Rooster’s Coffeehouse is encouraging students to “Feel The Love” with its special Valentine’s Day menu. Released on Feb. 4, the menu features four drinks that will offer a romantic twist to your midday Rooster’s run.
The strawberry iced matcha, chocolate strawberry latte, salted caramel hot chocolate and cinnamon iced chai latte are a diverse array of seasonal beverages to get you through the depths of winter.
Strawberry iced matcha
The strawberry iced matcha is an instant Rooster’s classic. I’m at Rooster’s almost every weekday, and whenever I’m there I see people ordering this. From my discussions with other regulars, I concluded that this one seems to be a fan favourite, and for good reason.
Matcha haters often attribute their dislike to a so-called “grassy” taste. That flavour is non-existent in this beverage, as the strawberry flavour more than adequately counterbalances any excessive earthiness. Despite being a Valentine’s Day beverage, the strawberry iced matcha evokes sentiments of spring. I felt like I was pregaming daylight savings as I drank it.
Its delicate flavours evoke images of pastel colours. Bonus points because the barista remembered that I always order with oat milk. I was indeed feeling the love.
Rating: 10/10
Chocolate strawberry latte
The artificial strawberry aroma of this beverage was truly quite something. It reeks of inauthenticity. The strawberry flavour works better with the matcha, rather than in this drink. But chocolate strawberry is an iconic combination nonetheless.
I also enjoyed this drink with a nanaimo bar, which made it quite a pleasant experience. This drink will appeal to those whose taste can be described as bland. The chocolate strawberry latte perfectly embodies Aristotle’s golden mean as it is a rational balance between two extremes. That being said, it definitely fits the Valentine’s Day theme.
Rating: 6/10
Salted caramel hot chocolate
I was not feeling optimistic about this one. I suspected it would be sickeningly sweet, and my predictions were correct.
The salted caramel hot chocolate just tastes like sugar. If I was eight years old, I would love the sweetness of this drink. Unfortunately, my taste buds have matured. The flavours don’t have many layers at all. It is a one-dimensional beverage that plays it too safe. However, it was creamy and had an incredibly pleasant aroma.
Rating: 5/10
Cinnamon iced chai latte
Get ready for some spice! The cinnamon iced chai is a hefty dose of flavour. Although this drink is yummy, conceptually it was a flop. I don’t really see the point in adding cinnamon to a chai latte, which inherently already contains cinnamon.
But in terms of taste, this drink was balanced and complete. The varying spices make each sip a unique and layered experience. It was thick, full-bodied and refreshing, making it the ideal drink for a sunny February afternoon.
Rating: 8/10
Featured graphic by Alisha Velji/The Charlatan.
