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On a recent weekend road trip to pick my brother up from the Chicago International Airport, I decided to pull the "it's for an assignment" card on my mom and try a new beverage. While searching for a worthy coffee shop, my brother recommended Zion. On the corner of the block, the shop sits with high ceilings and boujee vibes.
As I looked at the menu beforehand, I knew exactly what I wanted. The Strawberry Shrub was described as "made with fresh strawberries, mint." Right off the bat, I was a bit confused. That was the only description given, besides the price. Is it a latte? lotus? Italian soda? I have no clue. I decided 'what the heck- let's just try it out.'
Taste- If I could direct your attention to the picture on the right, that was my face after taking my first sip. That face was also followed by the words "it's kinda nasty." But, I'm trying to stay positive here. It was definitely an acquired taste. Considering there were only two flavors listed in the description, I would have to say the mint was what put me off, but it honestly didn't even taste like mint. The whole flavor combo was just wack in general. 4/10.
Price- To be honest, the price was expected. With high vibes comes high prices. It was $4.75 before tax for (I'm guessing) 16oz. I am not sure because the menu never listed the volume of the cup, and the cup itself also never displayed it. But, (with my super-duper detective skills aka comparing it to Bailey's cups) I have deduced that it is most likely around 16oz. 6/10.
Quality- This section is the hardest to write. I genuinely still have no clue what the drink was. I'm just going to go ahead and rate it as a type of soda because it didn't really taste like a lotus. It was carbonated and bubbly, and it didn't go flat quickly either. 7/10.
Aesthetic- As I mentioned in the beginning, the vibes of the shop were immaculate. People were studying, and the place was covered in plants. It was giving very much modern, very much my sister's bedroom (if you know Meagan, you'll understand). The drink was also a pretty pink color. 9/10.
Final score: 6.5/10
This was such a wild ride of emotions. Did I even like it? Maybe my pallet is just not mature enough to appreciate the flavors? Whatever the case was, I was a little let down in the end. The whole menu situation made me a bit frustrated just because barely any information was given. I get the whole minimalistic vibe, but that shouldn't equal minimal information. This also reveals that good aesthetics does not automatically mean good products. To further my point, my mom got a simple iced chai, and it wasn't even good! Shocking to say the least. My final opinion is to not get this drink, because it may not be worth it. This doesn't mean that all of their products are bad (because I did see a croissant that looked bomb), but maybe stick to the basics to ensure a good experience. Have a lovely day! :)
Published on 5/3/2021
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