Wise Sons Jewish Delicatessen

Wise Sons is a Jewish Deli, with several locations in San Francisco.  The biggest location is in the Mission, open for breakfast, brunch, and lunch, but they also have a space attached to the Contemporary Jewish Museum, lunch only, where you can dine in, or eat (and order) outside in the courtyard when the weather is nice.  They also set up a booth at the Ferry Building farmer's market, which is where I first encountered them.

I've tried a few different items, but I didn't really find anything I liked.  Perhaps it is just because I'm not familiar with Jewish cuisine, so it was my first time trying many of these items.  But overall, just not my thing.

I've also attended a brunch with their catering, which was equally lackluster for me.

Drinks

Fox Ubet Egg Cream.  $3.50.

This was my first egg cream, so I have no comparison point.

I wanted something refreshing, and I've heard about egg creams forever, so my curiosity finally lead me to order it.

It is just seltzer, runny chocolate syrup, and milk.  Hmm. I somehow thought it would be more like a milkshake, although I'm not sure why.  It was basically like diluted milk that was fizzy.  I really didn't get it.

I won't get another.

Decaf Cappuccino.  $3.50.

Wise Son's uses De La Paz Coffee, a local San Francisco roaster.  I've seen them around town often, but this was my first time trying their product.

The wait for my cappuccino was extremely long, about 15 minutes.  I actually went back to check on it around the 15 minute mark because I thought it must have been forgotten.  They weren't busy.  Even Blue Bottle doesn't take this long!

Anyway.  The foam was beautifully done.  Microbubbles of perfection.  But ... the coffee wasn't great.  Bitter, not in a good way.  Maybe they don't do a lot of decaf, or maybe De La Paz decaf just isn't very good.  The barista certainly demonstrated skill with the foam so I don't blame him.

I wouldn't get another.  The $3.50 price was standard.

Iced Decaf Americano.  $2.50.

On a hot day, I decided to get an iced coffee.  They only have regular iced coffee, but offered to do an iced Americano instead.

It was unremarkable.

Condiments station.

For the coffee, half and half and whole milk are available, along with sugar, Sweet & Low, and Splenda.

Side Dishes

Side of Potato Salad.  $2.79.

This was very, very creamy potato salad, mayo based.  At first glance I was a little confused that I received the proper item, as I couldn't even see chunks of potato, just creaminess!

The potatoes had skin on, which I didn't like, as they were kinda slimy and mixed in.  The potatoes were well cooked however, not too mushy.  The dressing was mostly mayo, but also had a slight interesting flavor from some grainy mustard, but not much.  There were also chunks of crisp, but almost too harsh, red onion.

Overall, this was fine, but not remarkable.  I like to have a little more zing to my potato salad, and like things like pickles or egg added.

The portion size was smaller than I expected, although not unreasonable for the price.  I wouldn't get it again.

Side of Cole Slaw.  $2.50.

Fairly standard slaw.  Two colors of cabbage, not over dressed, something interesting in the seasoning, it was a bit ... zesty?

Neither Ojan nor I loved this, but we also didn't hate it.  Unremarkable.  Price a bit high for tiny portion.

Pickle Plate.  $4.

Wise Sons is known for doing their own brining, so I was excited to check out their pickle plate.  I adore pickles.  My great aunt, who lives on a farm and grows all her own vegetables, makes the most amazing pickles ever.  She pickles everything - obviously cucumbers, but green beans, carrots, cauliflower, peppers, zucchini, etc.  Some sweet, some savory, some spicy, and everything in between.  Let's just say that I didn't encounter those strange store bought things that they call pickles until very late in life.  I still don't understand them.

The Wise Sons pickle platter contained sauerkraut, green beans, red onions, carrots, sweet peppers, and some classic spears.

I really did not like the baby carrots.  Far too vinegary for my liking.  My least favorite on the platter.

The onion was a bit strange.  It somehow tasted fishy.  I really don't understand how, but I didn't like this one either.

The classic spear was ok, a bit mushy, not as crisp as I like, and the the flavor wasn't quite what I like.  Pretty middle of the road.

The kraut was good, and I can see how it would make their sandwiches awesome.  A bit strange on a pickle plate however, as it was odd to just eat by the spoonful.  But flavorful, crunchy, fresh.  My third favorite overall.

The beans were good, crisp, but I love my aunt's dilly beans, and these were just vinegary, so I didn't like them as much as hers.  My second favorite on the platter.

The peppers were delightful.  Sweet, but vinegary, in a really fascinating way.  I'd easily eat tons more of these.

Desserts

Mandel Bread. 2 for $1.50.

And finally, I wanted to try something sweet.  I wasn't familiar with mandel bread before, but I remembered reading that Wise Sons was famous for theirs, and the generous cinnamon and sugar coating drew me in.

This was basically almond biscotti, covered in cinnamon and sugar.  Crispy.  Good crunch from slivered almonds inside.  It was good enough, better when dunked into coffee.  Not something I'd get again just because it isn't very exciting to me, but if you like biscotti and cinnamon/sugar, it was fine.

$1.50 was a good price for two small pieces.

Chocolate Chip. $2.

This was a hard, crisp cookie.  I greatly prefer soft, almost under-cooked, cookies.  It was loaded with chocolate, hard to see here, but it almost wasn't even chips, the entire thing was just chocolate.  Which, perhaps might be good, except that I actually like to taste buttery cookie dough, so this wasn't a winning aspect for me.

Really not my style of cookie.  $2 price was fine for quite a large cookie however.

Rugelach.

"Wise Sons' Assorted Rugelach features chocolate, apricot, and cinnamon-walnut varieties. A traditional Jewish pastry, rugelach is made with a cream-cheese dough that's rolled out thinly, spread with flavorful fillings, and baked into enticing spirals topped with crunchy sugar. Indulgent and special for a holiday dessert, or the perfect balance of sweetness for an afternoon tea break!"

Given the options, I went straight for the nut filled one, cinnamon-walnut.

It was very classic, fine rugelach.  Crispy flaky pastry wrapper, studded with pearl sugar, and filled with a bit of sweet chopped nuts.  Good alongside some coffee.  Not a go-to item for me, but, decent execution of what it was.

Chocolate Babka.
$5.50/slice, $18.75/loaf.

"Wise Sons Babka is hand-crafted in our San Francisco bakery using quality ingredients and traditional techniques. This classic Jewish sweet bread is bursting with rich chocolate and topped with streusel for unparalleled noshing."

