Posts Tagged ‘boba’

DDrinkz Smoothies & Sweeties

Posted by Tampa Bay Food Monster on September 21, 2011

remember boba? REMEMBER BOBA?? remember that shit. it’s still good. and it’s still alive. people are still making new boba places! so the fad didn’t die way back in 2009. at least not at DDRINKZ.

oh god the place is called ddrinkz. there’s a z in there. and am i… am i supposed to pronounce the d? “dee-drinks”? “d’drinks”? i don’t know. it was confusing. but i suppose it’s inconsequential. all i really care about is that there’s a brand new boba place in the area! that makes, what? three now? four if you count the shitty one? tampa must be really moving up in the world!

so ddrinkz popped up about a month ago, on waters near dale mabry. it’s in a little plaza next to the saigon deli (as pictured above), and lien hoa oriental market. i suspect that perhaps all these places are owned by the same people, as there seemed to be a lot of travel between the three by employees and small children who appeared to be just “hangin’ out”. ddrinkz itself is fairly tiny, with the counter and kitchen taking up the majority of the space, and to the side a small seating area. there are a couple little televisions, and they were blasting sexy dance music. it was like a club.

in addition to serving boba, ddrinkz also serves pastries, sweets, bánh mì, and soups. the lone customer in the shop was stooped over a giant bowl of some sort of noodley soup, and it looked delicious. I WANT DEM SOUPS. but i couldn’t have dem soups on this particular visit, as i had just gorged myself on cuban cuisine. so it was all bobas.

i purchased my standard taro milk tea. (make sure to specify milk tea, as their standard order seems to be smoothies.) this shop uses milk tea powders, as is common among boba shops. i could tell that they are still getting used to running the shop, having to place my and my friend’s orders separated by the making of the first drink, and having observed a bit of faltering in the making of said tea. but they came out looking as they should, which was a good sign.

the tea itself was decent; it had the right flavor (i guess hard to miss with a powder), but was not nearly as thick as i prefer my taro milk tea. i like that shit frothy. it was actually on the watery side… it could have used a lot more powder. but it was more than drinkable. my friend had ordered the jade tea, which seemed to have been made with just the right amount of powder, and had a sweet, floral flavor. much better than mine.

the real gem here was the boba. they were perfect, sweet little balls. perfectly chewy. no trace of starchiness, but in no way melty. stand out, really. solid friggin bobas. they almost seemed too perfect, like they were mass produced. or cloned. i was really surprised at the quality. on top of that, they had an almost fruity sweetness to them rather than the typical syrupy sugar sweet, which i appreciated. they may not be my favorite bobas (lollicup), but they are unique and at least worth a try.

so the place was good. the staff was really cool, and they joked with us and forced us to “check in” on facebook. they also mentioned that they sometimes do karaoke. in the shop, that is. there’s a small karaoke machine that apparently they use friday and saturday nights, or whenever there’s a large enough group to warrant it. so that’s fun! it’s a nice, simple environment, with good boba. i’ll be back. you should be back, too. let’s go do karaoke there, guys.

Posted in Drink Reviews, Food, Humor, Tampa Restaurants | Tagged: bánh mì, boba, bubble tea, carrollwood, ddrinkz, drinks, karaoke, local restaurants, milk tea, pastries, smoothies, soups, sweeties, sweets, tea | Leave a Comment »

L.A. Super-Deluxe Wrap-up!

Posted by Tampa Bay Food Monster on January 15, 2011

and you thought i was done with the LA posts, didn’t you? DIDN’T YOU??! i’m sorry baby, i didn’t mean to scare you. you know i’d never hurt you. come here. come sit in my lap. there we go. now let’s take a look at a whole bunch of places i went to in LA, but didn’t deem “good enough” to write about at length. or properly document with photographs.

