What is Bubble Tea?

Bubble tea, Boba Tea or Pearl Milk Tea was created in Taiwan in the 80s, bubble tea took the work by storm. Much like most things concerning Asian culture, America started appropriating it in the last decade and you might’ve seen the beverage showing up on your favorite TV shows, and movies, and reels.

Apart from looking cool as hell, it also tastes like nothing you’ve ever tasted before. Traditionally made with milk tea and tapioca pearls, the drink has evolved into so much more. The most popular variation is the popping caviar bobas made with Boba Specification, an innovation of the molecular gastronomy techniques.

Boba tea one comes in so many forms it has become a task to pick out your choice. In this article we’ll give you a rundown of all the popular forms of bubble tea and where you can get your particular fix in Bangalore.

History of Bubble Tea

Legend has it that in the 1980s Shu-chen opened a tea stall on a busy street of Taipei, littered with competition. His optimism shattered when he didn’t make a single sale on the first day.

To stand out from the crowd, Shu-chen started mixing his tea with ice in a cocktail shaker.  No takers! He needed to make money fast to pay for his wife’s medical bills. Out of desperation, Shu-Chen came up with a weird idea! He took a popular dessert that kids in Taiwan used to enjoy called bobas and put them in his tea hoping this could save his family.

It was an instant hit! And rest is history.

Types of Bubble Tea

The Traditional

Traditional bubble tea is a bit outdated in today's landscape. It involved making actual milk tea and adding cooked tapioca pearls. These pearls were basically a starch extracted from the cassava root and catered to the idiosyncratic tastes of the Taiwanese tea drinkers. 

They come with different teas like Black Tea, Matcha, Jasmine, and the Indian classic, Chai Tea. These were ultimately not the popular exports to the west that we’re familiar with today, but it is still worth a try. 

The Modern

Modern versions of Boba teas are made with decadent syrups and tapioca pearls. They have deviated quite a bit from their predecessors and have adapted to the sweet tooth of the modern individual.

The diversity ranges from flavors and pairings to the type of bobas and the straws. On the whole, these types of bubble tea are an acquired taste and need to be substituted with whole meals to make up for the caloric dense nature. 

They come in variants like: brown sugar moose, red bean and pudding, mochi sugar and fruit flavored taro.

The Neo Boba tea

The most versatile of the bunch are the bubble teas made to elevate the experience of your common beverage. Designed to be paired with food or serve as a casual drink on a hot afternoon. They’re light on the calories and bring the authentic flavors of what made boba teas special in the first place. 

These teas come with caviar like popping bobas that pack a punch when you drink. They explode in your mouth and give an extra punch of flavor.

Their simplicity also allows for a lot of different popular flavors like, Lemon tea, blueberry, soda pop, and most surprisingly, coffee. Yes! They really out here making coffee bubble tea and it’s delicious.

Best Places to Get Bubble Tea in Bangalore

Namma Bengaluru is home to a lot many cafes and services that can quench your bubble tea thirst:

Skoosh Bubble Tea

• Authentic bobas imported from Taiwan and flavors curated by culinary experts to go with them to get that perfect American boba tea taste. All this in a DIY kit that lets you make your own bubble tea at home in under 60 seconds.
• You can also order them individually from swiggy or zomato exclusively in bangalore. WIth popping bobas and proprietary flavors these boba teas are nothing like on the market today.

Skoosh Bubble tea comes in 4 distinct flavors and are designed to be consumed as a stand alone drink or paired with a meal. The DIY kit comes in 4 unit packs and 8 unit packs which makes it easy to share with friends and family.

ELIXIR

A bubble tea cafe only available for order in Ulsoor. They are known for their traditional boba teas. They bring the old school flavor to Bangalore. The downside is that they are priced on the higher end and are limited by range of delivery.

Boba Tree

• A bubble tea cafe in Bangalore known for their chill ambience and their wide range of food options. They have a wide variety of bubble tea with options from the traditional style and the modern variations.