This babka always looks good. So much chocolate.  Streusel. Great things, and I like sweet bready things. But ... it always lets me down.  I've tried the babka many times, as it is front and center at the registers, and it is hard to resist a sample while I wait for my order ... but it is always so dried out. 

The chocolate flavor is there, and it has a lot of spicing (I think cinnamon?), but it is just so dry, and is just not particularly enjoyable, at least at room temperature (even when dunked in whipped cream).  It is ... "fine" but really not great.  Very low ***.

They also make a cinnamon version.

Brunch

Noodle Kugel.  $3.50.

I feel a bit silly reviewing this since it was my first kugel ever, so I don't really know what I'm talking about.  Offered deep fried and warm with maple syrup, or cold with seasonal jam.  Since I was taking it to go, I opted for the cold version, but I'm intrigued by the idea of the hot, fried, version.

I had of course heard of noodle kugel before, but I've never seen it, much less eaten it.  So, I didn't really know what I was getting into, my vague idea was that it was supposed to be sorta like a noodle casserole, but a dessert, so like bread pudding but with noodles?  And a crispy top?  And maybe not a dessert, more of a brunch item?  I love bread puddings, and I like noodle casseroles, so ... seemed like something I might like.

I still don't entirely know what I ate.  Yes, it was a noodle casserole.  The noodles were in some sort of custard ... my research tells me it might have been cream cheese.  Or sour cream.  Or cottage cheese.  I have no idea what it was.  It also had some golden raisins.  On top was crispy things, a bit sweet.  I have no idea what they were either, but reminded me a bit of corn flakes?

I tried a few bites immediately, even though I was planning to save it for later, and I enjoyed the crunch from the topping, the custardyness of the filling, the softness of the noodles.  All the things I like about a good bread pudding.  I did wish it had more spicing, but I'm not quite sure what I wanted.

Served with "seasonal compote", which I think was raspberry.  It was sweet, went well with it, but, wasn't nearly as good as my mother's homemade jams.

I brought the rest home and tried warming it up, to see how it was that way.  It didn't heat that well, the noodles and custard sorta separated.  The top got nice and crunchy though, and I really think it would be good warm, perhaps when freshly baked.  I also added my mom's peach jam, and then tried drizzling maple syrup over it.  The syrup was the real winner for me, and I see why they serve the fried one with syrup.

So, for me, I think I'd love to try it hot and fresh sometime, but otherwise, cold worked better.  Maple syrup was a winner.  And I think I'd like it for breakfast, paired with a coffee.  It didn't quite meat my "dessert" desires, but if you have less of a sweet tooth than me, I think it easily could.  Brunch is likely where it best belongs.

I'm still trying to figure out how to classify or explain noodle kugel to someone else unfamiliar.  Bread pudding made with noodles instead of bread is my best description, but that doesn't get the custard part quite right.  Or fettuccine-alfredo-quiche?  I guess it just falls into that nebulous category of dishes that are a carb-in-a-custard, like bread pudding or rice pudding, where there are so many different spins, they can be sweet or savory, they are hot or cold, they have toppings or mix-ins, etc.  I'm certainly interested in exploring kugel further!

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Aura Tea & Coffee

Update Review, 2024 Tastings

Aura Tea & Coffee continues to evolve, and I've had a few opportunities to try their product again. 

Cinnamunch Toast Milk  $6.95
+ $0.75 oat milk + $0.75 boba.

“The dessert after your balanced breakfast of cereal. Taste that cinnamon toast milk without all the sugar. Tastes like the real thing!”

So, Cinnamon Toast Crunch.  A breakfast (or snack) favorite for many.  My office has it in our mini kitchens, and I'm always amused by how popular it is.  But me?  I don't think I've ever cared for it.  I keep trying it every few years to see if my tastes have changed, but, nope, I don't care for it.  I do like cinnamon toast (buttered, sugared of course!), but, the form factor as cereal that gets too soggy quickly, just doesn't do it for me.

But I do like Cinnamon Toast Crunch flavored things.  Because, I guess, that basically just means cinnamon and sugar.  Or, in Aura's case, cinnamon and zero calorie sweetener.  For this one, I went with oat milk, as I thought it would pair best with the cinnamon flavors, horchata like.

I took my first sip, and was pretty pleased.  The cinnamon flavor was legit.  It was sweet (although, it did have a slight "fake sweet" aftertaste) and creamy.  Yup, it tased like cereal milk. Nice soft (but not mushy) boba easily came out as I drank it, even without a boba straw.

I did find it got a bit sweet for me about halfway through, and opted to thin it out a little, adding more water/milk myself, and liked it better that way, with the sweetness toned down slightly.  Overall, a good one, great for cinnamon fans.  ***+.

Side note: I think it would be fun to use it as a base for a bowl of cereal, literally, pouring into a bowl and adding a neutral cereal like rice Chex.  Next time ... 

Trix iz for Kidz Strabwerry-Vanilla Latte. $6.45
+$0.75 oat milk +$0.75 boba.

"Our signature Karl the Fog with a strawberry twist! Named after the fun blue and pink yogurt of your youth. Creamy fruity purple herbal flavor. This caffeine free, kid-friendly drink makes for the perfect introduction to boba. Come into the shop and watch it change color as we make it!"

When I first saw my cutely named "Trix iz for Kidz Strabwerry-Vanilla Latte", I thought that perhaps I had accidentally been given a taro milk (which would have been great, as it is actually what I originally ordered, only to find out they were out).  It was a lovely shade of lilac.

But one sip, and I knew this was correct.  There was no question.  Yup, it tasted exactly like strawberry milk!  Sweet, creamy, fruity.  It made me grin a bit like a kid, excited to get a special treat like strawberry or chocolate milk.  I opted for oat milk for this one too, and it was nicely creamy.  Like all Aura drinks, it did have that distinct "fake sweet" to the aftertaste, but the fruity flavor was great enough for me to overlook it.  I don't think this is a flavor I'd crave often, but, when in the mood for it, it really is a classic.  ***+.

Cacoa Mocha. $6.95
+$0.75 almond milk +$0.75 boba.

"Fuel your aura with our immunity-boosting mocha that blends espresso with handwhisked superfood cacao for deep chocolate indulgence without the calories."

I drink coffee every morning, but, I'm a black coffee kind of girl.  Waaay back in grad school I was quite into very sugary flavored lattes (my nickname was "Rasmo", after the raspberry mocha drink I always got when we splurged and got afternoon coffee out), and I did grow up in the land of Dunkin' Donuts where cream and sugar were the defaults, and flavor syrups abound (for free!), but, in my older adult years, I just go for black coffee.

