What is bubble tea?

Dionysus · #1 03-04-2005, 06:56 PM

I hear people talking about it on the internet all of the time, but I have never seen it in real life. It's not on the grocery store shelves or anything. What is made of? Where is it sold?

TheEpitome1920 · #2 03-04-2005, 07:01 PM

I've had it before, its pretty good.

Bubble Tea

#3 03-04-2005, 07:04 PM

It's a flavored drink with tapioca balls that looks like pearls -- I think it originated in either Hong Kong or Taiwan.

There are different flavors -- strawberry, watermelon, taro, lychee, etc. and it's usually fruity and milky in taste. They give you big straws so you can suck up the tapioca.

We have tons of bubble tea (or boba, as it's sometimes called) kiosks here. I know some cities have specialty bubble tea shops here and there also. Some grocery stores carry the bubble tea kits on their shelves, although it's not the same.

They're usually cheap, too. I've only paid between $2-$4 for mine.

chideltjen · #4 03-04-2005, 07:05 PM

My friend rants and raves about it. I still have yet to try it though.

Around here, you can find them at small Chinese Restaurants and cafes.

Dionysus · #5 03-04-2005, 07:13 PM

Ahh interesting. It sounds pretty good (without the milk though). I remember seeing a shop that sold it, but I forgot where it is located.

SapphireSphinx9 · #6 03-04-2005, 07:22 PM

yeah boba's pretty cool.

i didn't like them at first... we use to be able to get them at our school and the high schoolers on campus use to take the tapioca balls and shoot them through the straw at the wall. that use to piss me off, so i swore never to have one...

but then my friend took me to a chinese restaurant in downtown la, just so i could get a real boba, and i ended up liking it! haha

BobbyTheDon · #7 03-04-2005, 07:54 PM

yeah bubble tea is some good stuff. i call it Boba. but apparently Boba means titties in Chinese or something. So I guess that can be politcally incorrent. Miggity miggity MEH

also, if you are in the Dallas area...my cousin owns " FAT STRAWS". check it out. I think its in Plano and possibly Highland Park?

winneythepooh7 · #8 03-04-2005, 08:30 PM

I first had it in the big Asian area here in Queens, downtown Flushing. It is pretty tasty actually. I know that there are lots of these little places popping up in suburban America too, at the good old food court at the mall. Obviously, the mall version is not as good.

AznSAE · #9 03-04-2005, 10:02 PM

when i order it, i usually get the thai tea with the bubbles. and, a fat blue straw.

norcalchick · #10 03-04-2005, 11:49 PM

I think they're ok. I usually order it with just a little bit of the tapioca. When there's a lot of them, I end up getting a mouthful, and I've already swalled the Thai iced tea, so they're hard to swallow.

LightBulb · #11 03-05-2005, 02:53 AM

Chang's (food court booth name) Bubble Tea is sooo goood!

My favorite is lychee (a Chinese fruit similar to a banana [I hear; of course I've only seen it frozen liquified

] that tastes a little like green grapes in my opinion) with tapioca pearls. Mmmm!

SmartBlondeGPhB · #12 03-05-2005, 02:57 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by OohTeenyWahine
It's a flavored drink with tapioca balls that looks like pearls -- I think it originated in either Hong Kong or Taiwan.

Thank you!!! I've been trying to remember what the balls were made out of since I had one last week and I couldn't for the life of me.

But bubble tea rocks. I had a funky one last week though. I've only had bubble tea at two places so I'm not sure which one would be considered the "correct" version. The one I had last week was like getting a frapuccino at Starbuck's. Milk and flavoring blended with ice. But it was good.

Taualumna · #13 03-05-2005, 02:59 AM

There are tons of bubble tea places in Toronto (lots of Chinese people here). However, I'm probably the only Chinese person under 30 in the city who has NEVER HAD IT! It looks kinda weird to me, so I usually drink the fruity ice teas when everyone else has bubble tea.

Glitter650 · #14 03-05-2005, 04:40 PM

I think I have four Boba places within three blocks of me. It's tasty, but I only like certain flavors.

AOPIHottie · #15 03-05-2005, 07:55 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by BobbyTheDon

also, if you are in the Dallas area...my cousin owns " FAT STRAWS". check it out. I think its in Plano and possibly Highland Park?

I work in Plano...where is it at? I have never even heard of this stuff, but I want to try it!