Drinks for the teetotalers in Dallas-Fort Worth

by Teresa Gubbins

There are those who would say that a drink without alcohol is hardly worth drinking at all. But there are times -- before 10 a.m., for example -- when a non-alcoholic drink actually tastes good. Below is a survey of some of the drinks introduced, or that we got around to discovering, in the summer of 2009. Farewell summer of 2009!

McDonald's iced latte. $3.02. First of all, the ad campaign -- about how McD's coffee drinks are good for people who like coffee but are not millionaires -- is a big lie: This latte as well as the companion iced mocha cost $3, not much cheaper than Starbucks. (You know: where "millionaires" get their coffee.) They also won't let you bring your own cup, a lousy policy, environmentally speaking.

Supposedly, a taste test found that people liked McD's coffee, but this cappuccino tasted bitter. The coffee component was harsh, despite the cream, fake whipped cream, and chocolate-syrup drizzle on the mocha. Also: It's simply an iced drink -- no frosty blenderized Frappuccino-like texture. $3 for coffee + cream on ice? No wonder the people who drink coffee here aren't millionaires; they're being robbed.

Dunkin Donuts frozen cappuccino $3.19. Dunkin Donuts' selling point is that you can get your espresso-style beverage fast. The drink is extruded the same way as a Slurpee so there's no wait. It's meant to clone Starbucks' Frappuccino, but a Frappuccino is made to order in a blender; the two don't compare. That said, as long as you view this as a sweetened coffee-flavored Slurpee, it's not half bad. The texture is fine and it's an improvement on their original frozen-coffee drink, the 2003 Coolatta.

Cantaloupe slushie at Boba Latte in Richardson. Dallas-Fort Worth has a number of boba tea places outside of 635. In Richardson alone, there are half a dozen places doing bubble tea with chewy pearls of tapioca bobbing at the bottom of the cup. But few are as finicky as Boba in their tea brews or use of fresh fruit. The cantaloupe slushie has a clear green tea base blended with chunks of melon into an impeccable fruit smoothie.

Two other boba tea places known for using fresh fruit: the new-ish Fruitealicious in ultra-happening Carrollton, and Vietnamese sandwich place La Me in Garland.

Pepsi Throwback. In late April, Pepsi introduced a trio of new/old drinks: Pepsi Throwback, Mountain Dew Throwback, made with "natural sugar" (a blend of cane and beet sugar) instead of HFCS; and Pepsi Natural, an alternative cola made with sparkling water, apple juice, and kola extracts, reminiscent of the boutiquey Cricket Cola (which Central Market was stocking for a while but has recently ditched).

The Pepsi drinks were limited-edition, available only until June 15. The Pepsi Natural isn't sold in Dallas (we didn't make their list of 10 hipster cities in which it's sold), but in late May, a few 12-packs of the Pepsi Throwback could be found at an off-the-beaten-path Kroger. It was delicious, with a cleaner flavor than the usual muddled Pepsi.

Unfortunately, that was it -- which I learned after spending the next two months visiting every Kroger in search of another 12-pack.

But happy ending: Pepsi is re-issuing the Throwbacks for another limited run this winter, starting December 28 -- weird time, but no complaints here, it's time to start the countdown, and this means that the two cans being hoarded in the refrigerator can finally be drunk.

Submarino at Don Panza: A warm drink might be counter-intuitive for summer, but Don Panza's submarino is unique. It's basically DIY hot chocolate, Argentinean-style. You get a pint glass or mug of hot milk, tall spoon, and a bar of semi-sweet or dark chocolate you mix itself. It's simple, but Don Panza being half-Argentinean is one of the only local places that has it.