So this was a departure for me, a creamy mocha drink.  The espresso flavor was nicely strong, even with the milk and mocha sauce competing for dominance.  It was lightly chocolately.  I went for almond milk, which was a less strong flavor that the oat milk from my previous drinks, which I preferred for this, since I did want to taste the espresso.

Overall, a nice option for those who frequent coffee shops for iced lattes or mocha, and I really do like having boba in my chilled coffee, I'm still not sure why it isn't more common!  ***+.

Jasmine Milk Tea (Oat).

"Jasmine green tea blended with oat milk and organic cane sugar."

This was a lovely, lovely tea.  The sweetness level was just right - sweet, but not too sweet, just pleasantly sweet.  It was milky but not too milky, allowing the floral notes of the jasmine tea to shine through.  Just really truly a pleasant drink.

I added boba and jellies, both of which were standard quality.

****.

Mango Fruit Tea. $5.

"Jasmine green tea blended with real mango pulp & organic cane sugar."

This was not successful for me.  I found it very biter, which is odd given the sugar added.  Not refreshing either, as the mango puree was really quite thick.  *+.

Original Review, July 2023

Vegan.  Low-sugar.  Keto.  These are not terms normally associated with bubble tea.  No, bubble tea is known for being sugar laden, calorie heavy, really, much like many Starbucks drinks, dessert masquerading as a beverage.

Enter Aura Tea, a new tea shop in San Francisco that aims to reverse that trend, started by a founder who loved bubble tea, but found herself gaining unwanted weight.  And thus, Aura Tea was born.

Setting

Aura just opened in Rincon Center, sorta out of the way in an inner courtyard.

Signage

Aura has signage to draw you in, advertising the 0 sugar, low calorie, keto nature.  I was surprised they don't call out the fact that everything is vegan on this sign as well.

Storefront.

It is a small shop without seating, but there is abundant seating in the courtyard outside.

Drinks

How to Fuel Your Aura.

In addition to a menu with pre-made options, Aura has a guide to "fuel your Aura", walking you through how to pick the base (caffeinated or not, tea or coffee), size, milk, sweetness, and additions.

Like most bubble tea places, the first step at Aura Tea is to pick your tea base.  There are 4 options: classic black, jasmine green (for lower caffeine), butterfly tea (no caffeine), and masala chai.

From there, you can add 1-2 flavors, included with the base price ($6.95): strawberry, mango, pineapple, lemon, watermelon, and peach.  Sadly, these are just standard Torani syrups, the sugar-free ones.  Not quite what I expected, for a health focused establishment, I thought they'd make their own fruit purees.

Then, time for milk.  Since all are vegan, your options are oat, coconut, or almond milk.

Boba is included in the base price.  Only regular boba, or a keto version are available as "toppings" - no jellies, no foams, etc.  Again, they aim to stay healthy so those things are out.

Finally, if you want to add-in more, there are some boosts like ginger, CBD, turmeric and more for an additional fee.

Strawberry Jasmine Green Tea w/ Oat Milk. $6.95.

This was the co-founder's recommendation, jasmine green tea with strawberry syrup and oat milk added.

I was able to try a sample of this at a pre-opening event.

I'll be honest - you could have told me this was a rather flat Italian (cream) soda with boba in it, and I would have believed it without hesitation.  While there was jasmine tea in here, I didn't taste it at all.  There was no tea taste to this drink.

It was quite fruity and sweet, but it didn't taste like real fruit.  This is exactly what I'd expect: no fruit puree, no fruit used, just sugar free fruit syrup.  It was nearly half oat milk, which made it quite milky, and also contributed to the lack of tea taste.

So ... bubble tea?  Uh, not really in my mind.  Fruity milk that happened to have pearls in it?  Yes.  

Speaking of the pearls, they were fairly hard, and not particularly great.

So ... yeah, for sugar free fruity milk it was fine, but I'd prefer it without the pearls, and a carton of oat milk and a bottle of torani syrup could give me this at home just as easily.

Sadly, **+.

Strawberry Butterfly Tea w/ light Oat Milk. $6.95.

Since my visit was in the afternoon and I didn't want caffeine, I went for the butterfly tea, which was a lovely shade of purple.  I got strawberry flavor which created a pink hue at the base, and opted for light (oat) milk.  It really did look pretty, far better than you can tell from this photo.

This was fairly different from any other bubble tea I've ever had.  The butterfly tea base doesn't have a particular strong tea flavor to it, and the strawberry syrup was pretty sweet, making it oddly not refreshing due to the sweetness but almost refreshing due to the light tea quality, if that makes sense.  The boba seemed pretty average, nothing remarkable about them, but at least not clumped together, and the portion was good, not too many, not too few.  I expected to taste the oat a bit more pronounced, but the creaminess it added was pretty neutral.  

Overall, an absolutely fine, sweet, fruity, enjoyable drink, and slightly unique.

***.

Cold Brew with Tapioca Pearls, and Boba Jelly (konjac agar pearls).
No sweet. Oat milk.

Who says that boba is just for tea?  Or that fun espresso drinks must be loaded with sugar?  Not Aura!  I was interested to see the cold brew boba on the menu, as a way to really mix it up.  So at last minute, rather than getting my standard taro milk tea, I went for cold brew boba.

I opted for zero sweetness, and oat milk, but all the standard customizations of sweetness and alternate milks were available.  For my boba, I couldn't decide between their house sweetened tapioca pearls, or the konjac agar crystal jellies, so I went for a mix of both.  It was freshly made, and shaken in a real cocktail shaker, to order.

The oat milk was creamy and made it taste far more decadent than it was, and I loved the textures from both styles of pearls, one was more chewy, the other more bouncy.  I really enjoyed this as a change from regular tea based boba drinks, and it makes me wonder why more places don't offer coffee base.  Sure, you don't get the deep rich flavor of the coffee, but, isn't that true for nearly every Starbucks creation too?

***+.

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Koomi, Sydney

Update Reviews - 2023 & 2024

November 2023

When I was in Sydney prior to the Pandemic, I discovered, and fell in love with, Koomi.  It was the first place I ever liked a yogurt drink of any kind, and it re-defined what these could be.  I tried after that yogurt and rice drinks all over Sydney, and in the US, and just never cared for them (even at the famous Yomie).  But Koomi ... Koomi was just unlike anywhere else, and I adored it.  See below for my original review.

And yet, when I returned to Sydney in August last year post-Pandemic, and then again earlier in 2023 in February and March, I failed to go back to Koomi.  My brain was broken - I knew I thought that Koomi was amazing, but I'd since had so many "meh" yogurt and rice drinks, I thought it must have just been a phase I was in back then.

