So far, Starbucks’ new offering doesn’t sound too promising. Baristas are none too thrilled with the so-called “skinny” platform that means a drink with sugar-free syrup, nonfat milk, and no whipped cream. And customers may not like it either, if early reviews are any indication.

Monica Eng of the Chicago Tribune’s The Stew blog tried the new skinny mocha-flavored latte and was not impressed:

Although the drink sported a nice fluffy head of skim foam, the drink underneath was thin, weak and infused with a weird chemical flavor. The whole thing was reminiscent of something you would have gotten out of a 1980s-style coffee machine and then complained about.

Ostensibly, somewhere in the drink there is a shot of Starbucks “Signature espresso” and perhaps some real cocoa powder but you wouldn’t know it in this whisper of a drink that makes you feel like you are depriving and poisoning yourself at the same time. The big selling point is that the drink will only cost you 90 calories in a small–saving you about 100 calories a whack, Starbucks says. No thanks. Not worth the suffering to our palate.

I’m tired of lattes and mochas, so when I’m at my favorite work-away-from-home joint I go for a mug of Silver Doodle cinnamon, caramel, and chocolate-flavored coffee with a shot of half and half. I make up for the extra fat and calories in the half and half by typing really fast.

What’s your standard drink order when you’re working in a café? Or do you like to mix it up and try different things?

Related

• Open Thread: The First Cup – Tea or Coffee
• SMS-Based Starbucks Locator, A Double Shot
• Open Thread: What’s a Bedouin?
• The New Office Space: Coffee Shops

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