Dumpling-Flavored Soda: the worst soft drink ever created?
2 min read
A Japanese beverage company launched a controversial dumpling-flavored soda that many are calling literally “the worst soft drink ever created”.
Gyoza traditional pan-fried dumplings are a staple of Japanese cuisine, but they are also the inspiration for one of the world’s most bizarre and unusual drink.
“Gyoza cider”, or “Gyoza soda”, as some Japanese news organisations have been calling this stuff, is the creation of Nagai Garden, a refreshments company based in the city of Nikko, Japan’s Tochigi Prefecture.
Originally launched in 2019, it has been making news headlines ever since due to its unusually faithful dumpling taste.
Upon opening a bottle of gyoza cider, you are reportedly hit by a unique smell that has been described as a mix of chili oil, vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, and ginger. Well, gyoza dumplings.
And this smell is so strong that a representative of Nagai Garden recently told that he advises people to open the bottle outdoors.
Apparently, the makers of this crazy concoction never had deliciousness in mind when working on it.
They just wanted to reproduce the taste and smell of gyoza as faithfully as possible and make people curious enough to try it, and their plan worked, as in the three years that it’s been on the market, Gyoza cider has become somewhat of a cult, a challenge, or a dare among friends.
Who gave it a try soon after it had launched, named it the worst soda they’d ever tasted, comparing its flavor to the smell of an old man’s breath.
“It was sweet at first, then the garlic and ginger taste of the dumplings hit my throat all at once,” someone wrote on social media.
Apparently, the taste of this bizarre fizzy drink is beyond bad, and most of those who have tried it only recommend it as a cruel dare, or as a way to show off one’s strong stomach.
And you have to admit: dumplings in liquid, carbonated form do sound kind of gross….
Unfortunately (or not), Gyoza soda is currently only available in Japan, but you can sometimes find it on online Japanese import shops, although it’s mostly listed as “out of stock”…
What a pity!
Images from web – Google Research