And then, this visit, I decided to return.  Spoiler: it is still as glorious as ever.

Town Hall Location.

A few things have changed however.  Koomi's original Sydney city location is closed, and they only now have a small shop underground near the Town Hall station.  They no longer have froyo, and they no longer have foam as a topping.  These two things detracted me, but, I need not fear.  It is still amazing, even without the aesthetically pleasing shop location and two signature items.

Mango Moo (no sugar).
Add Purple Rice $0.80, Add Coconut Jelly. $0.80.

For my drink, I had the hard choice I always seem to have of mango or taro, but decided that mango was the right choice, because mango in Sydney is just so dramatically better than in the US, and because I had literally just ordered a taro cake for a party the next day, and would certainly be getting my taro fill.  I added purple rice as I always do, and, on a whim, added coconut jelly too (I was thinking about aloe vera, but the person taking my order suggested the coconut jelly instead, so I took her suggestion).  As always, I did it not sweet.

I'll admit that this seemed different than my memory of Koomi (and not only because it came in a different cup).  It seemed more like a smoothie at first.  I thought I remembered the yogurt being thicker and richer.  And I thought I remembered far more mango.  But, a few sips in, I didn't care.  My brain again couldn't stop thinking, "How is a yogurt drink this good?".  I don't know the answer, besides that Koomi clearly uses quality ingredients, and they really do combine into magic.

The yogurt is rich and smooth and nicely tart.  The mango sooooo ripe, so sweet, so juicy, so, uh, mango flavored.  This really likely would be fine with nothing more added, maybe sprinkle some coconut flakes on top and call it a day.  But I added the purple rice, which was perfectly a bit al dente and slightly sticky, added incredible texture.  I would get this again no question.  The coconut jellies were standard quality, nothing special, but, they did add bursts of sweetness and a fun slimy component.  I'd consider them again, or try another mix-in for fun.

So yes, every component was great, and together they were even greater.  It was somewhat refreshing.  It was somewhat dessert-like.  It was pretty filling.  I'm not sure really how one is supposed to work these into their regular daily eating, as it isn't really quite a meal, seems like a lot for a snack, and can be way too filling after a full dinner.  But maybe if are were someone who eats a light lunch, no lunch dessert, and then wants something later afternoon before eating a later dinner, it could do the trick nicely?  Or, I'm sure there are plenty of people who skip a meal and consider this one.  For me, one who eats breakfast, late morning snack, lunch, lunch dessert, afternoon snack, dinner, and dinner dessert, it doesn't fit easily into that schedule, so I tend to have half as a lunch or dinner dessert (and often add whipped cream and other toppings to push it even further into dessert land), and then the other half the next morning for breakfast (and add some granola and more fruit).  Morning me is always happy with that decision.

Overall, a winner, and I'd get it again, and was definitely tempted to return the very next day.  ****.

February 2024

Another visit to Sydney, another last minute impulse swing by Koomi.  I did again try to ask about the difference on their menu between the "Koomie Yogurts" and "Koomi Smoothies", even using a specific example of the "Mango Moo" (yogurt) and "Mangonificent!" (smoothie), but got nowhere.  The first was described as mango and yogurt, the second as sweet yogurt and mango, blended with ice.  I said, "Oh, so the Mango Moo isn't blended?" but then was told that it is too.  I asked if it was different yogurt in the two drinks, and was told no.  So ... both are the same yogurt, and mango, and blended ... but they maybe sweeten the later more?  But you can also adjust the sweetness ...  I'm still really not sure.

Mango Moo (No Sweet). $10.
+ Sticky Rice ($0.80) + Konjac Jelly ($0.80).

I went for my regular choice: the Mango Moo, with sticky rice, not sweet.  I also decided to add konjac jelly this time (last time I added coconut jellies, which was good, but, hey, why not try more things?).  The konjac jelly turned out to be crystal pearls, large size, and lots of them.  They were fine, but not what I actually wanted in my yogurt.  Oops.  I wouldn't get those again most likely.

The base drink was a frothy tart yogurt.  Blended with the sticky rice, which added nice texture throughout.  Not sweet, just as I asked for.  But it still seemed like what I'd consider a smoothie ...

The mango was hard to get to, all at the base.  It was fresh, juicy, and only slightly sweet, actually a bit tart itself.  Since I didn't add sugar, this meant the whole creation was pretty savory, with the only real sweetness coming from the pearls, which were considerably less sweet than something like coconut jellies.

I did struggle as I usually do to know where to fit this into my life.  It wasn't a dessert.  But it was more than a snack.  But also not a meal.  I ended up having some the next morning with berries and granola as a yogurt bowl, and that was quite delightful, and used most of the sticky rice and mango with some cream top from Sharetea to make a dessert.  I still really liked it all, I just don't know quite when and how to properly eat it!  One of these days, I'll try either sweetening it and making it more dessert-like, or potentially having a super light lunch and enjoying it after?  Still, great yogurt, good mix-ins, a regular for me.  ****.

Original Review, 2020

Sydney has a lot of bubble tea shops.  Seriously, bubble tea has ... exploded, everywhere.  Some neighborhoods have a bubble tea shop literally every other storefront.  The more recent trend though?  Yogurt drinks.  Yogurt and rice drinks that is, which burst into town with Yomie's Rice X Yogurt (which, um, I hated by the way).

Yogurt drinks, rice drinks, really did not seem like something I'd ever like, but, I finally tried one in 2019, and Koomi, and, well, my world changed.  I adore it, and now yogurt rice drinks are one of the focuses of my return visits to Sydney.  I've since explored many different shops in Sydney, but none compare to Koomi.   It really is just the best.

"The brand is featured by yoghurt, adopts the addition of different fruits, and innovatively add purple rice, enriching the taste of drinks and bringing consumers different taste experience."

Koomi is a franchise, with 4 locations in Australia, all in the greater Sydney area, plus one each in Thailand and the Philippines.

Setting

I visited one of the first Koomi locations, the main one, in Haymarket in Sydney.  It has zero curb appeal, without much street front itself ... as ...

Beauty Products?

Koomi is located at the front of a beauty store.  Certainly an odd setup, but the others who ordered before me did go browse, so, maybe this is a concept that I just don't understand.  I just waited patiently for my order.

The ordering process was easy, at the little counter, and it was prepped within a few minutes.  Orders were called out at the side window onto the sidewalk, which was nice so everyone didn't crowd around the beauty store.

Cow.

