Drink This!: Dry Soda

A couple weeks ago while enjoying a gorgeous meal at Cascadia while perusing the wine list I spotted a beverage option on the menu that peaked my interest. Dry Soda read the listing.

What are these?, I asked our server. Are they new? Who makes them? "They are a local company, based in Tacoma. Brand new to the market. These are being served at a few restaurants and high end hotels in the city. They are delicious. Try one. You'll love it."

So I did. I debated between the Lemongrass, Lavender, Rhubarb and Kumquat, eventually choosing the latter. A few minutes after that the very same server came back to the table with a tray, a bottle and a champagne flute.

She opened the bottle and poured the aromatic and sparking liquid while I observed the light fizzle raise on the glass.

I reached for the flute, brought it closer to my nose, inhaled and got a whiff of  fresh, crisp and delightful Kumquat peel scent, the kind that brought back menorie of a few months back when my kitchen was infused with the fragrance of these tiny orange gems, during my Kumquat Compote  exercise.

What followed was the proverbial icing on the cake: a small sip of this crystal clear drink with its elegant and tiny bubbles was enough to make me close my yes and sigh. Lovely! Just the right pairing for my meal and something I definitely needed to have seconds of.

When I returned home I Googled the name on the bottle and found a company website with a bit of information. The next morning I went looking for Dry Soda at a nearby grocer.

I also emailed Dry Soda to try to find out a bit more information on where to buy their product in the city and on any recommended pairings.

Sure enough, just a few hours later there was a very kind email from a Dry Soda representative with more scoop.

"DRY Soda was developed specifically to be paired with fine food. We chose natural extracts that had good sensory appeal and worked to get the sweetness level, acidity levels and carbonation levels to the optimum for food pairing -- much like a wine.  The sodas are all natural with low levels of pure cane sugar. They range in calories from 50-70. The sodas are sold in white tablecloth restaurants, four star hotels and high end retail locations." 

Needless to say I've already tried them all (Kumquat, Lemongrass, Lavender and Rhubarb) and have become quite infatuated with the Rhubarb and Kumquat for obvious reasons, as these happen to be two of my favorite fruits.

These are delicious thinking man sodas and a formidable alternative for non-alcohol drinkers, young diners at the table, for those of us who eschew traditional carbonated drinks and on occasion would rather not drink alcohol (or are taking medications that prevent us from indulging in a bit of wine or champagne) with a fine meal (or bag of popcorn) but still want to partake of a nice beverage with a bit more flavor and personality than the usual offering of imported sparkling water.

Dry Soda is not only very delicate but not overly sweet and with a realy intense and true to the herb or fruit flavor. And at less than 70 calories per bottle these are a fabulous option for those counting calories or wanting to save points for their dessert.

The Georgian Room, Flying Fish, Dahlia Lounge, Lark, Canlis, Crush and The Herbfarm among others are already listing them on their menus.

Larry's Markets and selected QFC shops are selling them too (I found mine on the cold soda section). So stock up on these to serve next week to your guests, drink up and expect many compliments...and a few questions.

By the by, this very young company (les than 14 weeks old) is already planning a Los Angeles launch next December and it would not surprise me at all that Napa/SF and New York will be next.

These beautiful sodas are definitely Thomas Keller worthy!

Sharelle Klaus at Dry Soda recommends the following pairings:

Kumquat -- Kumquat has a very clean citrusy taste with a high acidity this is our most versatile flavor that truly pairs with everything. --But some good pairs include:  tuna, various risottos, oysters, sweet leafy greens and roast chicken.

Lemongrass-- Has a dry bright flavor with medium acidity -- Asian inspired dishes, spicy flavors, goat cheese and asparagus all work great with lemongrass.

Rhubarb-- Is our boldest flavor with high acidity and tartness -- this bold taste pairs perfectly with winter vegetables, comfort foods, stews, hamburgers and any beef or veal dish.

Lavender -- This is one of our most popular flavors -- it is floral and low in acidity as well as the sweetest of the sodas.  I love to have lavender with desserts of any type.  But it does well with roast duck and cheese courses as well.

 

Comments

[Patrick]

Would love to try in Santa Barbara?

[Charmie Lorete]

Hello-
I have been craving for the lavander dry soda eversince i tried it at the Fairmont Hotel. I have been wanting to buy and try the other flavors. Thanks for suggesting QFC and Larry's Market.

Cheers

[retrogreengirl]

Just a fun note to add: I believe the woman who designed these dry sodas was developing a pregnancy-friendly, sophisticated food pairing. What a keen niche to cater to! I tried them at BOKA Kitchen + Bar at Hotel 1000. Of all the beverages saturating the market, hope this one soars, and it's local to boot!!

[Mandy]

Dry Sodas are indeed Thomas Keller worthy! You are definately "in the know" considering you published this post nearly 2 years ago. Very nice blog.

[Stefan]

I love Dry Soda. A friend of mine turned me onto it about a month ago. I've been buying as much as I can get my hands on as it is not yet for sale yet in Spokane.

[J. Ross]

Wow. We were really disappointed with these sodas. The two bottles we tried had minimal personality.

[Sam]

ooh - rhubarb sounds fantastic.

Have you discovered Fizzy Lizzy???
They are not nearly as sophisticated but I have a huge craze on their grapefruit soda right now.

HUGE!

[mark]

Found them in @ the Metropolitan Market in Tacoma for less than $2. The lavender was great! Can't wait to try the rest...

[jersey]

Metropolitan Market sells them as well -- at least the one on Admiral in West Seattle does.

[yukari]

Looks very nice soda to order with nice food! Wish we had in Tokyo as well... especially more and more people like to order Perrier or S. Pellegrino with their food in restaurants... Would be a wonderful surprise here!

[sally]

how much did they charge at cascadia, v?

Hi Sally! I think Cascadia charged $5 per soda. Priced almost as high as inexpensive wine, I know...but still an excellent alternative to wine, water and average juice or carbonated drinks. However, you can purchase these at QFC and Larry's for $1.99 each. :-) V

[Kathleen]

Went to Brasa for 25 for $25 just this past Tuesday and noticed the dry soda selections as well and was instantly curious. The lavender one was the one that really piqued my interest. Regrettably now, I decided not to get it because my bf and I would go broke if we had drinks with every dinner out. Anyhow, thanks for posting everything I would have ever wanted to know about these sodas. Such an informative page and so timely too, in my case. You do a great job, thanks!

[Megan]

Yum! These sound great, Viv. I think I may have to pick up a few bottles to serve to the out-of-towners this Thanksgiving. To Larry's I shall go!

[Meghan]

I tried the lemongrass dry soda last night. I thought it was delicious! Enough flavor, but not too sweet. And I love fizzy drinks.

[meredith]

Wow, I want to try Lavender and Rhubarb. Very intriguing.

Viv, we went to Vios for the first time a few weeks ago. I loved it! The food was amazing, but I wasn't a fan of the shared seating. I oredered one of the specials: rabbit with Greek pasta, olives, and pomegranate. I've just made myself very hungry.

Lookin' forward to your Kingfish review!

[shuna fish]

These look amazing!! What an amazing concept. In my city (SF) I like to order Navarro Guwurstriminer juice when a restaurant has it as it is like drinking wine with my meal. The worst is being told that with your $200 meal they have coke or cranberry juice available!

Thank you so much for the head's up!

[Melissa]

Those sound very interesting! I'll keep an eye out for them.

[Alfie]

You sold me!!! Now, where to find in my sucky town :-)