…this will be a valuable entry.

okay, so a quick overview. LA is filled with sights both wondrous and horrendous, and runs the gamut from lavish richness to shit town. i mostly stuck to “shit town”, as that is more my style, but there is something for everyone in LA. especially if your something is a.) DONUTS b.) frozen yogurt c.) boba! d.) mexican-style street foodstuffs. they also have other things, but i didn’t notice any of them. or maybe i did? i can’t remember, the whole time i was in such a MEDICINAL MARIJUANA HAZE that i may as well not have gone at all. but my glaucoma’s doing great!

i stayed near the infamous venice beach, upon which countless vendors (and alleged body builders) practice their craft, and sell their wares. and the whole place reeked of delicious legal pot. it was a unique experience. i avoided eating along the boardwalk, although did end up grabbing a slice of pizza in desperation at one point. it was regrettable.

over the course of my visit, i tried to hit up as many memorable or interesting places as i could, and though i already documented what i consider the best, there are a lot of other notables. unfortunately, i did not take pictures very often as my visit to the area was in order to catch up with an old friend, and i preferred spending my time talking rather than taking pictures. just try to imagine what i ate! or if you’d like, contact me, and i can send you a personalized photo of what the stuff i ate looked like post-digestion. i aim to please!

Roscoe’s House of Chicken and Waffles

okay so this is one you may have heard of. or not! it’s a simple concept: fried chicken + waffles. that’s… that’s about all there is to it. no tricks. just throwing together two seemingly unrelated food items on one plate. and it couldn’t have made me happier. this place kicked so much ass. it was not a fancy place at all, but the staff was courteous, and the food was awesome. the chicken was perfect, home style fried chicken, hot and crispy. the waffles were pretty much just waffles, drenched in syrup. but it’s a comforting combination, and after the meal your left comfortable and sedate. just lovely.

Tender Greens

this is a “healthy” dining type place, with salads and hot plates featuring tender cuts of steak, seasoned chicken, or fish, and other such dishes. the place is “good for you”. they use all locally grown produce, which is nice. you stand in line to order, going down the counter like you would at a moe’s. the food was quite good, even for someone who is not so health-conscious. it’s one of my friend’s favorite places.

Del Taco

del taco is a fast food chain, similar to taco bell. similar, but different. it’s like a bizarro world taco bell. apparently they’ve been around for a while, and began expanding out towards the east, but then the expansion dropped off, and they lost some restaurants, and now they’re very limited to the west. which is sad, too because i actually really enjoyed del taco.

i got three different kinds of tacos there: a macho taco (their main taco), a big fat taco (really called that, basically a taco in pita bread like a gordita at taco bell), and one of their tacos del carbón (a more traditional type of taco). they were all quite good, as i recall, even the taco del carbón, which i was leery of after eating taco bell’s abominable cantina tacos. ugh. but yes, i was very satisfied with del taco, and meant to return before i left. alas, i did not have the time.

Mac and Cheeza

okay, so whoever came up with this place is either a genius or an idiot. i’m going to go with genius. because why not! the idea is simple: macaroni and cheese. that’s it! you have four size options, you choose your noodle (either regular or gluten free rice), your base sauce (cheese or a soy cheese-type sauce), choose however man vegetables or meats you want, and a topper (a cheese blend or spicy toasted walnuts), and then they throw it in an oven and it comes out ready to eat. it’s so simple, and you can get a good variety going on with all their different toppings. they also sell grossly overpriced candy and sodas in glass bottles (a nice touch (the bottles, not the price)).

i recall being surprised at how much i enjoyed it. i’m not a big mac and cheese guy (unless there’s chili involved), but the toppings really made it worth buying. and they had some hot sauces available to use, including sriracha sauce, which was awesome. my only complaint is that they should have had waaaay more variety in the types of noodles (come on guys, it’s fucking pasta) and in the bases (different types of cheese base would be nice). and chili would definitely be a good addition. but the toppings were good, and i would go back. if i were in LA.

Coogie’s Beach Cafe

coogie’s beach cafe is where i met up with another friend, and afforded me the opportunity to drive out to malibu. i didn’t think much about it until i got on the pacific coastal highway, and i found myself in awe of the beauty of the coast.

it was a breathtaking sight, one that this picture does not do justice. sorry about that. eventually i got to the cafe, and unfortunately i have little to say about it. it was a nice place, definitely. kinda classy. i remember thinking all the people around us were uptight snobs, but i rarely don’t have that feeling. i got some sort of wrap, which i believe was good, but i was too engaged in conversation to really remember it well. the staff was nice enough to leave us alone for the duration of our stay (like four hours or something hilarious), though i do recall not getting enough to drink. i’ll give them a B, for beffort.

