This can be a candy potato lover’s dream, with items of candy potato within the milky base, and within the type of imo kenpi (sugar-coated candy potato chips) within the topping. When mixed with the caramel sauce and vanilla flavour within the physique of the beverage, this mix of components is designed to imitate the style of a canelé.
It’s a luxurious-looking drink, and when Masami requested the shop clerk if they might advocate any kind of customisation, they informed her it tasted nice with an oat milk substitution for an extra 55 yen, so she determined to provide {that a} attempt.
Dipping her spoon into the combination, she may see it had a thick, heavy texture, and when she took her first sip, the moreish mouthfeel made it extremely satisfying. Consuming it by a straw delivered candy potato chunks onto the tongue, the place they danced with bitter caramel on the palate, making a scrumptious style and texture that she describes as “the flavour of happiness“.
It was a unbelievable Frappuccino, and filling as nicely, making it price each yen. So how would the Tully’s drink examine?
This can be a very totally different drink, in that it accommodates black tea, and in contrast to the Starbucks Frappuccino, which is simply obtainable in a Tall dimension, it is available in two sizes: Brief (690 yen) and Tall (750 yen). This makes it barely dearer than Starbucks, however with a candy potato sauce and Earl Gray milk tea within the combine, it seems to include pricier components.
▼ The whipped cream topping is intertwined with candy potato sauce, and sprinkled with black sesame seeds.
Workers advocate mixing the topping into the beverage in order that’s what Masami did, and the very first thing that stunned her when she sipped it was the gorgeous aroma of Earl Gray. The tea flavour was rapidly adopted by the style of candy potato, making a harmonious mix that was completely scrumptious.
Although she initially thought there’d be a transparent winner after the tasting, it seems that this was a name that was too near make. On the one hand, you possibly can get pleasure from an plentiful style of candy potato within the Starbucks drink, whereas alternatively, the Tully’s drink provides a flavoursome mix of candy potatoes and tea, in simply the best steadiness.
Each are scrumptious, however totally different, so Masami recommends making an attempt every of them should you can, with Tully’s first because it’s barely lighter in flavour. One factor they do have in frequent is their limited-edition availability, because the Frappuccino is simply on the menu till 10 October, and the Tea Shake will likely be offered whereas shares final, so that you’ll need to get in fast to attempt them!
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