Soy Sauce Candy Latte Explained: Why This Umami Coffee Drink Actually Works
A soy sauce candy latte is not some kind of dark, gimmicky concoction. In fact, soy sauce works surprisingly well with sweetness. I still remember back in 2021, when I had my very first soy sauce candy latte at Shiteng Coffee in Shanghai. It left a deep impression on me. The very first sip delivered a savory, salty burst—like a rocket shooting straight into the sky—instantly hitting my taste buds. The collision between that umami saltiness and boozy, aromatic coffee beans created a malt-sugar-like sweetness. Then, in the second half, a mellow richness pulled everything back into balance. Before I even had time to fully analyze the progression, the cup was already empty. Many people tend to label these kinds of “signature” or “specialty” drinks as dark cuisine—odd combinations that feel illogical, or worse, designed purely to grab attention. I can’t say whether every specialty drink on the market is just chasing eyeballs, but the soy sauce candy latte is a flavor combination with...