Goldie is a favorite of the Philly Jewish food scene thanks to their top-notch Israeli fare. Their naturally vegan, not-too-sweet Tahina Shakes are the perfect complement to a falafel sandwich, but which one is the best? We at Tribe 12 set out to taste test them all.
Original
The first sip of Goldie’s original flavor tasted almost like peanut butter, but with a definite and slightly bitter sesame aftertaste. The consistency is reminiscent of a Wendy’s frosty, and the shake overall would go great with a hot order of their shawarma spice fries.
Coconut
My first taste was of this shake’s homemade whipped topping, which reminded me of my childhood favorite Girl Scout cookie, the Caramel deLite. The shake itself was considerably more melted than the others (food scientists please explain) and was a sweeter take on the original with hints of coconut flavor. It would be a fun summer flavor to sip in Rittenhouse Square Park.
Mint Chocolate
This shake is definitely minty, and is a great option for someone who wants a vegan shake but isn’t into the tahina flavor. It tastes specifically like spearmint, and the chocolate slivers added a nice variation in consistency, but it can be a little overwhelming as a whole.
Turkish Coffee
Did we save the best for last? I was skeptical of the flavor combination at first, but the coffee shake was topped with delicious little halva crumbles and has a nice balance of coffee and tahina flavor.
We ended with a two-woman hung jury: my favorite was Coffee, but I see the appeal of enjoying the novelty in the Original’s tahina flavor. Hannah’s best-liked was Coconut, but the possibility of an Original and fries was equally appealing.
Any one of Goldie’s tahina shakes is a great start to an NJP (Nice Jewish Picnic): grab some falafel, fries for dipping, and someone to share it all with.
Until next shake!
Carly Goldberg, intern extraordinaire
