New Opening Brings Affordable Milk Tea and Juice to Shangdu Soho
Even though the dog days of summer are (thankfully) pretty much behind us, early autumn can still inflict scorching temperatures. That's good news for recently opened Shangdu Soho milk tea and juice shop Momo Nanlu – if they can deliver the goods in a market as saturated as Beijing, of course.
The modern and minimalist facade of their streetside shop caught our eye as we were walking through Soho on our way to The Place, standing out from a number of less polished, more ramshackle-looking businesses that the Chaowai and Shangdu Sohos too often plays host to. We popped inside and found a small shop with a couple of counters that could fit about half a dozen patrons. The wall behind the main counter is green, while the other white walls and floor tiles give the place a clean, low-key vibe. It really is too tight a squeeze inside to make you want to stay for long, so you'll likely want to get your juice, smoothie or dirty coffee to go.
Sadly the menu was entirely in Chinese, making it a bit tough for me to puzzle out everything that was on offer, despite photos next to a few items. I managed easily enough, in broken Mandarin, to ask the staff about main menu items, and identify the half dozen freshly pressed fruit juice options (RMB 18 each), fruit milkshakes (RMB 10 for small or RMB 15 for large), and dirty coffees that'll appeal to on-trend customers (RMB 22 each). If you've missed the fad for "dirty coffees," these coffee and cream mixers served in plastic cups are all the rage this summer because of the swirls of colors that'll catch your eye when you swirl them up; read more about them here.
The low prices were tempting, but also sparking a bit of skepticism about the quality of the products. However, the strawberry milkshake I ordered came in a hefty 750ml cup for a mere RMB 18, and while the bang-for-buck was the main draw, the less-than-exceptional mix still had a creamy texture and naturally sweet flavor, along with plentiful chunks of newly blended strawberry, that amply provided relief on a muggy afternoon. It wasn't memorable enough an experience to make Momo Nanlu crack my "Best of 2018" list by any means, but this recently opened branch of a burgeoning chain (with a handful of other locations around town) is affordable and more than competent in terms of service and satisfying recipes, which should give it plenty of appeal for the slews of stressed office workers in the vicinity of Chaowai Soho in need of a sweet indulgence on a steamy, busy workday.
Momo Nanlu
Daily 10am-9.30pm. 1/F, North Tower Shangdu Soho, 2106 Dongdaqiao Road, Chaoyang District
北京市朝阳区东大桥路尚都SOHO北塔一层2106
READ: Dig Your Face Into These Trendy Dirty Drinks
Photos courtesy of Momo Nanlu
