Photo By Nian Capili
New boba shop Tea For U brings Taiwanese drinks to Alhambra
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The first time I’ve encountered the boba shop, Tea For U, or T4, was on San Gabriel Boulevard. There was barely enough space as I walked inside which looked very cozy and small. Recently, it came to my attention that another Tea For U was opening on Main Street in Alhambra, and I thought to myself, “It’s going to be another ordinary tiny boba shop with low quality drinks.”
Tea For U first originated in Taiwan in 2004 with the idea of bringing happiness to customers worldwide, according to their website. I arrived at T4 around 3 p.m with a friendly welcome from the workers. At first I expected a dull, cramped tea shop just like the one on San Gabriel Blvd, but it looked completely different with the open space, sizable amount of customers, unique appearance to compliment the establishment. It is a tea shop with good vibes; meant for people to dine in, perhaps do homework, or just relax with friends.
The menu was interesting, ranging from the usual teas and smoothies along with tasty street food. There were also intriguing flavors they had to offer such as Panda milk tea, Mulberry milk tea, Fruity Party buball, Pearls milk tea buball, etc. It also has a meter for both sweetness and the amount of ice leveling from zero percent to standard. Each item of beverages on the menu range from $3.50 to $4.25 which in my opinion is reasonable.
Before I made my order, I was offered a free sample of their Mango Royal tea from the cashier. The sample was fairly sweet and had a strong tea taste with a kick of mango, staying true to it’s name.
I was recommended and told by the cashier to order the Okinawa Milk tea with boba which was suppose to have a brown sugar flavor. I ordered the drink with a standard level of ice and sweetness to keep the flavors balanced and fair. It was about $3.75 plus tax which added up for me to pay about $6.
The tea was not overpowering and tasted natural with an aftertaste of brown sugar. The sweetness of the tea at first was fair, but it progressed to taste much sweeter.The boba, on the other hand, was a lot thicker and heavier, but it had a pleasant, chewy texture that complimented the tea very well. It was an overall solid milk tea which was somewhat worth its price.
Tea For U is a substantial boba shop that provides high quality drinks, appetizing snacks, and a comforting atmosphere. The cost may seem unreasonable, but I believe that it is worth it for the its quality. I’d recommend those to see what T4 is all about and what they have to offer.
