“Boba,” “bubble” tea, or “pearl” milk tea (all three terms are perfectly acceptable) is hot or iced tea (usually with milk) with tapioca balls. The Boba Room advertised itself as the amusement park for boba lovers, so the directors of Spoon University at Cooper Union had to go try it out.
The Boba Room: a Pop-up Revolution
Located in Open Gallery Space (355A Bowery, New York), the Boba Room is a pop-up that’s open from April 22nd to May 6th. Although online tickets are sold out, you can still get them at the door—$10 for one or $17 for two.
Chaimi Studios
Yanz Zeng and Iris Xing, owners of Chaimi Studios, are both from China where bubble tea is a staple. They wanted to create a space where bubble tea can truly be appreciated by people who are lifelong fans and those who have never heard of it. This is only their second pop-up art exhibit and they hope to have a lot more food-related projects in the future!
A Boba “Theme Shop”
In the Boba Room, you’ll get to see beautiful art installations, such as the neon lights and paintings. You’ll also see boba merchandize, such as shirts, bags, and sweatshirts. There’s also a room with balloons and inflatables, so that you can throw around balls and take pictures.
Olivia’s Thoughts
Coming from CA, I’m more fond of “boba,” and was pretty excited to visit this “boba heaven.” Although the idea was pretty good and innovative, the exhibition was so small and crowded that it was hard to fully enjoy it. I felt rushed and cramped, and although the drinks were pretty, they weren’t particularly special, and I felt that everything was overpriced.
Helen’s Thoughts
When I heard “amusement park for boba lovers,” I had to visit this exhibit. I had high hopes, but it was disappointing overall. Just waiting to enter was a hassle. Although the room was small, there was just enough room to throw balloons and take a few photos. The drink was overly sweet, barely had any flavor, and was mainly good for pictures.
Michelle’s Thoughts
As an avid boba tea lover, I was obviously really looking forward to the installation. Although I could snag some Insta-worthy pictures, the experience was not worth $10. The mediocre boba, tight room and lack of cleanliness was an overall disappointment. If they were to make another pop-up in the future I would probably attend knowing it would not live up to the hype.
Overall, we felt that the whole experience would have been better if it were in a bigger room or with better execution. It was a new and innovative, and we look forward to the next exhibition (hopefully with better execution)!