Half and Half Tea Express

Often times, some of the best eateries are the really small, hole-in-the-wall types of places. This is surely a boba shop that I would consider as one of the harder ones to find and probably wouldn't know about it unless through word-of-mouth. However, it is probably one of my favorite stops for boba milk tea. The store itself does not have much lighting on the outside, so the sign is quite hard to find as well as the awkward entrance facing the opposite side of the street which would make it hard to find for newcomers. The inside of the store is cramped but always packed with people coming in to get their fix. Once your order is taken, even the wait for your drink is long. All of these factors may scare you away but once you've had a sip of one of their more popular milk teas, you're sure in for a delicious treat.


Their menu is very extensive with a wide selection of flavored teas, milk teas, yogurt drinks, slushes, milk smoothies, and many more. Their drinks are what they specialize in so they don't offer snacks and munchies as most other boba shops do. They stick to what they know and they do a good job at it. What they are most known for is the iced milk teas, which also happens to be some of my favorite items on the menu. It is sometimes sweetened with syrups or caramel but it still maintains its milky and creamy texture. Many of the drinks also include added toppings such as boba, grass jelly, and egg pudding. Their drinks are served in oddly shaped cups that are short but very wide which shows show generous they are with each serving.

Aside from the iced milk teas that I've been raving about, I've also tried some of their flavored teas that aren't quite up to par in comparison to some of the other tea shops I've tried. The Jasmine Green Tea was a little bland and tasted watered down. The Longan Green Tea was just ok, while I hoped that it would have a much stronger taste. I did not get a chance to try their other drinks as there are far too many to have tried them all, but hopefully one of these days I will try something new. That is, if the iced milk tea cravings don't kick in!

In accordance to all of the factors of Half and Half Tea Express, this place is really only worth it if you're in love with the iced milk teas as I am. Without that, I would probably never want to step foot in here ever again. The drive to Rowland Heights is a bit of an inconvenience for me as well as the dark and dinky store and the long wait. I could probably do without it. However, every now and then, it's nice to be able to treat myself to my favorite boba drink of SoCal.

Half and Half Tea Express does not have a website of their own, but you could check out their yelp reviews for the Rowland Heights location by clicking on this link.

Tebo Tebo Tea Lounge

Tebo Tebo Tea Lounge is an express tea lounge that serves you freshly-made tea in a unique bottle.  This is how Tebo originated its name from; Tea in a bottle.  The bottle is specially designed with a large opening at the top for the aroma of the tea, a narrow ring in the middle for gripping, and a large bottom for the boba and any other add-ons for your preference in your drink. 

Tebo has over 50 different types of drinks on their menu.  The most popular drinks are the Peach and Strawberry Tea and the T.G.I.F. I was able to try the T.G.I.F. and put it to the test.  When you order a drink at Tebo Tebo to enjoy at the restaurant, the drink comes in a tall, flask-like glass bottle.  It is creative and unique.  The T.G.I.F. drink is a mixture of green apple and passion fruit tea.  It come with bits and pieces of rainbow jelly in the drink.  The drink is very refreshing.  The passion tea was perfectly sweeten and pieces of rainbow jelly gave the extra flavor to the drink.  I had mine with boba and Aloe Vera, which complimented and balanced out the sweetness of the tea.   

Tebo Tebo is known for their appetizers.  Their popular dishes are the popcorn chicken and the buttered Stone Calamari.  I had the chance to try both of these appetizers.  The popcorn chicken is crispy and soft on in the inside.  The chicken can be seasoned with three levels of spicy: mild, medium, or hot.  This dish comes with a tangy sweet and sour sauce that compliments the chicken.  One dish can serve up to two people.

The Buttered Stone Calamari was a unique dish I tried.  The large squid was fried with a thin, crispy layer.  The dish came with chopped cabbage pieces, lemon, and salt and pepper.  Each bite was flavorful and delectable. 

Tebo Tebo Tea Lounge has revolutionized how people ordered and enjoyed their tea. They have quick service as they strive to make fresh tea when you order it.  There are currently two locations in Garden Grove and Westminster. 

Visit their website for more information and what’s on their menu at tebotebo.com

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Volcano Tea House

Volcano Tea Garden Grove opened their doors in December of 2012.  As it is a franchise there are many other Volcano Teas in every region.  Volcano Tea is your average boba shop.  They use syrups and powders to flavor their drinks. It is a a good place for young adults and teenagers to hang out. Lots of customers play cards and simple board games here.  Not too much of a study environment, as they do play loud music, similar to the music of a night club.  They have blending sweet drinks so their blender is constantly running, this makes the store very noisy.

Volcano Tea serves various drinks such as a long list of slushies, smoothies, and flavored teas with countless add-ons.  When first entering the store you can see their vast menu, for a first timer it might be overwhelming.