Is this Koomi?  I don't know.  But I decided this was Koomi.  A cute fellow, perfect for snapping your Instagram photo with.  Their cow theme *is* the brand, giving it brand recognition instantly, a clever touch from their marketing department.

Drinks

The menu at Koomi consists primarily of yoghurt drinks.  It isn't like Sharetea/CoCo Fresh/etc, with huge menus, many styles of tea, hot and cold options, etc.  There is no tea.  No milk.  Only yoghurt.  The drinks are all served cold, because, well, yoghurt.

Ok, technically, there is one tea, oolong, available as milk tea with mousse.  And one hot drink, taro milk.  That really is it, for drinks.

Menu.

There are 15 yoghurt drinks listed, all of which can have sugar level adjusted, and a few mix-ins added (sticky rice, oats, red bean, boba, taro, yoghurt foam, and froyo).  And that is basically it.

So many of the drinks sounded fascinating.  I was originally drawn in by the signature Stick-On-Me Purple Rice Yoghurt, but the Chunky Purple Taro Yoghurt sounded right up my alley.  And, although I don't normally go for the fruit offerings, the Red Ninja Dragon Fruit Yoghurt or Luscious Mango looked pretty awesome.

The final part of the menu is froyo, with exactly two options, neither of which had any description: Snowy Fuji Fro-yo and Fiery Vesuvius Fro-yo.  My Instagram stalking had shown me what the Snowy Fuji was though, and it is what had originally attracted me to Koomi in the first place.  Taro mash base, a layer of red bean, a layer of mango cubes, sticky rice, and then ... yogurt frozen yogurt, and a cone perched on top.  Basically, all the best mix-ins/toppings, parfait style, with froyo.  Oh yes.  My stalking also revealed a lot of people saying it was great, but a meal basically, huge, and just full of things.  I still can't quite figure out what the other froyo is, but it is layered, has boba, and some kind of drizzle ...

My first visit, I sampled the froyo, and found it quite enjoyable.  A tart style, but smooth and creamy, rich, not icy style American froyo.  I'd gladly get a creation with this sometime, but the weather was quite cold when I was there, and I never found myself actually wanting froyo.

Anyway.  I focused on the signature yogurt drinks.

2019 Visits

I first discovered Koomi in 2019.

Chunky Purple Taro Yoghurt + Black Sticky Rice + Yogurt Foam. No Sweet. $6.90 + $0.90 + $1.

For my first creation, I knew I wanted taro, but I also wanted sticky rice, and I wanted to try their version of foam.  So ... the "Chunky Purple Taro Yoghurt" it was, with sticky rice and foam added.

My drink wasn't exactly photogenic, not like many of the others with layers of fruit and bright colors, it was just white yogurt, pale purple taro, and some vaguely black rice visible.  I couldn't see the foam, the difference between the yogurt and foam was nonexistant, not like a tea drink with a layer of foam perched on top.  

Oh well, I wasn't getting this for Instagram.   I was getting it for taste.  Not that I really knew what to expect with taste either.  I've never had yoghurt drinks before, well, besides smoothies I guess.  Or Indian lassi.  But nothing like this.

I took my first sip.  Well, huh.  It was ... refreshing?  Which is an odd thing to say about yogurt, I know.  It was thick, rich, but ... refreshing.  Not too thick.  Not too rich.  Tart, but not too tart.  Slightly sweet, but not really.  So hard to describe.  I can see how it would be great with the fruit bases too.  I liked it.  I still can't be sure I ever distinctly tasted the yogurt foam vs the yogurt base, but I think the very top was lighter and fluffier?

The yogurt was novel, but the rest of the drink was also quite fascinating.  I loved the black sticky rice.  Just the right level of chew.  The drink had plenty, most sips had noticeable sticky rice, but it didn't overwhelm.   Turns out, yogurt and rice really is a great combination.  No wonder this trend is taking off.  I could tell that even just a yogurt and rice drink would be good.

But of course, I had the taro too, as I had picked the Chunky Purple Taro as my actual selection.  The base of the cup was a huge pile of taro mash, clearly actual fresh taro mash, and tons of it.  There was more throughout the drink.  Mostly mash, but some chunks too.  Soft, slightly sweet, and, well, it tasted like taro.  I liked it as well.

While this was a refreshing drink, it was also quite heavy, and felt like a meal.  That much yogurt, rice, and taro ... it added up fast.  I don't know the exact amounts, but I think it easily had ... 1.5 cups of taro and a cup of sticky rice?  And the rest was yogurt.  That ... isn't really a snack.  I think adding both heavy carbs, while I liked them both, is a bit much.  I'd consider getting fruit and rice in the future, or just the taro on its own.

The base drink was $6.90, quite reasonable for a drink of this style, and the add-ons were $1 for the foam, and $0.90 for the sticky rice.  I realize now if I had ordered the Stick-on-me Purple Rice Yoghurt for $6.30, and added taro ($1), that would be cheaper than the $6.90 chunky purple taro with $0.90 rice ... no idea if the "recipe" would be different?

Luscious Mango Yoghurt + Sticky Rice + Yoghurt Foam.  No Sweet. $6.90 + $0.90 + $1.

I couldn't resist.  I went back the next day to try the mango drink.  I again added sticky rice for the texture, and foam.

And ... um ... I didn't really like it.  It honestly seemed entirely different, more like what I had expected, actually.

The rice wasn't as chewy, and it was just ... bits of rice throughout.  Everything I loved about the chewy bits of rice from the other drink was missing.  The yoghurt base was more sour, thicker, and ... icy?  Was it ice blended and I didn't notice the first time?  Not refreshing, just, sour yogurt.

And speaking of sour ... the mango.  I was very excited for ripe, sweet, juicy mango and instead this was kinda mango mush, and so very sour.  Maybe it was frozen? Is that where the frozen bits came from?  I rather hated the mango.  Granted, it wasn't mango season.

On the plus side, I did distinguish the yoghurt foam from the rest of the drink this time, and yes, it was lighter, fluffier, and sweeter.  I liked it a lot

But wow, what a difference in the two drinks, and this one left me uninspired to return.

Except, I didn't throw it out.  I just put it in my fridge.  A few hours later, I had a few more sips.  I ... liked it more.  I know they say to drink within 2 hours, but, the rice had settled, gotten stickier, clumpier, in a way that I liked.  The mango still was really sour, and I couldn't get past that.

But I still didn't throw it out.  The next morning, after a disappointing breakfast, I went back at it.  And this time, I really enjoyed it.  Even the mango.  Maybe the mango steeped in the yogurt overnight and mellowed it out?  The yogurt seemed even thicker, and I liked that too.  And the rice, even clumpier, more chew, and I liked that.

