Almost everyone has a drink that can act as a quick fix for any sort of day. For many, that drink is bubble tea. But have you ever heard of cheese tea? It has recently been all the rage in Taiwan, China, and other parts of East Asia.
Cheese tea is literally the same old boba milk tea you're used to, but with a layer of sweet or salty cream cheese on top, to mix in for a nice creamy drink. And for many people in the US, it is now available at a shop near them. Spoon UCLA recently checked out Little Fluffy Head Café in DTLA, one of the first cheese tea shops to open in Los Angeles, to see what the hype was about, and here's what we thought!
That sounds disgus- Wow!
Little Fluffy Head is a relatively new café in DTLA offering a variety of cheese teas, with bases featuring oolong, osmanthus, matcha, jasmine, and black teas. It is the brainchild of Jenny Zheng, a young entrepreneur, who dropped out of school in the final semester of her master's program in bioengineering to open up her dream shop.
"When I first heard of cheese tea, I was like, 'Why would you put cheese in tea?' And then when I tried it, it was refreshingly good, and the cheese and the tea was well balanced. And, because I had a totally different expectation when I drank the tea, that surprise gave extra points to the drink," explains Jenny in her interview with Spoon UCLA, "I want customers who are having cheese tea to have the same kind of feeling I had. It's refreshing, and surprisingly good at the same time!" We can vouch that she has succeeded in bringing that surprise to to customers visiting her boutique shop.
Things to Try
I tried a variety of their offerings, and here are some of the highlights:
My Favorite: Hot Peach Oolong
I'm personally a fan of hot teas, so I was excited to try some of Little Fluffy Head's warmer offerings. My favorite was the Hot Peach Oolong Tea, topped with a salty cream cheese. The sweetness of the peach was balanced out really well by the cheese, and the resulting thick, creamy texture was incredibly different and satisfying.
Most Unique: Camouflage Matcha
Contrary to the meaning of its name, the Camouflage Matcha is the one drink that will stand out in a crowd. With a unique blend of matcha and crème brûlée cream, this drink offers both the aesthetic and taste you're looking for in a drink.
Honorable Mention: Dirty Mess Milk Tea
Jenny explained the inspiration behind the name of this milk tea: "It looked muddy, and it was yellowish, so, I came up with the name 'Dirty Mess'." This beauty is a black milk tea, topped with crème brûlée cream and crushed Oreo. The chocolate, tea, and crème brûlée flavors create a distinctive marriage, with plenty of sweetness.
High-tech lids are a thing
You're probably wondering how someone would drink these teas. Wouldn't all the cream on the top get in the way of the liquid portion of the drink? Well, cheese tea cafés have thought this through. They offer fancy lids that mix the cheese and tea in just the right proportions to be enjoyed in the best way. They consist of two little holes that each collect a certain portion of the drink to deliver together to your watering mouth.
Verdict
We at Spoon UCLA enjoyed our visit to Little Fluffy Head. I did occasionally find the cheeses to be rather overwhelming in some of the drinks, but that's probably just me; I'm a simple guy and not too fond of heavier foods. I thoroughly enjoyed trying their signature drinks and experiencing cheese tea for the first time in their shop. Little Fluffy Head Café definitely delivers on its promise to provide high-quality cheese teas with unique flavors and a vibe that would make anyone want to come back for more.
Little Fluffy Head Café is located on 7th Street in DTLA, and we recommend checking it out if you're ever looking to explore the novel world of cheese tea!