El Pique Taco Truck

we wanted to try some hardcore taco truck tacos while i was there, because these things are everywhere. after doing a little online research, we decided to hit up el pique taco truck. and it was the right choice. we got steak and pork tacos, which were both good, but the steak taco was perfect. the steak was perfectly seasoned, perfectly salty, perfectly juicy, perfectly cooked. tender. incredible. best taco i’ve ever had. there was another taco truck on the same street, a few paces away, which we tried. it was alright. we then went back to el pique, and picked up some more steak tacos to go. god help me, it was the best.

Curry House To Go

i spent a lot of time wandering around little tokyo in downtown los angeles while i was there, which was really fun. it was an anime nerd’s wet dream. i spent my time browsing through all the shops, looking at all the different items for sale. i lost track of time, though, and i was unable to sit down at one of their restaurants and eat (i very much wanted to eat at one of their ramen noodle houses). not wanting to entirely miss out on the experience, i grabbed a thing of curry to go at curry house to go. the food was pretty good (i ate it all, and quickly), and it was decently spicy, but it had a very production line feel to it. it was not unique, and seemed to lack the love that i was hoping for. wouldn’t go back.

Yogurtland

i also had to hit up one of the many popular yogurt places while i was there. we went to yogurtland, which featured about a million different flavors of yogurt, and a trillion different toppings. then they charged you based on weight, because it’s all self serve. i got a standard tart yogurt flavor and decked it out with all the toppings i could, completely losing the taste of the yogurt. it was awesome. (but nothing special.)

SK’s Donuts & Croissant

and of course, one of the donut places. californians apparently love donuts, because there was a donuttery on practically every street corner. it was crazy. i went late night after seeing weezer play at the universal gibson amphitheater, not yet ready to sleep. i found this place with their lights on, stopped by, and stepped in. i was greeted by an elderly fellow, asked for one of whatever their most popular item was, and got this:

it’s clearly not a traditional donut, as there is no hole. whatever it was, though, it was godly. it was still warm, the glaze was still wet, and it was possibly the sweetest thing i ever put in my mouth (…). oh god… it was buttery and basically melted in my mouth. after i finished it, i went into epileptic shock and passed out in my car. i was greeted by the morning sun, and the elderly gentleman from the shop telling me i had to leave. totally worth it.

BOBA

i also went to a lot of boba places while i was there. they have a shit ton of them, and my friend and i love boba.

Westsubs

boba… in my sub shop? it’s more likely than you think. this is my friend’s go-to boba place, minutes away from his apartment, and serving up gigantic mugs of milk tea and boba for the same price you would pay for a regular boba tea anywhere else. the quality of their boba is high, and the tea was very good too. did not eat any food there.

Quickly

we ended up having boba here after running out of time trying to find ten ren tea in chinatown. apparently ten ren is very high quality, but they close early (and we went there the next day before they closed to find them having entirely run out of boba… jerks). so we settled for this place. it was… disappointing. the boba was not a great consistency, and the tea was a bit powdery, as though it hadn’t been blended properly. we also got fried taro balls while we were there, some of which still had frozen centers, and none of which tasted that great (they would have benefited from a nice spicy dipping sauce). do not recommend.

I Love Boba

this place was alright, found in koreatown. it was like a little hut (somewhat similar to got tea? in design), which was kind of neat. they only served two or three pre-brewed flavors of tea, unlike most boba places, which disappointed me. i always like to get taro milk tea, and that was not an option here. i settled for the classic milk tea, which was pretty good. the tea was very well blended, and their bobas were a different texture than i’m used to… a little chewier, and seeming a bit smaller than normal. not my favorite, but would be nice every now and then.