So, um, this is a funny review, but I ended up really enjoying it, just, mostly as breakfast the next day.  I'd love to get this again when mango is in season.

Valentine's Rose + Taro + Black Sticky Rice + Yogurt Foam. No Sweet. $6.30 + $1 + $0.90 + $1.

I moved on from Koomi over the next few days, determined to try some other options.  I had a purple rice yogurt (with taro and rock salt cheese foam added) from The Moment, that was nearly as good (review soon!).  I had a purple rice blended with yogurt (with taro pearls and cheese foam added) from my old favorite Bubble Nini Tea, but really didn't care for it.  My final night in town, I finally waited in line forever at Yomie's Rice & Yogurt, the original yogurt rice drink shop in Sydney, and ... hated it. .

I couldn't end my trip with such a sad experience, so I power walked the two blocks to Koomi, where there was no line at all, and put in an order for another drink, even though I had the Yomie drink still in hand, only a few sips taken.  It was ready within just a minute.

And it was the best of my trip.

I knew I wanted the black sticky rice and taro and yogurt and yogurt foam, and was tempted to just get my original creation again, or perhaps try the dragonfruit, but ... I'm not sure why, I decided that the Valentine's Rose might be an interesting option.  Rose and taro just sounded like an award winning combo.  And the sticky rice of course.  And the yogurt foam, since I adore that.  As always, I went for no sweet.

The rose base was still plenty sweet, sweeter than the others I have ordered from Koomi, but not nearly as sweet as the Yomie one I loathed, nor as sweet as the Bubble Nini one that was just far too sweet for me from the honey.  I'd prefer less sweet, but this was fine.  The rose flavor was quite lovely, not too floral, if that makes sense.

The taro was again a generous portion, all in the bottom, fresh taro, mashed, sweetened.  The taro did go well with the rose, just as I expected.  The black sticky rice was also as before, slightly clumpy, which I liked, and nice chew to it.  It was mixed in initially, but I found that, like before, I preferred when it settled.  I only had half of it that night (since I did have the Yomie too), the next morning the chewier rice was even better.

One thing that was different was the packaging - instead of sealed like my previous two, it came with a lid, perhaps because it was overfull from all the mix-ins?  I actually liked the lid, as I was able to take my first sip through the hole in it, rather than threw a straw, and get just a lovely mouth full of the yogurt foam.  Love the foam, although it is less savory/salty/cheesy than many others.

Overall, this was another winner, quite pleasant, rose + taro went together as magically as I hoped, and the yogurt + sticky rice + foam combo is still one I'm into.  I'd probably go back to my original, or try another fruit in the future, unless I was really craving rose.

2020 Visit

Another year, another trip to Sydney, and of course Koomi was very high on my priority list.

Luscious Mango Yoghurt + Sticky Rice + Yoghurt Foam.  No Sweet. $6.90 + $0.80 + $1.

When I arrived I was planning to get taro, but ... fruity mango just sounded so good.  Except of course, given my memory of the last time I tried it.  I asked how the mango was, "is it really sweet right now or more sour?" and the worker told me it was crazy sweet, juicy, and ripe.  Well, I was sold.  I wanted Koomi to have a chance to redeem itself in the mango department, plus, I was craving mango.

I went for my old standard recipe of adding the sticky rice, the yogurt foam, and getting it not additionally sweetened.  It was made to order fairly quickly.

I took my first sip and ... wow!  Yes, it was everything I wanted it to be.  The mango was indeed ridiculously sweet and juicy, just, exactly what I wanted.  Probably *too* ripe if you were just eating the fruit, but inside here, it was perfect.  

The yogurt was sweet, rich, slightly tart, sorta healthy tasting but indulgent at the same time, and fabulous.  My brain still did the "how do you like a yogurt drink this much?!" dance over and over, but, well, it is just delicious.  So very hard to describe, as it is somehow refreshing but nourishing, healthy by dessert-like ... and yes, technically, a "drink".  I was drinking it through a large boba straw after all.

The straw was great for getting the bits of rice too, which added some texture and chew, a bit of starchiness.  Not necessary for the drink to be a success, particularly with such good mango, but, a nice addition.  And of course, the foam on top, slightly fluffier, slightly more savory, than the yogurt, and fabulous too.

I have only good things to say about this, as a drink, or, as I enjoyed it even more, by the spoonful so I could get entire bites just loaded with mango.

The price was $0.10 less than the previous year - the rice got cheaper!

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Sharetea (US and AU)

Update Review, 2024, Sydney, Australia

Sharetea is a global chain of reasonable quality bubble tea and adjacent products.  My previous visits have always been in San Francisco, but this year, when I was in Sydney, I gave it a try, when reviews of other, smaller local places all seemed abysmal in comparison.  People really did seem to like Sharetea, and, the menu in Australia is a bit different from the US.

Frozen

"When the mercury rises, chill out with Smoothie and Crushes from Sharetea’s boba menu. Whether you like it shaken or stirred, refresh your taste buds with fruity ice or milky bubble teas. Create your delicious milky Smoothie or icy Crush with any of these flavours. Ice levels cannot be modified."

Sharetea has two different frozen ranges: crushes and smoothies, the later of which is is milky, the former, fruity.  Crushes are available in 5 flavors (mango, mango passionfruit, strawberry, honeydew, rose) and smoothies, 6 (chocolate, honeydew, taro, watermelon, watermelon lychee).

Sweetness level modifications are allowed (none, half, normal, extra), but not dairy type nor ice.  They have no non-dairy options available.

On a hot (90*!) day in Sydney, rather than getting more ice cream / gelato / froyo, which I had done every day prior, I decided to mix it up and get a smoothie.

Taro Smoothie (Large). No Sweet. $9.10.
Add Cherry Blossom Pearls, Add Cream Top (+$1.10 each)

I went for taro, my standard, not sweet.  For my mix-in, I went for a Valentine's day special, cherry blossom pearls, rather than my standard lychee jellies or popping boba.  They were limited and exclusive, and thus desirable, plus I thought they'd have a similar effect on the drink.

The smoothie was well blended, no hunks of ice, nicely icy with tiny bits of ice crystals, not too much milky liquid.  The flavor was strong in taro, but, in the fake taro powder style, clearly no real taro used here, which was a letdown (that I should have anticipated, I had just forgotten that for the milk tea and smoothies, Sharetea uses powder, rather than real taro used in the fresh milk series).  It was also very very sweet.  I know the powder and creamer they use is sweetened, but I was still surprised by how very sweet it was.  I wonder if my no sweet modifier was missed?  Anyway, nicely blended, nicely creamy, but, just taro powder and creamer, no different than you can get anywhere else generically, and too sweet for my tastes.  *** base in terms of my enjoyment, but **** for blendedness.

