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Original poster

Can someone explain bubble tea to me please?

89 replies

TangoFruit · 05/07/2021 19:48

I am as intrigued as I am grossed out by the thought of trying bubble tea but it seems so popular.

What do you ask for and how do you drink them?
Do you crunch the bubbles?

OP posts:
BertieBotts · 05/07/2021 19:53

The bubbles aren't crunchy. They're kind of balls of liquid. If you squish them or bite them, they pop and release flavour.

I usually just go for a fruity tea and some kind of fruit flavoured bubbles. I just pick random flavours that sound like they would go together. If you like fruity, sweet drinks then you'll probably enjoy it. If that sounds sickly to you then it might not be your kind of thing.

I don't like the ones with milk in. And I haven't tried the ones with more solid bubbles.

TippledPink · 05/07/2021 19:58

My DD10 gets one of these when she goes into town, you can get different types of bubbles, some pop, some are made of jelly. You can choose the sweetness of it as well (4 different options at the one we go to). I had a sip and they taste nice but they are expensive- £4!

CoffeeDay · 05/07/2021 20:03

The traditional tapioca bobas (dark brown) are chewy in texture and quite fun to eat. You suck them up through the straw. I like bubble tea because it’s quite filling, sort of like getting a drink and a snack/pudding at the same time.

The bobas are major choking hazards though, wouldn’t let my toddler DD anywhere near them!

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MarshmallowSwede · 05/07/2021 20:04

It’s really delicious. The bubbles are tapioca bubbles so they are chewy. You do chew them. They are like little jellies. So if you like jellied candy then you would enjoy. You can choose a nice flavour. My favorite is coconut or mango.

00100001 · 05/07/2021 20:05

I tried one...it was grim.

Too sweet.

Weird texture for the bubbles.

Hotcuppatea · 05/07/2021 20:06

It's disgusting. It's like biting into puss balls of sickly juice. My DD loves it and takes bus journeys to stand in queues with her friends to buy it.

sashagabadon · 05/07/2021 20:08

I’ve tried my daughters a couple of times and think they are disgusting. May have been her flavours but honestly the after taste was foul!

toffeebutterpopcorn · 05/07/2021 20:11

Not sure if it’s like the Korean version (we had it at international day at school - a very sweet little Korean girl in National dress was serving it and she was too cute to say not do - it was horrible).

There was a bubble tea shop near my office - when I walked passed it in the mornings (before it opened) the windows ledge was always covered in partially drunk plastic cups of the stuff (so I assumed they didn’t like it either!).

notacooldad · 05/07/2021 20:14

I like mango tea with reduced sugar and Apple jelly for my bubble tea!

MadameMinimes · 05/07/2021 20:16

There’s lots of places now selling lots of very fruity “bubble teas” with popping balls in. They are fine if you like that kind of thing but proper bubble tea is sweetened milk tea with tapioca balls. I first had it in Taipei about a decade ago and it’s lovely. The tapioca is chewy. I recommend trying the traditional milk tea and tapioca version next time you’re somewhere that sells it.

namesnamesnamesnames · 05/07/2021 20:17

Oh wow. I have never heard of these!

DiaryofWimpyMumm · 05/07/2021 20:20

You learn something new every day, I've not heard of them yet

Kanaloa · 05/07/2021 20:20

I don’t like them much. Basically it’s just tapioca balls in a flavoured drink, there’s not too much more to explain really.

WimpoleHat · 05/07/2021 20:21

My DD has a weird chocolate milk one. Like watery Nesquik with funny sweets in the bottom. I thought it was horrid, but she loves it!

MouldyPotato · 05/07/2021 20:22

Go for the milky tea option with tapioca pearls

GuyFawkesDay · 05/07/2021 20:24

Definitely the traditional one is delicious. I quite like the rose version but I don't see it very often.
Popping balls are too sweet for me but I do like the tapioca and sometimes jelly.

DobbyTheHouseElk · 05/07/2021 20:24

I imagine there’s a target audience for these drinks and I’m pretty sure I’m not it. They sound ghastly, but I don’t like sweet drinks.

IAmAWomanNotACis · 05/07/2021 20:25

I tried it once, at great expense. Never again.

Auntienumber8 · 05/07/2021 20:25

It’s loved in Asian countries originates from Taiwan, my Taiwanese SIL got me to try it about 30 years ago and I hate it. Like drinking frog spawn.

SirenSays · 05/07/2021 20:26

They do endless flavours, I think it's worth giving it a try. I like the fruity flavours more than the milk tea flavours. My favourites are mango/passionfruit or watermelon. My sister gets a taro one which is such a pretty pastel purple colour

LongLiveGoblingKing · 05/07/2021 20:29

I like the traditional milky tea ones, I always have Taro flavour which is purple (I think Taro is a root vegetables) and tastes a bit like chocolate, but not too sweet. With the traditional tapioca pearls at the bottom.

The fruits concoctions with popping pearls are not really bubble tea. It's like going to Costa for a coffee and getting a mango fruit cooler instead.

Snowpatrolling · 05/07/2021 20:30

My kids had one a couple of weeks ago, £5 each!!
I tried it and gagged on the bubble things! Was the most vile thing to ever enter my mouth!!!

Eleoura · 05/07/2021 20:32

I've had them in Taiwan and Singapore. I thought the balls were jelly. Never realised they are tapioca! Ok for a hot, sunny, day but not a regular thing for me.

dementedma · 05/07/2021 20:35

They sound vile. Dont think they've reached our part of Scotland yet, thankfully

RaindropsOnRosie · 05/07/2021 20:38

Make sure you properly chew the tapioca bubbles, people have had serious stomach issues and have been hospitalised because they swallowed them whole.