Bubble tea
I discovered Bubble Teas in Toronto, while strolling through Chinatown. At the time, it was unknown in London: an iced drink, made with black tea and flavoured to your choice, with tapioca pearls (boba) at the bottom to be drwan out through a large straw. Refreshing, soothing, slightly sugary. Ideal to take away.
A year later, I tasted my second one in Sydney. Oh, bliss! A watermelon one, I recall. Still none in London.
Since then, Ping-Pong has added them to their menu. Sadly, they’re a bit bland, the bubbles having no taste at all.
So when the Londonist published a post with a few addresses, I jumped in joy and rushed to Jen Cafe.
The post mentionned a milk pearl tea and 20 combinations. Slightly misleading – only one actually has tea – the best ones as far as I’m concerned – the others are a mix of fruit, ice and bobas: pearl drinks. Not as satisfying as the original ones. Still a pleasant option if you are fed up with smoothies and colas. The tapioca pearls are the right consistancy and you happily chew away. Banana and green apple remain my favourites and are worth stopping at this o-so-tiny cafe. The dishes are relatively cheap, smell heavenly.
Looking at the menu, I know I’ll be back: sesame? Peanut? Unusual flavours. According to the Londonist, we’ll also have to try HK Diner for their alcoholic versions.
Jen Cafe
4-8 Newport Place
London WC2H 7JP
£3.30 for a pearl drink
Beware: no card accepted, get some cash first! No space for a buggy in this mall cafe, better to take away!
12 Responses to “Bubble tea”
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Chocoralie says:
A essayer lors de ton prochain passage a Paris ou a Londres…
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Héhé, effectivement il paraît qu’il y a un chouette Bubble Tea à Paris mais je n’ai jamais eu le temps d’y aller (un autre à Bastille aussi, aux dernières nouvelles).
Tes photos font envie en tout cas !!
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Tiens, voici le lien d’un blog qui en parlait récemment :
http://www.fastandfood.fr/2010/04/04/un-bubble-tea-au-kikoumaru-cafe/
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Eva: tu vas adorer.
Anouchka: merci! je compte bien essayer cette adresse fin avril lors d’un passage a Paris…
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Ca y est, ça y est ! J’ai testé ! Et tu avais raison, j’ai adoré. Profitant d’une petite balade sous le soleil de Belleville, je n’ai pas manqué de reconnaître ce dont tu avais parlé en passant devant une enseigne “Bubble tea”. La vendeuse nous a gentiment (ré)expliqué le concept et conseillé la version classique nature. Texture super ludique et goût très agréable et rafraîchissant, merci Coralie !
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Raaah, je suis jalouse! J’espere repasser a Paris fin juin tester ca. Ravie que la boisson t’ait seduite en tout cas…
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nam seng says:
Je suis allé au Kikoumaru café à bastille. Ils ont beaucoup de parfums. J’ai pris le thé au lait original, très bon, comme ceux de Hong Kong =P rien à redire!
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Antoine says:
Super adresse à Lille pour le Bubble Tea, le salon Délicathé.
http://www.delicathe.fr
L’accueil est très sympa et en plus de leurs bubble teas vous pouvez consommez d’authentiques plats/snacks chinois.
[...] Milk: £3.55 to drink in, £3.40 to take away Another address? Jen cafe, two streets away. Posted in Uncategorized | Tags: Chinatown, enfants/child-friendly, gou-the / tea o'clock, [...]
[...] anywhere else for Bubble teas and drinks (we have already tried Jen’s cafe)? Let us [...]