For weeks my friends have been telling me about these "bubble drinks" they get at this little asian market. It is something of a smoothie with tapioca balls in it. You get a big fat straw and suck up a ball or two with each drink. After all the hype, we went last night and I sadly say I was disapointed. The taste of the drink itself was just fine, sorta like an Orange Julius, its the balls that gave me a headache.....do those things have MSG?! Anyone here crazy about Bubolicious drinks like my friend? What flavors did you try? (my friends got Avocado and Chai) BTW, I tried the Raspberry cream. It was ok, the tapioca balls just gave me a headache
There are several places around campus here in Austin that sell them. I've never had the guts to try them though... Tapioca is the root of the cassava plant. I'm pretty sure it doesn't have MSG.
I too have friends who think those bubble drinks are the greatest things ever, but I'm not too keen on them. I'm not fond of tapioca, and sucking little balls of crud up with my drink doesn't really interest me . . .
I work with some Asian friends who love those things. I like them too, but I usually get them without the tapioca balls. My favorite is Jasmine Green tea w/ milk. Yuuuummmm
My special lady really likes those places. Her drink of choice is a coffee milk tea, if that means anything to you. I haven't really experimented with the other drinks they offer, though. I actually kinda like the tapioca balls, though
I actually like the ones that are more similar to smoothies... like mango they have ones that are not tapioca balls but actually lil jellys and those are much better. J
i've tried one of these a few weeks ago for the first time. luckily the "trendy" chick behind the counter asked if i wanted the tapioca balls in my frozen japanese green tea. not knowing exactly what tapioca is, i tried it, and.... argh! the texture of the stuff is just horrid imo. the taste isn't that much better. it looks like the brown jelly stuff that comes out of a cockroach when you squash it. terrible. the frozen green tea by itself was so-so. by the way, the name of one of these places is something with the word "teahouse" in it at the corner of shepard and westheimer (in the kroger shopping strip). few computers for customers to play around with there as well.
I hang out with a handful of Asian guys and they took me over to one of those drink places on the Drag in Austin to get one one night after getting some Pho (which was excellent). I too prefer the drink without the bubbles ("Pearls" they called 'em), they don't really seem to do anything to enhance the drink to me, aside from slowing me down while I deal with having a mouthful of sticky balls. I honestly don't understand why someone would WANT them, can anyone explain? Maybe if they really took on the flavor of the drink they'd be good, but as is, just... bleh...
i like them, I guess they are only for people who can step outside of their comfort zone. nothings better than giving the rest of your drink to your gf and saying "suck my.....
The texture of the tapiocas vary depending on the store. For the best texture, try Star Snow Ice on Bellair. Also, try shooting out the balls with your straw. They'll stick on cars and when they harden, they're very difficult to remove.
They aint all that, now lets talk about the asian snowcones (snow ice) with pineapples, peanuts/taro and beans! then we talking!
They are pretty good! You just have to order the right kind. MSG? Man you gonna need some education on that!
Ah, I love bubble drinks with tapioca pearl, or as we call it "buo ba nai cha". I even get my aunt to import milk tea from Taiwan so that I can make it myself at home. Never realized how much damn sugar they put in a single cup. I shot a ball out of my straw once. It flew 3 feet and landed inside my brother's ear. He had to use tweezers to remove it.
not that great imo but try using a spoon instead sucking the balls up a straw. it could be stressed cheek muscles that are the cause of your headache?
Oh man, I absolutely love those things. Too much sugar, though. Ask for it without the sugar. I like the coffee slushie with tapioca, extra espresso. Or mocha. Or latte. Or black tea. Or green tea. Or milk tea. Or avacado. Don't need to eat for a while after. Some good ones are at teahouse at bellaire and beltway 8, teaspot in the rice village, tropioca in midtown and boba-t-licious in sagemont. The tapioca doesn't really have much taste. It's just something to chew on, and gets that flavor in the drink on your tounge, instead of just ice.
I like them. Tapioca Express has a variety of tapioca offered and, of course, you can always get jelly instead. Taro milk is a great choice, if it is done right.
