On an early spring Saturday afternoon, I found myself at the Promenade Saucon Valley doing some shopping with my son. Fancying an afternoon treat, we decided to pop into KOMÉ for a mocktail, where we grabbed a high-top table and a drink menu in the lounge area. We were pleasantly surprised to find a great variety of nonalcoholic drinks available; my son chose an Island Breeze, and I opted for the Miyako Wave.
The first thing I noticed about my drink was its beautiful deep-plum color, something that manager Bella Sanchez says no doubt adds to its popularity among patrons. Served over ice and garnished with a pineapple wedge, the Miyako Wave is a mix of lychee purée, pineapple juice, pomegranate juice and Sprite. The flavor is light and refreshing, almost floral, and not cloyingly sweet. Delicately balanced, this drink satisfies the craving for a traditional cocktail for anyone looking for an alcohol-free beverage. Sanchez describes it as “pineapple-forward with a nice lychee and pomegranate finish.”
The Miyako Wave has distinctly Japanese roots, named for a city in Iwate Prefecture on the main island of Honshu and made with lychee that KOMÉ imports directly from Japan. “It combines the flavors of both Japan and other tropical islands,” Sanchez says. Bartender Maizie Rooth says the lychee is puréed in-house for use in cocktails and mocktails and notes, “It adds a nice pop of flavor into any drink we make.”
Though it’s easy to enjoy on its own, the Miyako Wave plays nicely with any of KOMÉ’s sushi rolls featuring fruit; Rooth recommends pairing the drink with a Rock Lobster roll, a Godzilla roll or a KOMÉ roll.
The Miyako Wave is available year-round, and it’s a good thing, too: Sanchez says it’s the most popular mocktail on KOMÉ’s menu. In addition to the Miyako Wave and the Island Breeze (also delicious—I stole a sip of my son’s drink as a mom-tax), patrons can also enjoy the Cucumber Soda (cucumber simple syrup, lime and club soda) and the Wannabe Watermelon (cucumber simple syrup, lime, white cranberry, grapefruit and club soda).
2800 Center Valley Pkwy., Center Valley | 610.798.9888 | komerestaurant.com
Published as “Drink This" in the May 2025 edition of Lehigh Valley Style magazine.