Their food section is somewhat large.  They provide fish balls and squid balls, along with sweet potato fries and curly fries.  Most of their fried snacks are seasoned the same, with a certain level of spice and dry seasoning.  They provide a sweet and sour sauce with their popcorn chicken and fish/squid balls, which is very flavorless and watery.

Their drinks as stated earlier, are average.  Their flavored milk teas are made with powder, so they do taste powdery.  They are sweet and to the point, nothing terribly bad.  They will satisfy your sweet drink cravings, however they won't be up to par.

I tried their Taro Milk Tea, Matcha Milk Tea, and their Honey Milk Tea.  All relatively good and will feed your sweet tooth well.  However compared to our milk teas their milk teas are more thick with milk, in which I would prefer a more tea tasting milk tea.


If mediocrity is what they are aiming for, they get an A+.  Other than the menu their service at the Garden Grove location is great.  The workers are attentive and friendly.  Don't be afraid to ask for anything; they are always pretty nice about providing for whatever you need.  They close at 11pm on the weekdays and 12pm on weekends, so its a nice place to hang out with friends late at night.

Here is a video of a personal review on their drinks.

                                                                                                                           

cha FOR TEA

 

cha FOR TEA is among many of the other tea shops of southern California. What sets it apart is that certain locations are also restaurants with abundant seating as well as appetizers and entrees. However, tea is their specialty and they do a great job of customizing drinks to the customers' preferences. They have an extensive menu with items ranging from milk teas to fruity teas, shaved ice to herbal teas, as well as noodle soups and vegetarian food. This makes for a versatile eatery with anything you might be looking for. With their entrees, appetizers, desserts, and drinks, everyone's happy.

To start with their drink menu, cha FOR TEA has a wide
 selection of beverages to choose from. Their drinks are divided between "Iced Teas" and "Hot Teas," which are then divided into subgroups of the different types of iced and hot teas they serve. Along with their delicious teas, one may accompany their drink with a topping such as boba, lychee, red bean, fruit jelly, as well as several other options. As soon as you enter, you are greeted by workers who offer samples of various teas. I fell in love with my first sample of mango green tea and had to get a cup of it for myself with a little bit of aloe vera. You could really sense the aroma of the green tea while the mango added a subtle extra sweetness to it. I was also able to try their lychee black tea and almond milk tea which were both just as delicious.

 I didn't stick around too long to try their entrees, but I did get a chance to try some of their snacks. cha FOR TEA had a greater selection than most other tea/boba shops. Along with the classic popcorn chicken and crispy tofu, the menu also had calamari balls, pork sausage, and sweet potato fries which is a definite change from your typical garlic or cajun fries. The sweet potato fries were perfectly crispy on the outside with a soft and chewy texture on the inside, exactly how I like my fries to be. The Taiwanese pork sausage was juicy and fatty but very flavorful, and not like your average sausage. Overall, I would give the snacks a two thumbs up.

cha FOR TEA currently has four locations that are up and running, and you might say that they're rather clever for three of their shops are within walking distance to a nearby college. While cha FOR TEA isn't as well known in the Little Saigon area as most other tea/boba shops, it is definitely climbing the charts in comparison to the others. Anyone who has been in the Irvine area has definitely heard of this place and will tell you that it's one of the best tea bars around. Try it for yourself and you'll understand why.

If you wish to know more about cha FOR TEA or to visit their menu, go to www.chafortea.com.

Tastea



Tastea is a small boba shop that serves tea, smoothies, slushy drinks, and more.  Tastea is not your average typical boba shop.  It has a unique taste in its beverages and it leaves customers wanting more.  Tastea began in 2001.  It started with two college students who dreamt of making ordinary drinks creative and fun.  Their mission was to make tea in a different way.  The fun part about Tastea is that the customers have the ability to add many different types of add-ons, such as lychee, grass jelly, rainbow jelly, etc., into their drinks.  

Tastea has a variety of beverages with creative names on their menu.  For example, on their Specialteas menu, they have drinks called “Bootea Shaker,” “Passion Attraction,” and “Lychee Peachee.”  Tastea is well-known for their delicious smoothies and teas.  Their popular smoothie is called “Strawberry Bananza.”  It is a strawberry and banana smoothie with strawberry bits.  For the teas, the “Peach Me Sweetea” is one of the top tea drinks on the menu.  It is a mix of peach and strawberry flavored tea with pieces of peach and strawberry in the tea.  I personally created my own tea.  I had the Jasmine tea with strawberry and mango pieces with boba. The tea was sweet and fruit bites made the drink very tasteful and satisfying.        

Tastea has a small selection for food.  Their main purpose is to satisfy their customers with their drinks.  However, I was able to try out one of their appetizers, the “Karate Chopped Chicken.”  The chicken comes in five levels of spiciness and three different dipping sauces of your choice.  I got the level 3 spicy and ordered the sweet and sour sauce.  This chicken was delicious.  I can taste the spice and flavoring in every bite.  The sauce really complimented the chicken.  The chicken came in a box bowl with bay leaves. 