Boba Time

and here is the best boba i had in LA, possibly the best i’ve ever had. it was a cute little shop, with bold colors and comfortable seating. they had a full menu of different types of drinks, deviating slightly from a standard menu, but still including all the classics. their taro milk tea was perfect, thick and rich, and their boba was just how i like it: lightly sweetened, but solid. chewy. soft. little balls of joy. it was great. if i’m ever in the area again, i will return to this place.

and that’s it! i will never update about los angeles again! yaaaaay! but obviously i had a good time there, great visit and great food. maybe someday someone will read this entire review, and find at least one thing on here worth checking out. if not, fuck you! i didn’t ask you to come here! go away! leave me alone!!!

…no i’m sorry. i just get so excited sometimes. come here. let’s snuggle.

Posted in Food, Humor, L.A. Restaurants | Tagged: boba, boba tea, boba time, chain, chicken, coogie's, curry house, del taco, donuts, el pique, fast food, i love boba, l.a., los angeles, mac and cheeza, marijuana, mexican, quickly, roscoe's, sk's donuts, tacos, tea, tender greens, venice beach, westsubs, yogurt, yogurtland | 2 Comments »

Boba Internet Cafe

Posted by Tampa Bay Food Monster on October 24, 2010

THIS PLACE was the first place i ever got boba at. that was back in 2004, i believe. honestly, i don’t remember what it was called back then, but now it’s known as boba internet cafe (that’s a link to their myspace, which may not have been updated since 2008). since my inaugural visit to this boba hut near the university mall, i have been hooked on the stuff. also, since then, they’ve changed ownership. i think that was around 2006. in addition to ownership, they’ve changed just about everything else.

it used to be very simple on the inside, with a counter at which to order and pick up your drinks, some seating around the area, and a wall full of photos of people who visit. all that’s been held over from those simple days are the large cup-shaped menu signs behind the counter listing their various drink options. now there are video games, a stage, and the preparation area is sealed behind a gigantic plastic box, through which you can watch the employees making the drinks. it’s actually very strange; i don’t know exactly why the guy constructed this thing, but uh… more power to him?

so you order your drink (outside of the box, so the register is totally open for robbery if you’re into that sort of thing), and then wait around for them to make your drink. once it has been prepared, the guy behind the box uses a microphone to announce what drink is ready, and passes it through a small hole in the box.

i’d like to imagine that the box has been constructed to keep out germs, as the owner has grown paranoid from years of exposure to unbathed college students. i didn’t see him handling any money, and maybe i saw him curled up in the fetal position and shaking in the corner? maybe!

so i ordered my standard taro milk tea, and this is what i got. right off the bat, i’m disappointed that it’s not the typical purple color i expect from taro. and the taste is… well it’s not taro. it tastes like the traditional taiwanese milk tea, except maybe a bit more bitter. i’ve had taro tea from many different places, as well as other taro flavored products, and this does not taste like taro. and strangely enough, it’s been like that since before the change of ownership. i don’t have any explanation for it. worst of all, the tea was not very strong in its flavor; it tasted like a mix powder (which i believe they usually are, at least but most places don’t taste like it).

the boba itself, the tapioca balls, are not really well prepared here. they were undercooked, and at least one of them was still starchy and powdery on the inside (a most unpleasant experience). it was really disappointing, but not surprising. i’ve always felt let down by this place, and this was the first time i’ve been there for over three years. i just stopped going once i realized i didn’t really care for their product.

BUT of course on the other hand, it is a nice hangout. they occasionally have live music, and they have different groups meeting there now and then. they have a whole bunch of games to occupy yourself with. and i assume there is some sort of internet connection. in fact, if it weren’t for their drinks, i’d probably go there all the time. but in the end, that’s all that matters to me. so i have to say no to boba internet cafe. sorry guys! go to got tea instead.

wait… hold on… more like BLOW-ba internet cafe? uh boba interNOT cafe? don’t make me boba internet LAFE? ahhh… whatever.

