Author: Heather

What is the Starbucks Dragon Drink?

Last year, Starbucks debuted a new Refresher, the Mango Dragonfruit. As part of the new summer menu, the chain has mixed the Mango Dragonfruit Refresher with coconutmilk for the beautifully colored Dragon Drink.

It’s a sister drink to the Pink and Violet drinks, which mix the Strawberry Acai and Very Berry Refreshers with coconutmilk, respectively. If you’ve never had actual dragonfruit before, it includes diced dragonfruit on top.

How is it?

While I typically go for coffee, coffee, and more coffee at Starbucks, I’ve been gravitating more toward the Refreshers these last few months for something sweet and caffeinated. So needless to say, I was thrilled to see this one go on the menu, as I’m a huge fan of the Mango Dragonfruit Refresher.

The Dragon Drink did not disappoint. Not only does this drink look pretty, it also tastes pretty. (I have a feeling this will be the summer’s most Instagrammed drink.) It’s much sweeter than the Pink and Violet drinks – in a good way. I often feel the coconutmilk outweighs the taste of the Refresher flavors in the Pink and Violet, but this was not the case with Dragon Drink. The mango and dragonfruit flavors shined through, with the right hint of creaminess from the coconutmilk. It truly was refreshing and had me wishing I was sitting by the pool instead of at my desk.

Is there anything else you need to know?

Since it is pretty sweet, I think I’ll stick to a grande when I get this instead of upgrading to a venti. The grande was just enough.

Conclusion:

Try this! If you’re a Refresher fan, it will be a hit.

Purchased Price: $3.85
Size: Grande
Rating: 9 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 130 calories, 3 grams of total fat, 2.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 60 milligrams of sodium, 26 grams of total carbohydrates, 0 grams of dietary fiber, 23 grams of total sugars, and 1 gram of protein.

What is the Starbucks Red Velvet Loaf Cake?

It’s one of Starbucks’ new winter food items, vanilla cake meets red velvet cake in this bakery treat, with a white chocolate icing. It’s served by the slice, and I was not disappointed with the size. The cake slice was even larger than I anticipated.

How is it?

I love red velvet, but I’ve always felt it’s something people either really like or don’t like. So as someone who adores it, this loaf cake was pretty darn good. On first bite I made sure to get the vanilla, red velvet, and icing all in one, and the red velvet was definitely the most flavorful. It was rich without being too sweet. I also appreciated the denseness of the loaf cake. But I will say the density makes it more of a dessert than a quick snack.

Now let’s talk about the white chocolate icing: A thin layer with nice flavor. I do wish there was more – my husband and I agreed we wish the icing-to-cake ratio was the same in every bite.

Is there anything else you need to know?

I would have a beverage on hand, because the loaf cake was just a teeny bit dry (hence my 8 out of 10 rating). Not enough for me to make a stink about it, but I was hoping it would be super moist. The red velvet portions of the cake were more moist than the vanilla. (Side note: My apologies for using the word moist. I know people dislike that almost as much as red velvet.)

Conclusion:

I would definitely order again – this was a nice treat that paired well with my latte for my afternoon pick-me-up.

Purchased Price: $2.95
Size: N/A
Rating: 8 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 370 calories, 16 grams of total fat, 8 grams of saturated fat, 0.5 grams of trans fat, 90 milligrams of cholesterol, 470 milligrams of sodium, 51 grams of total carbohydrates, 1 grams of dietary fiber, 29 grams of total sugars, and 5 grams of protein.

What is the Starbucks Black & White Mocha?

Starbucks has brought back its Black and White collection, which includes a Mocha, Hot Chocolate, and Frappuccino. The Black and White Mocha, which I tried, has both dark mocha and white chocolate mocha, whipped cream, and chocolate “sequins” (read: chocolate pieces).

How is it?

I consider this the regular Mocha’s older sibling who is all dressed up for New Year’s Eve. It’s trying to make the Mocha fancy, but it just tastes the same – with a fancy description. The chocolate taste is super prominent, with no real white chocolate traces. And although it has 80 milligrams of caffeine in a tall, you’re not getting any coffee taste (which might be a draw for those who don’t like coffee but still want a caffeine hit!).

I do appreciate how smooth the taste is – it’s a decadent drink that’s more like a special dessert. It’s definitely a calorie bomb at 350 calories for a tall alone. I wouldn’t add this into my morning rotation, but make it more of an afternoon sugar rush.

Is there anything else you need to know?

I enjoyed the drink, but the reason I have it at a 6 out of 10 is that it doesn’t separate itself from a good old Mocha. I was hoping for something a little more exciting, but it fell a bit short. So it has a good taste, but it’s a bit of disappointment in the build up.

Conclusion:

If you’re a sucker for specialty drinks, it’s worth a try. But if you’re looking for an advanced Mocha, you might not find it.

Purchased Price: $4.45
Size: Tall
Rating: 6 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (Tall) 350 calories, 15 grams of fat, 10 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 40 milligrams of cholesterol, 180 milligrams of sodium, 44 grams of carbohydrates, 42 grams of sugars, 12 grams of protein, and 80 milligrams of caffeine.