As for the cherry blossom pearls, they were large size pearls, with a sweet taste to them.  They didn't seem different to me from crystal or agar pearls though.  I suspect there may have been a subtle flavor to them that was masked by the taro powder and sweetness?  The texture was good, not too mushy, none stuck together.  Not quite as novel as I was hoping for, but, good.  High ***.

Overall, a fairly generic taro smoothie, but well executed. High ***.

Cream Top (on the side). $1.10.

I put in the Door Dash notes to have the cream top on the side if possible, and I was happy to see the note was followed, with a smiley face no less!

The cream top was slightly frothy, and had a nice cream cheese tang.  It wasn't as fluffy as some other brands, and was just the kinda standard "cheese" taste, but, I still really do like it.  ***+.

Yoghurt

"For something more-ish, cool off with our Yoghurt drinks. Superbly balanced between sweet and savoury, enjoy a creamy texture and vibrant, refreshing flavours. Delectable with these deliciously sweet treats. Sweetness and ice levels cannot be modified."

Sharetea yogurt drinks are available in 5 varieties: mango passionfruit, strawberry popping pearls, taro & red bean, purple rice, and purple rice with mango.  You cannot modify the sweetness nor ice levels of these.  You can add standard mix-ins/toppings (20 choices!), but can't customize further, e.g. if you wanted taro and mango, or sticky rice and any other flavor besides mango, that is a no go.

I had never had a yogurt drink from Sharetea, and gave it a try, prepared to be pretty sad that it wasn't just Koomi.

Mango Purple Rice Yogurt. $9.60.

I went for the mango purple sticky rice, which is generally my go-to for yogurt drinks.  They don't allow you to modify the sweetness, so I wasn't able to tone that down as I usually do.  I decided not to add any other mix-ins, so this was entirely unmodified.

Yogurt drinks at bubble tea shops have high variance.  Some are thin and watery, and just use Yakult as the base.  Others are not really drinks, and are thick, rich, and boast house made high quality yogurt.    Sharetea's version was actually even different from those.  It was actually a blended ice drink, so, smoothie style.  The ice blending made it thick, but if allowed to sit a while (I ordered two items at the same time, the actual smoothie that I intended to drink right away, and this for later, as I thought it would be a more normal yogurt drink), it quickly separated out into a watery layer, and a milky layer, and not remotely thick like yogurt.  It was slightly tart, fairly sweet, and decently creamy when blended, so decent yogurt-ish base, but not remarkable.

The mango and purple rice are obviously key elements of this item.  Again, Sharetea takes a slightly different approach.  I expected a lot of actual purple rice for texture and hunks of fresh mango.  Which, at first glance, it looks to have.  But, looks are deceiving. It was highly blended, so besides the rice that was visible lining the cup, there were no other grains of rice within.  I really wanted texture and actual hunks of rice, so alas, this was a miss for me.  The same with the mango.  There was a smear of mango puree lining the cup, but zero hunks of mango within.  It was fairly fruity, but, no real mango evident.

So overall, it wasn't really what I was looking for, and really was much more of a drink, a very blended one, than a yogurt or mango or rice forward item.  It was sweeter than I generally want, so I wish they'd let me modify that.  That all said, I wasn't entirely unhappy with it, once I adjusted my expectations.  Koomi is still my hands down favorite. ***.

Original Review, 2019, San Francisco

Sharetea is a bubble tea chain that originated in Taiwan in the early '90s.  Since then, they have expanded internationally, now with more than 450 stores.  In San Francisco, they have at least 3 locations that I know of (the Metreon, Westfield mall, and Geary).

My visits in person were all in 2017, to the Metreon location, where I tried two taro creations, since, I kinda have a thing for taro.   I liked them.

But I didn't go back, I'm not really sure why.  Then, in February 2018, I  attended an event with a selection of bubble teas catered by Sharetea.  This was exciting (yay, bubble tea!) but also meant that I did not select the items myself.  I've grown sick of standard black tapioca boba and prefer jellies, puddings, etc, and all the choices had boba in them.  And I also usually go for less sweet, and most were full sweet.

That said, of course I was excited to try these too, given the taro drink success.

The Menu

The menu at Sharetea, like most bubble tea shops, is broken down into Milk Tea, Ice Blended, Fresh Milk, Fruit Tea, Creama, and simple Brewed Tea.  They show their top 20 prominently around the space, to help guide you in decision making.

All the standard offerings are available, black, green, and oolong tea for the base, fruity flavors like mango, kiwi, passion fruit, strawberry, and more.  The toppings/mix-ins selection is extensive, with all the classics and then some: pearls (mini, large, mixed), jellies (ice, lychee, rainbow), aloe vera, pudding, taro chunks, red bean, and even ice cream.  They also have a few items more accessible to those who have never had bubble tea, like an Oreo or Coffee blended drink (which, to be fair, I actually really liked my Oreo smoothie at Home Plate Boba).  You can customize your level of sweetness and amount of ice.

My favorite menu item, just from the name, is the "QQ Happy Family Milk Tea", loaded with pearls, grass jelly, pudding, aloe, and red bean.  What is QQ?  Who is the Happy Family?  Don't ask me.

The Space

The Storefront.

The Sharetea I visited is located inside the Metreon, alongside several other establishments.

Every time I've walked by, the place is bustling.  The ordering setup is efficient though, with a clear space to line up, order at the register, pay, get your number, and then wait on the side.  Orders are called out on the far side, by number, with a display showing which order number they are on (just like at the deli!)

Behind the counter is the drink processing station, with staff working quite efficiently.  Everything is laid out and just quickly assembled to order.  The space isn't large, but, they use it well.

Sharetea is also on OrderAhead (or, was, until OrderAhead shut down), so I was able to skip the line and order from the app before I arrived.  However, the soonest "ASAP" option was 25 minutes, not quite what I was hoping for.  For OrderAhead, they call your name rather than number.

There is no seating dedicated to Sharetea, but there is general food court seating, along with plentiful outdoor space in Yerba Buena Gardens just outside the door.

Drinks - 2017

Taro Ice Blended with Pudding. $6.85.

