Have you ever tried matcha in your life? Around the world, there are many foods with matcha: matcha cake, matcha chocolate, matcha ice cream. But if you are reading this, you probably either love matcha or don’t care for it at all. That is because matcha is one of those flavors people tend to either adore or dislike. Until I came to the United States, I was one of the people who disliked it. Even when I once tried a bite of my Korean friend’s matcha ice cream, I couldn’t understand why people liked it. It wasn't sweet at all, just bitter.
That opinion changed on Aug. 22, when I visited the Starbucks near campus with international friends. Since it was my first time at Starbucks in U.S., I felt a little nervous. At the time, I was just getting used to speaking English all day with everyone I met, and even now small talk feels difficult for me. After rehearsing in my head what to say, I started to think about what drink I should order. As I was in a new environment, I decided to try something new — a matcha latte. I had heard a few months earlier about a TikTok trend in the U.S. where people would order a matcha latte and spill it on the floor. (Of course, I did not spill mine.)
After a short small talk with the barista, I successfully ordered my drink. She spoke so fast that I can't catch every word, but I was still glad to have had a brief conversation with someone outside of school. One small but funny detail: I was so nervous that I forgot I could pay with my student ID card there, and I ended up paying with cash. Even so, I felt proud of myself for ordering in English without a problem.
The matcha latte I received turned out to be much better than I expected. Until then, every matcha treat I had tried tasted overwhelmingly bitter, but the Starbucks near campus offered something different. In one sentence: It was creamy, slightly bitter, yet gently sweet.
Normally, when I go to Starbucks, I either get an iced Americano to fight off drowsiness or a caramel macchiato when I need something sweet. But sometimes I had no good choice when I had already had too much coffee and didn’t want something overly sugary. Now, the matcha latte has become that perfect in-between option. Its smooth texture, subtle sweetness and refreshing taste make it especially appealing. If you have ever found yourself in a similar situation, I think you might enjoy it too. In addition, I went back to Starbucks yesterday just to get another one!
One last note: For me, who usually avoids risks and prefers familiar routines, ordering a matcha latte required more courage than it might seem. I worried that trying something new might leave me less satisfied than sticking with what I already liked. Deciding to spend a semester in the U.S. instead of staying in Korea was also not an easy choice for me. But the matcha latte shattered that hesitation. It reminded me that trying something new sometimes can be worthwhile, and those experiences may even lead me down an entirely new path.
I really understand how you felt when you mentioned rehearsing what to say in your head before ordering. I had a similar experience with matcha lattes. Before coming to the U.S., I didn’t really like matcha. But once I came here, I thought it would be strange not to know the taste of something that originated in Asia, so I tried a matcha latte—and since then, I’ve actually come to love it!
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