We all can use a little indulgence from time to time, especially in such exhausting times. Thankfully, there's always an eye-grabbing dessert being wheeled out by a chain restaurant in Japan to focus on.
Starbucks Japan's new American Cherry Pie Frappuccino is the latest to grab attention. This Instagram-ready drink features all the trademarks of the brand, along with a cherry compote and pieces of pie crumbs embedded within. Covering the whole thing is a "pie dome," a flaky pastry that you are supposed to break up into the beverage beneath.
It certainly looks good, and when I went in to get one (¥691), seemingly everyone else in the establishment was digging in to a Cherry Pie Frappuccino, too. Taste-wise it's good but maybe not quite as fulfilling as it is to look at.
The cherry flavor provided by the compote is the star, and it blends well with the sweet cream surrounding it. Less noteworthy are the pie crumbs, especially the larger chunks that come in after you break up the dome. They don't add much taste, and sometimes just get in the way of enjoying the parts that do mix well together.