For my first drink, I skipped past standard bubble tea, as it was a crazy hot day out, and I wanted something more like a milkshake.  This desire lead me to the "Ice Blended" section of the menu, where I had a few options.  For me though, the choice was clear: taro!  I'm a huge fan of taro (real and powdered), so this was a no brainer.  I was much like a "Slush" from Quickly, which of course I've had before, or the fantastic taro smoothie from Miss Saigon.

Interestingly, the drink comes pre-defined with pudding as the mix-in.  I could add on another mix-in, or perhaps sub it out (although that wasn't an option anywhere I saw), so, I stuck with that suggestion.  I was leaning towards red bean, but, hey, if they put this on the menu as a standard drink, why not?

I opted for 50% sweetness, knowing how crazy sweet these drinks tend to be.  Besides that, I stuck with the defaults.

I'm not entirely sure what was in this drink.  I assume it was taro powder, and non-dairy creamer, plus ice and the puddings?  Some of the ice blended drinks say they have ice cream in them, this one did not list it, so, I think it did not have ice cream?  But I'm not sure.

Anyway, my drink was good.  It was perfectly blended, no ice chunks, no separation.  The taro flavor was also good, although I'm pretty sure this drink uses the powder.  It was a lovely shade of fake purple.  50% sweet was definitely a good choice, as it was still pretty sweet, and I'd actually lean towards only 30% for next time.  I can't imagine this at 100%!

The puddings were interesting.  Basically, big chunks of ... custard pudding, like flan, crème brûlée, or any other custard pudding.  They added a very smooth texture and additional sweetness.  They sucked up easily in the straw.  You'd think I'd love these, as I love pudding, and I like having texture, but, I got pretty sick of the puddings.  Ojan however loved them.  Next time, I'd try something else, like the red bean I originally wanted ...

So, overall, definitely good and I'd get another.  I'd likely tone down the sweetness more and try a different mix in.  Also, the $6.85 price really does seem kinda high for powder and ice thrown into a blender. ***.

Warm Fresh Taro Milk Tea with Red Bean. $5.00.

Next, I went for a hot beverage.  I've only had a hot beverage once before from a bubble tea place, when I got a hot taro milk tea at Chai-Yo, which wasn't very successful.

It was a cold day, and I wanted a hot drink to warm me up.  In the OrderAhead app, there was a section for "Hot Drinks".  It contained one item: fresh taro milk tea.  Since I love taro, this sounded good to me.

Side note: I later learned that many other drinks, listed in the other sections, are available warm too, that is just one of the customizations you can apply, just like sweetness level, ice level, etc.  For my selection however, I didn't have any customizations available, besides add-ins.  No way to specify sweetness, which concerned me slightly.  I did opt for an add in, and randomly went with red bean, since the others all seemed like they'd be strange in a warm drink and I was sorta trying to be responsible and add some protein instead of just sweet jellies.

To be honest, I'm not quite sure what this drink was.  It isn't actually listed anywhere on the menu at Sharetea itself, which I found very strange.  "Taro pearl milk tea" is a drink, available warm or iced, but that is the style where you specify sweetness, and, I believe is made with black tea.  "Handmade taro with fresh milk" is also an option, iced only, but it too lets you specify sweetness, and costs $1 more.

So what was this?  Was it the warm version of the "taro pearl milk tea", sans pearls, and with default sweetness?  I'm really not sure.  It did kinda taste like it had black tea in it (whoops! I didn't want caffeine!), but, I also thought that the taro milk tea used powder, not real taro, and, this sure seemed to be real taro, aka, it wasn't bright purple and had big chunks of taro in it.  More on that soon.  Was it a warm version of the  'handmade taro with fresh milk", just, cheaper and without letting me say how sweet?  Maybe?

My drink came in a opaque paper cup, unlike the cold beverages that come in clear plastic, revealing their color and mix-ins.  And since the top was sealed like a bubble tea, I had no idea what was inside, which added to the mystery of what on earth I was getting.  It was also interesting in temperature.  The cup was sorta hot on top, but, cold on bottom?

Taro and red beans!

So, how was my mystery creation?

A mixed bag.

I think that the milk was warmed up, but, the mix-ins were cold, which cooled the whole thing down.  So, it was lukewarm from the moment I got it, and it got colder quickly, given that the base was cold to the touch.  Doh.  I wanted a hot beverage to warm me up!

Still, it was fascinating, particularly since I couldn't see inside, and I wasn't sure what I had ordered.  I put in a bubble tea straw, and took a big suck.  Up my straw came ... chunks of taro!  Yes!  It wasn't just powder.  And then ... whole little red beans.  The taro was kinda mashed, and was a bit strange to suck up through my straw.

The flavor of the milk itself was sorta taro-y and not too sweet.  Once I opened it up, I could see the color was more brownish-purple than bright purple like drinks made with powder, so, I do think it really was just taro steeped milk.  But, I'm confused why this was $1 less than the "Handmade Taro with Fresh Milk", and, why that one isn't available warm.  And why it sorta tasted like tea.  Hmm.  Again, I still have no idea what I had.  It wasn't too creamy, so, I think it used regular milk, not something heavier.

I also poured off the milk so I could see what else was in there.  As you can see here, little red beans, and, mashed up taro. 

Overall, it was ... ok.  The real issue was the lukewarm/cold nature of it.  **+.

The "warm fresh taro milk tea" is $4.50, I added red bean for $0.50 more, making this a $5 fascination.

Drinks - 2019

My next encounter was at an event, rather than direct at the store.

Matcha Fresh Milk Tea / Less Sweet / Tapioca Pearls. $6.75.

At the event, given my limited selections, I opted for the matcha fresh milk tea, with pearls (eh), and made less sweet.

It was a fairly standard matcha milk.  Creamy from generic milk, decent matcha flavor.  The pearls were made nicely enough, not clumped together, not too soft, not too hard, but, as expected, I wasn't quite into them.  This is easily fixed though - just use a standard straw, and sip from higher up.

I enjoyed it, but this isn't what I'd order, and the $6.75 regular price seems really high for what is just a cup of milk mixed with matcha powder and boba.  ***.

Classic Milk Tea / Black Tea / Normal Sweet / Tapioca Pearls. $6.00.

The event ended with piles of unclaimed, packaged milk teas, so I grabbed a classic milk tea for the next morning.  This one sadly also had tapioca pearls AND was normal sweet, so I was less excited for it, but, hey, can't waste!

It was a pretty standard milk tea.  Strong black tea flavor, sweet and creamy, same decent enough tapioca balls, if you like them.

Not what I'd get myself, since black milk tea is a bit boring to me, and sweeter than I go for, but, it was absolutely fine. ***.

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