10. Ginseng

 

Beverage: Nuoc sam/Ginseng

Ingredients: Distilled water, ginseng extract, sugar, honey

Appearance: Exactly the same as the recent Herbal tea. Dark brown, tealike, still.

Aroma: Blimey, that's powerful with a pow. Pop this baby open and you'll have ginseng roots crawling all over your carpet in no time. Maybe them's the drugs, but I'm getting some serious rootage emanating from this here tin. Them be Korean countryside roots. Specifically roots found in the foothills of Mount Seonunsan approximately 1 kilometre east of Seonunsan temple and about two feet below the surface. Yes. My nose is mighty. Although, on a more serious note, it could actually be 1.2 kilometres west. But let's not nitpick.

Taste: Not unpleasant, but not that good. I'm a fan of ginseng in bibimbap and booze, but this isn't one of its better uses. Blog geek note: ginseng "cures or alleviates coronary heart disease, hypertension, hypo-tension and myocardial malnutritioncure." According to Drug Store China.

If this drink were a British seaside resort town it would be... Margate in October. A bit dreary.

Our survey said...  3.98 out of 10. 1 bonus point for the near legendary aphrodisiacal properties of ginseng.

Cost: 3,600VD or 237 Korean Won

Comments

[jim]

THESE SOFT DRINKS ARE ALL GOOD, BUT WHAT ABOUT THE NECTAR OF THE GODS?
HAVE YOU CHECKED OUT V I N O ? SAIGONS NEWEST AND BEST WINE SHOP.

ITS LOCATED AT 34 PHO DUC CHINH, DISTRICT 1, HCMC.
GO AND HAVE A LOOK.
AND AS THEY SAY " A MEAL WITHOUT WINE IS LIKE A DAY WITHOUT SUNSHINE "
JIM