There are currently three Tastea shops in Southern California: Rowland Heights, Garden Grove, and Costa Mesa.  I went to the Tastea shop in Garden Grove.  It was small but packed with customers.  With the lack of space for customers to enjoy their drink and snack, the customer service made up for it.  The drinks were made quickly, despite the amount of customers that were lined up.  I think Tastea is a great place for express tea, however the business would do better if the place expanded and gave customers a place to hangout and enjoy their drinks!   

For more information about Tastea and what’s on their menu, please visit www.tastea.net
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7 Leaves Cafe

7 Leaves Cafe is a small tea and coffee shop that started in 2012 and has been booming since then. It began as a little shop in Garden Grove, California that started with a group of friends who ventured out to recreate drinks that were inspired by originally traditional Asian drinks. Since the grand opening date of its first store, it has opened 3 additional stores and will soon open another. This particular boba shop has been a great success in not only selling their products, but of its name itself as far as its reputation for service and its motto.

"Be the change you want to see in the world"
                             - Mahatma Gandhi              
This quote is displayed throughout the store on various canvases hung on the wall, the t-shirts that the employees wear, as well as the cups the drinks are served in. 7 Leaves Cafe believes that to make a change, they must take the initiative to promote health and happiness through its products by utilizing natural ingredients. By creating this mentality for its store and employees, they are able to pass it onto their valued customers which in turn created a community of individuals who also wish to "be the change." I can personally vouch for this because the 7 Leaves environment always has this sense of welcome and unity when I go.

7 Leaves Cafe has a very limited menu. They limit the number of products that they serve in order to perfect the products that they currently carry. Some of the more popular drinks, such as the House Special Coffee and Mung Bean Milk Tea, have created a buzz among may southern Californians as

well as those who have visited the area and heard of 7 Leaves Cafe through word of mouth. Personally, my favorite is the Sea Cream Jasmine Tea because it isn't overwhelmingly sweet but has

a unique hint of saltiness from the cream. In addition to the variety of coffees, teas, and juices that they serve, they also sell macarons and various finger-food items such as popcorn chicken, garlic fries, and chicken wings. The macarons may not be as great in comparison to real French macarons, but their popcorn chicken definitely makes up for it. Don't forget to ask for extra basil because I think it adds a little something to it.

Although 7 Leaves Cafe is fairly new to the boba business in comparison to many other SoCalBoba shops, it's climbing up the ladder of success and climbing up fast. The ratings and number of reviews on yelp are nearly exceeding the boba shops that came long before it and it's only continuing to grow. Better watch out, because 7 Leaves Cafe is high on the charts.

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Here is a video found on Youtube when 7 Leaves Cafe was fairly new and on the rise.

Lollicup Co.

Lollicup has been in the boba business since 2000, when the boba milk tea craze began.  In 2000 they had one store in San Gabriel, California.  Now, not only do they have a total of 33 stores, including 2 in China, they also have their own products.
  Lollicup distributes cups and supplies to many businesses all over Orange County.  It amazes me how they grew so much from just one little boba milk tea shop.  As a child Lollicup was my go to boba shop.  I would crave their popcorn chicken and simple green tea.  Now that the boba craze has taken over Orange County, if I don't see one of their stores, I see their products in every boba shop.

Now to their relatively new shop in Garden Grove,CA...
This location opened in July of 2012 compared to their sister shop in Westminster who has been open for over a decade now.  This new location is very spacious a clean, and provides many tables for their customers to sit.  The workers are friendly and they even provide board games for their customers to enjoy!

To continue on with their menu, it is anything but minimal.  There are milk teas, slushies, milk lattes, smoothies, and you can' t forget their delicious appetizers.  They continue to add more and more flavors as the seasons change.  Innovation never stops with this boba company. They have items such as popping boba.  Which, compared to regular tapioca balls, are filled with different flavors such as lychee and strawberry.  They also come in various colors correlating to their color.

When trying their drinks one could say that they are mediocre.  I tried their strawberry slush, which tastes like your average strawberry syrup, which I might add was too sweet for my liking.  In fact, Lollicup does use varies syrups and sweetners to make their drinks.  I did enjoy their green tea, however it was your average sweetened green tea.

However their appetizers I give an A+.  Their popcorn chicken is not your average popcorn chicken, their spices and herbs make a delectable fried snack, leaving you craving for more.  The only thing I wish that they would improve is their dipping sauce.  Their sweet and sour sauce can be found in just about every Asian supermarket, if they could had some garlic powder or just anything to pizzazz it up just a tad, it would help differentiate them.

All in all the Lollicup brand and store have many factors about them that make them one of the top boba shops in Orange County.  Congrats Lollicup, you've made the cut.
For more information on this growing company please visit Lollicup's official website.


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