The Fat Straw

There's a funny story in amNew York about diners finally using fat straws for thick milkshakes. Of course this makes all sorts of inherent sense, though there is something fun about needing to wield a spoon with a really great shake. But this is hardly new: Bubble tea drinks have been using fat straws because the tapioca pearls are sizable globules (even they get stuck). Anyway, we're sure that diners had to think about whether or not they wanted to splurge for fat straws (costs, still needing anorexic straws for other drinks), but will a fat straw allow too much shake? Will there be more cases of brainfreeze that go unreported to the health department?

What restaurant serves the thickest shakes in the city? Would you want a fat straw? And if you're interested in making your own bubble tea, check out Bubblefly.com - there are so many wacky components!

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Jen Chung in Food on January 12, 2006 1:12 PM

Comments [rss]

marah

big straws make for the best pea shooters.

Thick Straws Rule!

Does anyone know of any good bubble tea places on the UWS?

moneymaker

island burgers (and shakes) on 9th avenue in the 50's somewhere makes thick, delicious shakes.

Trish M.

Gem Spa is on the corner of St. Mark's & Second Ave..... it has amazing egg creams (I had one today!). Not sure if they do shakes. The place on Avenue A, which I just walked by, is mid-block and currently sporting the large words "Belgian Fries" on its awning. It's a skinny pathetic-looking place... don't let that fool you. Great shakes and egg creams at great prices.

smitty

yeah, rat poo. I use the napkin to clean the top as best as I can andt the straw to avoid the rat feces and save my teeth.

Mike

Rikomatic...are you talking about the magazine shop next to Paul's on 2nd ave and St.marks?

Brightliner

Why do I drink things though a tube? Because it's a bit cumbersome to try to drink from the fill port of my Camelbak.

Crazy straws rock! :-P

miss

what about that piece of lid that pushes down into the soda?! what if i told you i open my lid so that it barely goes down below the surface of the can- with just enough space so i can stuff my straw in?

what about straws causing intestinal gas?! i AM drinking gas! carbonated gas! i've already signed up for gas when i forked my $1 over to the deli dude!

Jen W

Using a straw keeps your lipstrick from smudging and maybe helps bypass the teeth so the soda doesn't rot them as fast. And helps you avoid slurping up the rat shit.

Anonymous

If you're using a straw to avoid drinking cooties from the can's lid, how about the piece of the lid that you push down INTO your soda when you open the can?

hr

We use straws in new york because we get off our fat asses and walk, it's a lot easier to walk & drink through a straw .... as opposed to having your 64oz big gulp of mountain dew from the driver's seat.

Jen

Yes! The Broadway shake at Tom's is great - and it's off the menu, so you feel like an insider when you order it.

r-neg

loving this!

nick

re: rikomatic - are you talking about the place next to odessa? ive always considered gettink drunk food there but never went through with it

JC

Using straws causes intestinal gas.

jaydawg

Schnack's beer shake is hands down the best shake in a shake deprived city. Chocolate stout + vanilla ice cream = CRAZY DELICIOUS!

LSS

Tom's Restaurant on 112th and Broadway makes a great shake. Their specialty is called the Broadway shake and is half chocolate/half coffee. Every time my brother comes to visit he makes sure to get one.

Ethan

Sans straw, I vigorously wipe a can's mouth with something if I'm drinking from a can. Garret's right: rat shit, roach droppings, eat 'em up, b-log!

Garrett

Have you seen where the bodegas store their soda cans? Down in their filthy, rat and roach infested basements. Can lids are covered with their crap and who knows what else.

rikomatic

There's a hole-in-the-wall magazine shop 'round the corner of St Marks and Avenue A that does awesome malted milkshakes for a couple of bucks. Their black and white shake is tremendous.