It’s just a few days till the end of May, but the summer heat still hasn’t’t let up. And it seems it still wouldn’t. According to the news, we might still expect to experience the sweltering summer heat well into mid-June. So what is one to do to to cool off? One of the best ways to cool off is to drink or eat summer coolers.
I recently got to try some of Sentro 1771’s coolers and they were fantastic.
Let’s start with one of their best sellers, the Sago’t Gulaman.
Sago’t Gulaman Php 120.00
Sago’t gulaman is a very sweet drink made from caramelized sugar syrup, water, gelatin and tapioca pearls.It is very common and you can get it just about anywhere: from street vendors selling fishballs, drink stalls at the market, fast food restaurants, food courts and even slightly upscale restos.
What sets Sentro’s Sago’t Gulaman apart from others is that they use panucha instead of just regular sugar in making their drink’s base. The panucha gives it a bit of a mild, bitter taste that I really like. I love that it’s also bottomless! You can have your glass refilled to your heart’s content (and your stomach’s capacity).
Cucumber Melon Cooler Php 130.00
One of my favorites out of everything I’ve tried, the Cucumber-Melon Cooler is light, not overly sweet and very refreshing. I recently learned that cucumbers and melons come from the same family so I guess it’s a bit of a no-brainer that they could be used together, although the thought has never crossed my mind. This one was one refreshing surprise.
Watermelon Cooler Php 130.00
For watermelon lovers, there’s the Watermelon Cooler. It’s kind of a slush, I guess. Very cooling and a bit to sweet for my taste though. I love watermelon myself, but I prefer to eat my watermelon rather than drink it.
Tamarind Slush Php 130.00
To be honest, before trying this, I’ve never, ever thought of using tamarind to make a drink because it’s something I’ve always associated with cooking. It’s surprisingly sweet, with just a hint of tartness, so I’m guessing they used ripe tamarind fruit. Imagine drinking an ice cold sinigang broth, sans the sourness, meat and all those veggies that usually go with it. I was mildly weirded out, okay maybe more surprised, by the taste but I couldn’t quite quit taking another sip. It’s something I would have again.
Pandan Lemon Cooler Php 130.00
Probably one of the most refreshing drinks out of everything I’ve tried from the menu, the Pandan Lemon Cooler combines the tartness of lemon with the essence of pandan. It is quite sweet, but not so much that it overpowers the tartness of the lemon.
Sentro’s Halo-halo : regular- Php 150.00; small- Php 75.00
For halo-halo fans, Sentro also offers Halo-halo that come in 2 sizes: The regular which comes serve in a very tall glass, and the junior size.
Overall, save for the watermelon, everything was a hit for me. They were all very refreshing and were welcome respites from the hot summer weather.
Please note that I was invited to try out their coolers, but all opinions are my own.
