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It’s worth visiting Bistro B, located on the outskirts of Lake Highlands, for its wide array of Vietnamese dishes in a habitually festive atmosphere. The real treat here, however, is the restaurant’s seemingly endless selection of vivid, inventive and unique drinks and desserts — coffees, teas, smoothies, ice cream shakes, shaved ice, pudding, tapioca and gelatins galore. The downside is that one can’t possibly taste it all in one visit. But we can try. Consider the refreshing salted-lemon or pickled plum sodas, or passion fruit or durian fruit juices. Health conscious customers enjoy pennywort juice, a cousin to wheatgrass that boasts anti-aging properties, or the creamy (vegan) ice tamarind with peanut. Bistro B has more than 25 smoothie flavors from avocado to soursop alongside more traditional concoctions including kiwi banana and orange vanilla. For dessert, try a banana egg rolls ice cream or a colored jelly with coconut milk shaved ice. All of the drinks and desserts run less than $4, and most are less than $3, so try something adventurous.

Honeydew smoothie, durian fruit smoothie and strawberry smoothie. / Photo by Benjamin Hager

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Bistro B
9780 Walnut Street
214.575.9885

Three more places to wet your whistle

1 King’s X
Icy cold beverages of the adult variety can be had late into the night at this no-frills dive bar.
9191 Forest
972.234.9064

2 Gordon Biersch Brewery
Choose from an abundant selection of German style brews — there’s no ill a cold effervescent Hefeweizen (the “breakfast beer”) and a basket of golden-white garlic fries can’t heal.
8060 Park
214.369.2739

3 Mattito’s
When temps soar, the popular Rumba Rita satisfies. Hint: Happy hour is Monday-Friday 3-6 p.m.
7778 Forest
214.377.9576