Currently in Japan, the tapioca balls (a.k.a. boba) has become a huge trend.
While other countries remember how popular the trend was over a decade ago, in Japan, where many trends are started, this is one where the trend took awhile to build up full steam.
I’m often asked by Japanese friends and associates if I have ever tried tapioca (bubble tea/pearl milk tea) and they are surprised when I tell them that it’s been around in America for almost two decades.
But in Taiwan, it’s been around since the 1980’s.
Bubble tea was invented in Tainan and Taichung and many people I know from Taiwan have brought their shops to the Bay Area and Los Angeles especially in areas where there is a big Chinese community.
Around Tokyo (especially in Shibuya), one will notice a bubble tea/pearl milk tea shop with a large line of people waiting outside and it’s a place known as CoCo Fresh Tea & Juice.
CoCo Fresh Tea & Juice is well-known in Taiwan and that popularity has followed the company over to Japan that people wait for around 10 minutes to get to try their large variety of bubble tea.
Fortunately, an employee is out there taking orders in line and allowing you to look at the menu.
You have the Tapioca Series, Milk Tea Series, Chocolate Series, Cream Series, Yogurt Series, Tea Series, Fruit Series and Fresh Milk Series of drinks which range from Y485 to Y585 for medium and Y595 to Y625 for large.
For boba lovers, you have a choice whit pearl milk tea, jasmine milk tea, caramel milk tea, matcha milk tea, pearl chocolate, passion fruit green tea, passion fruit black tea, mango yogurt and black tea latte. Red bean fans can get a milk tea and matcha milk tea if that is what is preferred.
Now the question is how it compares to the pearl milk tea/boba tea that I’ve had in the past.
My personal feeling is that I’ve had pearl milk tea in so many places already for such a long time that there have been other trends from Taiwan and South Korea that have since surpassed the boba tea fad and we have seen the popularity of snow ice and grass jelly locations which I have blogged about and tried.
While it may have went to full gear in Japan in 2018, many of us have experienced awesome pearl milk tea in our lifetime that in some way, especially for Asians or those living in areas with a large Asian community, it’s nothing new. I’ve spent so much time trying different locations in Asia, especially here in California as many restaurants/shops started by entrepreneurs in Cuperttino, Milpitas, Millbrae, San Mateo, San Gabriel, San Jose, etc. have been plentiful.
In some way, it’s almost how I feel when people try In-n-Out Burger in California. I’ve eaten at so many gourmet burger restaurants arouond the world, throughout the U.S., that when I see people come to California and try In-n-Out and proclaim it’s the best burger they tasted in their life and ask if I feel the same, to be truthful, I don’t feel that way.
If anything, I’m more about creativity and unique flavors and trying something I haven’t before.
As for bubble tea, my preference has always been taro and lychee pearl milk tea but the more unique flavors offered, the more I want to visit a location again and again.
CoCo Fresh Tea & Juice in Tokyo is different because they don’t sweeten things as much in Japan like they do in the U.S., it’s more crowded as many want to experience CoCo’s pearl milk tea with boba, while you are paying a little more than what you may pay for a large in another country.
But there is variety in what they offer, which I like. If you want to try other type of drinks offered by CoCo, you’re in for a treat.
But while I give CoCo’s a thumbs up, there is actually another pearl milk tea location in Tokyo that did catch my attention and I’ll blog about it soon.