Posted in Drink Reviews, Food, Humor, Tampa Restaurants | Tagged: boba, boba internet cafe, boba tea, free wifi, internet cafe, live music, local restaurants, tea, USF area, weaksauce | 1 Comment »

Kaleisia Tea Lounge

Posted by Tampa Bay Food Monster on October 14, 2010

tea is fucking awesome. i love tea. and this is coming from a dude who enjoys beverages. though it may not be well represented in this blog, i could be called a ‘soda fiend’. i love all different types of sodas, and i love trying new types. i was pretty much raised on the stuff. instead of milk, my baby bottles were filled with coke. i enjoy the fact that drinks can become more than just a thirst quencher; a hot chocolate in the winter is not just a means of staying hydrated. and tea is the queen of the beverages. i say this because, honestly, what is more elegant than a drink coming from the leaves of a plant? from berries, or from a flower? it’s nature at its best, and its simplest, and it is beautiful.

and this is exactly what kaleisia tea lounge delivers. this is a place that recognizes that beauty, and shares it with the world. kaleisia is on fletcher avenue, next to the wooden nickel(!) and the brass mug, unlikely neighbors for such a sweet a pure shop. god bless you, tampa! it’s a quaint little place, with a bit of seating outside, below their large building-side mural. the inside is comfortable and relaxed, with art adorning the walls, cushy sofas to sit on, a shelf full of board games, and a bit of music playing to add to the atmosphere. suffice it to say, it is a nice place to hang out. the staff is very friendly, and always willing to put up with our joking and light conversation.

the main attraction here is the tea, which is completely on display for the customers on the wall opposite the counter where you order. the wall of tea has an overwhelming amount of loose-leaf tea containers sitting on it, all with color-coded labels to let you know not only what type of tea it is at a glance, listing each specific ingredient inside, and organized into broad categories like sweet, flowers, herbs and spices, etc. it is extremely approachable, for everyone from a tea newb to a tea fanatic.

so you stare at the wall for a few minutes until the shock wears off, then grab a container, open it up, and sniff. sniff it. yeah. then put it back, grab another one, and sniff it. sniff it good. lather. rinse. repeat. until you’ve found what you’re looking for! and you’ll know.

their huge selection is great; they have everything from light fruity teas to strong rooty teas, with temporary seasonal selections as well. i believe a lot of the tea is kind of a rotating stock; it seems like each time i go i find something new. but you’ll definitely always find something you’re interested in.

oh yeah, and i almost forgot – they have boba. yeah. boba. as i mentioned/raved about in my review of got tea?, boba is sweetened tapioca balls thrown into a drink. and they are awesome. so in addition to having an incredible loose-leaf tea brewed just for you, ordered at your level of sweetness, iced or hot, you can have little chewy balls of awesome in it.

also, they have an entire selection of vegan friendly food items, and some pastries as well. i always go just for the tea, but if you’re in the mood for a bite to eat, they have a whole snack menu of options to choose from. the selection seems to change quite often. pictured above is a brownie cookie, which is somehow a cookie on the outside, but a brownie on the inside! WHAT HAS SCIENCE DONE?!?!

it was delicious.

so my friend and i ordered a couple drinks, and sat down and chatted for a while. i choose a black currant black tea, sweet (i always get sweet…). it had a nice full black tea flavor, perfectly accented by very noticeable notes of fruity currant. and they always sweeten it just right. the boba was a little overcooked for my tastes, but that is not always an issue here. i do have to say that this is not my favorite place to get boba, but it is the best tea i’ve had in the area. they have an obvious respect for tea and tea culture, and you can taste it.

okay, this review has spun out of control; it’s way longer than it needs to be. all i’m going to say is that you should go to kaleisia. it’s a great hangout, a chill environment, and run by good people. OH AND THEY DO LIVE MUSIC! they have events! OH GOD A WHOLE EVENT CALENDAR!!!!! they have workshops! host private parties! free tea! free boba!! HAPPY HOUR! this is clearly much more than just a tea shop, but at its heart, that is all it tries to be.

