I was on my phone one night and, suddenly, a RUSH of anxiety flowed through my body. I should have been studying for the finals I have this week, prepping for a whole month of holiday shopping, and binge watching Cupcake Wars before they leave Netflix. Instead, I was on my phone doing who knows what. So how did I cope with all that stress the next morning? BOBA! Ever since Delish Bubble Tea opened up near my home, it has quickly become one of my favorite stress-relieving comforts.
There’s just something so relaxing about sucking up squishy little boba from a straw and rolling them around in your mouth before you take that giant gulp. If any of that turns you on, good news because Delish is opening their second location right across the street from campus on Synergy Park Boulevard!
You can expect to see it in the Northside apartment plaza around mid-January. Before they do, Kaylee (a fellow Spoon team member) and I decided to check out their original location in McKinney to give you all an idea of what to expect/order once they arrive.
As soon as we entered, we were amazed by the array of vibrant colors. It will wake you up before you even get your cup of boba coffee (That’s right! They have boba coffee!). On the right side, you’ll see a whole section devoted to Filipino desserts from Spanish Bread, which is a toasty roll with butter and sugar on the inside, to Filipino sponge cake. They make even more Filipino deliciousness behind the counters, including the iconic Halo-Halo.
On the left are all the “add-on” options! You’ve got your traditional tapioca pearls, but they also serve little flavored jellies and popping boba (tiny pearls that explode with fruit juice once you suck ‘em up) to add to your drink. The menu offers a variety of drinks to choose from including milk teas, coffee, smoothies, and slushies. You can mix and match any type of “add-on” you choose with any drink, so feel free to play around when making your own combo. Personal favorites of mine include their chai or almond milk tea with tapioca pearls, green tea matcha, and their orange mango smoothie with mango jelly. Oh! Their caramel macchiato with coffee jelly is good enough to make Starbucks quiver ‘n hide. #bye
I had the opportunity to speak to Luchie, one of three Filipina sisters who owns the Delish cafés.
Q: How did you and your sisters come up with the idea of opening a bubble tea shop?
A: “We came up with the idea to open a bubble tea shop because we love bubble tea drinks. We know we can offer the best bubble tea drinks on the market.”
Q: What makes bubble tea so appealing to college students?
A: “Bubble tea drinks are popular with the younger generation, especially with the college students, because they are delicious “delish” and it is a much better substitute to soda. It is fun to have the ‘add-ons’ on the drinks.”
Q: What is your personal favorite boba drink on the menu?
A: “My favorite drinks are the traditional bubble teas: honey green tea with pearls, classic milk tea with pearls, and Thai tea with pearls.”
Q: What drink would you recommend to first time customers?
A: “The drink I recommend to new bubble tea drinkers is green tea with any fruit flavor and mixed with popping boba.”
Q: What makes Delish special?
A: “Delish bubble tea is unique because we offer the best quality bubble tea drinks. We only use high quality ingredients and we have outstanding customer service.”
Side note: She’s the sweetest business owner I’ve ever met! Not only is she super friendly, but anytime I go there, she’s working tirelessly to serve the large crowds.
What The Customers Think
Tiffany: “My favorite drink would have to be the milk base with green tea matcha and half tapioca/half passion fruit popping boba. It’s a great mix, try it sometime! You can’t get bubble tea as good as this anywhere else. Great service, great atmosphere, and great products!”
Jasmine Aguilar: “I went for the first time yesterday and loved the taro mixed with magic coffee jellies!”
What We Ordered
Chai latte with tapioca pearls:
Me: “I’m Indian so I should probably know what makes a good cup of chai. Rarely do I find a place that serves genuine chai lattes but I think Delish hits the nail on the mark with this one! The blend of spices they use is phenomenal and authentic to tradition. You’ll enjoy this if you want to feel all warm and cozy.”
Orange mango smoothie with mango jellies:
Me: “I was reluctant to try this because I’m not into orange but this one turned out amazing. The mango was just enough to overpower the sourness of oranges, leaving you with a nice balance of benign flavors. I also loved the soft little jellies in the drink. I could eat them alone as candy!”
In less than a month you’ll have access to Delish Bubble Tea, possibly your new, go-to place for boba. The menu items will all be the same so you should be able to order any of the drinks above. Kaylee and I are absolute fans and we know we’ll see you there once they open shop at Northside!
