REVIEW: Chainsaw Man-themed Drink From the Alley Canada
This review is for promotional Chainsaw Man-themed drinks offered by The Alley in Canada.
The Chainsaw Man and The Alley collaboration has finally come to Canada, a few days later than the U.S. — as most things do when it comes to this country. Canadian Devil Hunters can grab their bubble teas starting on Jan. 12, 2023 where it will run until Feb. 12.
When I read redbeanjelly’s review and saw how she came up empty-handed only three days after the collaboration began, it made my blood freeze with terror. Initially, I had planned to go on the first day but had to wait until the second day to find time to hunt for bubble tea. I arrived around a half-hour after The Alley opened, sweating a little and glasses fogging up because of my mask. It may have been the first time I’ve walked that fast in a while.
The Alley at my location was a really small but cozy one. I immediately spotted the Chainsaw Man x The Alley collaboration sign at the cashier. I was slightly disappointed at how empty the store looked since I saw how other franchises across Canada had decorated their fronts with various Chainsaw Man merch like Pochita plushies or Denji and Power standees, but no matter.
After approaching the cashier and pretending to look like I belonged, I asked if “R” and “L” meant “right” and “left.” It didn’t. For any bubble tea newbies out there, however few of you there are, it means “regular” and “large.” It’s been, maybe, five years since I’ve had bubble tea. Don’t judge me. Nevertheless, I got over my embarrassment quickly and placed my order.
Prior to my trip, I had done my research to figure out what each drink’s flavour was. For the Canadian collaboration, there are two: the first is fresh orange with peach oolong, topped with orange whipped cream; the second is fresh grape with Jasmine green tea blended with ice, topped with snow velvet (salted cheese foam). I opted to buy the orange one in honor of Pochita (RIP Pochita, #gonebutnotforgotten).
When the barista handed me a Chainsaw Man sticker sheet, straw decoration and cup sleeve, my eyes immediately zeroed in on them, completely forgetting about my drink. The relief that shot through me was immediate and overwhelming.
Frankly, I didn’t have high hopes for the drink. I’m usually someone who likes simple things and the prospect of orange whipped cream wasn’t quite appealing to me. I was surprised at how much I liked it though. It wasn’t too sweet and the little bits of orange peel added a tinge of bitterness that was actually quite pleasant. The oolong tea was nice and mild. I tried the cream by itself, and at first it didn’t taste like anything. After stirring it up a little and mixing the cream with the rest of the tea, it tasted artificial and reminded me of a Creamsicle. By the time I finished, there was a lot of cream and ice left at the bottom.
While my opinion might be a little biased because of the adorable Pochita staring at me, overall, I enjoyed the drink a lot more than I expected.