Posted in Drink Reviews, Food, Humor, Tampa Restaurants | Tagged: boba, boba tea, chill, kaleisia, kaleisia tea lounge, live music, local restaurants, loose leaf tea, loose tea, tea, the Monster's Favorites, USF area, vegan, vegetarian, what has science done?? | 3 Comments »

Got Tea? Tea House

Posted by Tampa Bay Food Monster on September 12, 2010

YOU NEED TO TRY BOBA.

c’mon. do it. do it. DO IT.

seriously, if you have not had boba tea yet, you need to go to a place that serves it (google it, or go HERE), and give it a try. it. is. amazing.

boba tea is a taiwanese creation, intended to trick stupid kids into drinking healthy stuff. bwahahaha THOSE FOOLS!!! but it works on me, too. boba tea, sometimes referred to as bubble tea, or pearl tea, consists of two parts: the tea, traditionally an iced dark tea with sweetened milk, and the boba, black tapioca pearls about the size of a marble, having been cooked until chewy, and then steeped in a sugary liquid. the boba tea you find at shops usually uses a non dairy creamer rather than milk for the milk teas, but also usually comes in a wide variety of different types of teas, from jasmine to fruit. the boba is chewy and a bit sweet, and i’ve often seen it compared to gummi bears (although their nowhere near as tough). they are typically served in a plastic cup, with a seal on top that you use a comically wide straw to puncture in order to get to the goodness on the inside.

really, the whole thing is just a gimmick: a regular tea, with little chewy, almost candy-like treats at the bottom. but it totally works for me. and places now serve a whole bunch of other things, like fruit smoothies or even frappuccino blends. they are completely accessible, and totally addictive.

AND SO, begin the review proper:

GOT TEA? is my local boba shop of choice. it is a small fixture, in the same plaza as the yummy house (which i’ve not yet reviewed, but is an amazing chinese restaurant), on waters, near armenia in carrollwood. it has been there for a few years now, opened by the same people who ran the short-lived boba place in the food court of university mall. the staff is ALWAYS friendly, and service is quick. but CASH ONLY!! remember that! bring cash! and trust me – it’s worth a trip to the atm.

the inside is small, but has great personality! there are maybe five tables that seat about four, and i think a couple more high top tables, with a cool bamboo… uh… thingy. there’s music playing, and wireless internet, which makes this an ideal place to sit down and work on some stuff, or game, getting new tea whenever you run out. the place can get pretty packed, but is often empty enough that you will have a place to sit and talk. they have a small menu of a few different food items, snacks and bento boxes (all of which are excellent!), but of course, this place is all about the boba.

my friend and i ordered our usuals – i got the taro milk tea (on the left), and he got an honeydew avocado snowtwist (wild, yes i know). as you can see, the boba sits at the bottom of the cup, and the straws are wide enough to suck them up through. the boba here is ALWAYS perfect. i have had boba from quite a few different places, and this is the second best place i’ve ever had it (the best being a lollicup in orlando on colonial drive), and the best in the area. the boba is always perfectly chewy, not undercooked like many places, and not overcooked into oblivion. just sweet enough that you can taste it. perfect. and the cups always have fun little seals on top, with different pictures or drawings each time. it’s all so fun!! DX

out of all the many available options (many milk teas, fruit iced teas, the frappuccino blends, and the snowtwists, a light and fluffy milkshake-type drink), the taro milk tea is my favorite. it’s a nice opaque light purple color, and is derived from the taro root, found most commonly in asian cuisine. it is a nice sweet earthy flavor, almost like a sweet popcorn. i cannot get enough of it.

my friend’s drink is the honeydew avocado snowtwist, consisting primarily of blended ice and avocado. this sounds like a potentially awful idea, but in all honesty, it is delicious. the avocado doesn’t have a very strong flavor, and when blended becomes a thick, whipped froth. the honeydew flavor, as with all the different flavors, is just perfect. it ends up being an icy, sweet, bright and healthy drink.

so – first: try boba. second: try boba at got tea?. they are the best. oh! and make sure you give it a second try if you don’t like it at first; everyone i’ve introduced it to usually dislikes it at first, but on second try they become addicted.

drink boba. and have fun!

Posted in Drink Reviews, Food, Humor, Tampa Restaurants | Tagged: boba, boba tea, bubble tea, carrollwood, cash only, Got Tea?, local restaurants, milk tea, pearl milk tea, snacks, the Monster's Favorites | 10 Comments »

Tampa Bay Food Monster

…eating food since 1985.

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