NYC foodies with a penchant for photogenic eats are in luck. Gothamist writer Jen Carlson went on an epic adventure to find a rose latte and found an entirely different mythical creation that's picture-perfect and pretty tasty, too.
While on the hunt for a coffee-based beverage, Carlson searched high and low; we assume she also checked behind rainbows, through mystical closet doors, and tapped on a few brick walls to see if they'd open up for her. Alas, she came up short on her NYC sojourn, only hearing rumours of a rose-accented coffee all the way in the magical kingdom of Los Angeles. However, she explains that she found a worthy replacement a little closer to home, the Rose Petal Milk Tea at Grace Street in Koreatown.
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While it doesn't have the caffeine kick of a coffee drink, Grace Street's Rose Petal Milk Tea does offer a bit of a pick-me-up via its blend of Ceylon and Assam teas. Soaked overnight, the leaves are left to their own devices, mixing their tannins and catechins in a unique mysterious process that's probably guarded by a goblin or curse. Or both.
After the tea has steeped, Grace Street's baristas blend it with Battenkill Valley Creamery milk and rose syrup for a beautifully colourful drink that's sure to draw the attention and admiration of everyone in the kingdom (of Gotham, we suppose). And depending on whether or not you summon the beautiful beverage in iced or hot form, it gets topped with a fresh, organic, edible rose petal or a sprinkle of dried organic rose petals. It all makes for an Instagram-worthy snapshot without a corporate logo in sight.
The result is a pink drink that leans sweet, but brings together the delicate flavour of roses and tea. Carlson explains that the mythical concoction is "one of the best things I've ever had to drink in my entire life." And now that she's done all the legwork, voyagers and locals alike know exactly where to go to get one of their own.