Earlybird Review: A Tale of Two Matchas
Earlybird is the classic go-to cafe for Riverdale students. With the explosion of Matcha in recent months, I decided to go to Earlybird to try their Matcha and other items. Upon entering Earlybird, I really enjoyed the atmosphere: a modern cafe with a relaxing environment and friendly workers. I was excited to try out the items recommended by their staff.
At first, a murky grass colored drink did not seem to be the most appealing thing to consume, but, as always, the taste is what matters. I tried two versions: regular Iced Matcha and hot Matcha with lavender vanilla flavoring (recommended by the Earlybird staff). These two drinks gave me mixed feelings. I was shocked to see the praise this drink has gotten; the Iced Matcha was not good. It had an initial earthy taste, but the chalky texture and nauseating aftertaste ruined it for me. I felt like I was drinking milk infused with grass.
The Lavender Vanilla Matcha was much better. The earthy flavor paired with the lavender sugar syrup was delicious, and I enjoyed this drink a lot. However, I am not completely sure that the matcha was what made the drink good. It was more the syrup that was delicious, while the matcha was just there. Similar to how a delicious sauce can elevate a tasteless sandwich, the syrup really elevated the matcha. I was most displeased with matcha on its own and for me it was a 2/10, but the matcha with lavender syrup was definitely a 9/10. Delicious drinks with sugary syrups are always the way to go!
Avocado Toast was also recommended to me by the staff at Earlybird. Avocado toast is an interesting phenomenon, being both simple and delicious. My rating was mostly based on the bread itself. I cannot think of a way to mess it up. You can either get good avocado toast or great avocado toast, and this toast was definitely the latter. I say, “It’s the bread that makes a sandwich,” and it’s the bread that makes an avocado toast, too. This bread was a thick slice of sourdough. It had a nice light brown toasting while also remaining warm and fluffy in the middle. The toasted outer layer paired excellently with the creamy mashed avocado, but the pickled onions and tomatoes made me the happiest.
Their acai bowl is another classic. Especially as the weather gets warmer, an acai bowl is perfect for the summer. I think acai bowls are better when you can actually taste the individual fruits in the acai blend. Playa Bowls and now Baya Bar have acai bases that taste too similar to an ice cream sorbet and not enough like blended fruit. However, Earlybird does a great job with their acai, as you can really taste the natural fruity blend. On top of that, they give you a substantial amount of granola, fruit, and either Nutella, peanut butter, or almond butter. I personally feel the almond butter has a flavor that pairs well with the berries.
I felt the acai bowl could improve if they put the granola on the bottom as well as the top because it needs to be evenly distributed. To me the Earlybird acai checks all the boxes of an acai bowl and they just need to distribute the toppings better. 9.5/10.
To conclude my lovely visit at EarlyBird I would rate this establishment an 8.9/10. Their acai bowls and toast are the way to go. Matcha is overrated and coffee is a better source of caffeine and flavor. In conclusion, I would give Earlybird a solid B+/A- range.
