Have you ever spent your time in line at the Rez pondering what to order only to panic? Have you ever been unable to decide between the Voldemort and the Hot Karl, only to end up purchasing a boring cup of black coffee? Have you ever been embarrassed to ask the baristas about what the cool kids are ordering? Fear not! This is the definitive guide to all the specialty drinks at the Rez and what you should be drinking right now.
1. Lucy in the Chai (Chai Tea Latte + Espresso)
Drawing by Franny Kamio, Photo by Julie Murray
Grade: A+
This is a chai latte all grown up; the sickly sweet Starbucks Oprah chai latte turned into a deeper, more complex cup of deliciousness. The spice of the chai and the darkness of the espresso perfectly complement the milk and the sugar of this delectable latte. I highly recommend it. (Plus who can resist a good Beatles pun?)
2. Medford Fog (Earl Grey Latte + Vanilla)
Drawing by Franny Kamio, Photo by Julie Murray
Grade: B+
Very nice. The Medford Fog is a sweet, creamy cup of tea that is a distant cousin of the traditional Earl Grey. The vanilla is a integral touch, not super noticeable but enough of a sweetness to really enrich the drink. However, if you don’t love the flavor of Earl Grey tea, this may not be the drink for you. Personally, this drink made me want to stare wistfully out the window at a foggy, gray sky; or perhaps curl up like a cat by the hearth. And use words like hearth.
3. Soylent Green (Green Tea + Soy Chai Latte)
Drawing by Franny Kamio, Photo by Julie Murray
Grade: B
If you don’t usually like tea, don’t worry. As a fervent coffee lover, I didn’t know what to expect; but, the Soylent Green exceeded my expectations. This drink is pretty sweet, and has a calming, slightly fruity, creamy taste (it should be noted that I chose the double matcha green tea). Overall, pretty good.
4. Voldemort (Coffee + Espresso + Chocolate)
Drawing by Franny Kamio, Photo by Julie Murray
Grade: A+
I looove this drink. It should be noted I typically drink my coffee black, so in my opinion the darker and richer, the better. The Voldemort exemplifies all that a coffee drink should be: full of caffeine, chocolatey, and most importantly it still tastes like coffee. But I should warn you, this is not for the faint hearted latte-only drinkers. This strong drink will keep you up for hours.
5. Cinny Vanilly (Cinnamon + Vanilla Latte)
Drawing by Franny Kamio, Photo by Julie Murray
Grade: A-
I wholeheartedly enjoy the Cinny Vanilly, though it is a bit sweet. It reminds me of a snickerdoodle, or that one friend that knows literally everyone on campus. This is the equivalent of eating Cinnamon Toast Crunch for breakfast – not an everyday thing, but something fun to have every once in a while
6. Hot Karl (Nutella Latte)
Drawing by Franny Kamio, Photo by Julie Murray
Grade: A
This is basically hot chocolate on steroids. It’s delicious, light, creamy, and pretty much everything you expect from a typical latte. If you need to “treat yo self,” then this is the latte for you.
Of course there are also seasonal specialty drinks: for instance, the Bee Sting Latte (cinnamon and honey – delicious), the L’il Sebastian (pumpkin and maple – the perfect homage to the Harvest Festival) and the Werewolf Bar Mitzvah (pumpkin and white chocolate latte – too sweet for me but I do appreciate the 30 Rock reference).
Photo by Julie Murray
Overall, you really can’t go wrong at the Rez. If you’re somewhat addicted to coffee (as I am), this is a great excuse to try all their delicious coffees and work your way to that free punch on your Rez card.