Finding the Perfect Match(a)
By: Abigail Chow
After crossing the border from Cambodia into Thailand with my classmates in ISP during our trip to Southeast Asia, our tour guide Mini announced that the first thing we had to do in Thailand was visit a 7/11. Unaware of the hidden gem of Southeast Asia we were about to experience, we obediently got off the bus. Each item in the 7/11 was tailored to Southeast Asian flavors. Instead of hotdogs, there were actual Asian meals packed and ready to be eaten. There were rows of unique food: different buns filled with custards and jams, cute candy, seaweed flavored chips, dried seafood, and the most intriguing drink aisle with different flashes of pink, orange, and green. I decided to try a matcha latte after hearing about my classmate’s obsession for the beverage. I was intrigued by the way she described the way matcha didn’t give her a caffeine rush like coffee but provided enough energy to wake up for her day.
Despite being in a cute packaged bottle, the matcha itself was amazing. The concentrated green tea flavor was present and the creaminess of the milk cut through the bitterness to add a hint of sweetness while not being too overbearing. This balance between matcha and milk set the standard for matcha lattes. Going home from the trip, I made it my mission to find the best matcha latte in Tulsa. Unfortunately, Jenks is not anywhere near Southeast Asia, so I sampled a mix of five new or notorious coffee shops in proximity to Jenks: Nordaggio’s Coffee, The Coffee Grinder, Shades of Brown Coffee and Art, Cirque Coffee, and 918 Coffee.
As a control, I ordered each matcha latte with oat milk as its base. I evaluated each latte based on its price, taste, and sweetness. To end each review, I gave a rating out of five and gave my final thoughts.
1. Nordaggio’s Coffee
Nordaggio’s Oat Milk Matcha Latte
Price: $9.05
Taste: This matcha latte was below average. The oat milk was creamy, light, and smooth. However, the matcha flavor was like a fragrance. I would have liked it to be more present in the drink. Sweetness: 75%
Balance: The oat milk seemed to overpower the matcha flavor. If there had been more matcha in the drink, it would have been better.
Rating: 2/5
Final Thoughts: Given the lack of matcha flavor along with the price of the drink, I gave Nordaggio's a 2/5. I’m not willing to pay for a $9 matcha latte if it’s not going to have enough matcha in it.
2. The Coffee Grinder
Coffee Grinder Oat Milk Matcha Latte
Price: $6.25
Taste: This was the worst matcha latte I’ve tasted. It mostly tasted like oat milk. To be exact, boxed oat milk. I could only taste the matcha by thinking hard and letting it settle in my mouth. The sweet syrup they put in it was too overpowering. Beyond the overall flavor, there was a slight grittiness to it.
Sweetness: 100%
Rating: 1/5
Final Thoughts: Again, the lack of matcha flavor really brought this rating down. I’m not going to pay $6 for a cup of boxed oat milk.
3. Shades of Brown Coffee and Art
Shades of Brown Oat Milk Matcha Latte
Price: $6.25
Taste: This is the taste of perfection. It brought me back to Thailand. There was a prominent matcha flavor that was bitter. The oat milk was creamy and cut through the bitterness of the matcha. Because of how creamy the oat milk was, there was no need for the drink to be sweet. The ratio of the bitterness of the matcha to the creaminess of the oat milk was perfect. It was smooth and chilled to perfection. There was just enough ice so it didn’t get watery.
Sweetness: 10%
Rating: 5/5
Final Thoughts: Shades met my standard for a good matcha latte. It had the right amount of bitterness from the matcha and creaminess from the oat milk. The quality and price of the drink cannot be beat. You are really getting your bang for your buck here.
4. Cirque coffee
Cirque Oat Milk Matcha Latte
Price: $5.55
Taste: The oat milk tastes like sweet water, similar to Trader Joe’s boxed oat milk. The matcha flavor is good when present. The drink was smooth overall with a bit of grit. It was not creamy
Sweetness: 10%
Rating: 2/5
Final Thoughts: Unfortunately, Cirque did not meet my expectations. The flavor was too watery and I couldn’t taste the matcha most of the time. Additionally, the matcha color was brown - a telling sign of a bad or aging matcha powder. Despite how convenient it may be, I wouldn’t recommend getting a matcha latte here.
5. 918 Coffee
918 Oat Milk Matcha Latte
Price: $8.75
Taste: Although there was a good matcha flavor similar to Shades of Brown, the oat milk tasted watery and became too overbearing. Despite how smooth the drink was, there was a bit of grit because of the oat milk used. I felt there was too much ice, which made the drink too cold and probably contributed to the watery flavor. Due to the lack of creaminess in the oat milk, the bitterness of the matcha was not balanced out with the sweetness of the oat milk. I would say this drink would be good after a workout, but not appropriate for a drink to start your morning or chat with a friend over.
Sweetness: 0%
Rating: 2/5
Final Thoughts: Despite how present the matcha flavor was, I don’t think it’s worth the wateriness of it. I would have ranked this a 3/5 but the price brought it down to a 2/5. I wouldn’t recommend spending nearly $9 on an unenjoyable drink.
Final Thoughts + Recommendation:
If you can’t already tell, I highly recommend you go to Shades of Brown to get your oat milk matcha latte fix. The price is appropriate for the quality of matcha and oat milk put into the drink. I can’t get over how creamy yet present the matcha flavor was. The oat milk complemented the matcha perfectly.
Besides Shades of Brown, I’d suggest investing in your own premium matcha and buying a matcha whisk and oat milk from Aldi to make your own oat milk matcha latte. However, when you’re out of time, Shades has got your back.
