Boba Smoothie pleases pearly palettes

Greer Wylder

On almost every corner in Taiwan and Hong Kong, you can find shops

specializing in the popular tea-based drink, Boba.

The fad, especially popular with college students, has spread

through California -- hundreds of shops serve Boba. In Los Angeles,

at least five Boba shops on Sawtelle Boulevard saturate a two-block

span. And they’ve moved next to college campuses, at Westwood Village

close to UCLA and near UC Irvine. Even Rice Garden, an Asian

fast-food stand on the campus, serves Boba.

Now in Costa Mesa, a handful of hip Boba Tea shops have opened,

catering to trend-followers and those enthusiastic for alternatives

to coffees and nonalcoholic drinks. There’s Boba Smoothie, Graffitea,

Upper House, and just opened, the large chain Tapioca Express.

Boba Tea originated in Taiwan in the early 1980s, when large

tapioca pearls called Boba, shaped about the size of salmon roe and

the color of Beluga caviar, were first added to sweet tea. The

healthy pearls, made from cassava roots, have small amounts of iron

and calcium. And, according to Bo Jean, owner of Boba Smoothie in

Costa Mesa, Boba’s high calorie reputation isn’t true; one serving of

Boba is only 45 calories.

The imported pearls are slowly cooked a variety of ways. At Boba

Smoothie, each hour a fresh batch of Boba is cooked with maple syrup.

At Graffitea, the Boba cooks for an hour and a half, first boiled

then steamed, with brown sugar. A large scoop of Boba is then added

to a variety of teas -- black, Jasmine and green -- and then sugar,

milk and fruits can be added. They’re even added to smoothies and

other flavored drinks.

The pearls settle on the bottom of clear plastic cups, creating a

layered effect. Sealed plastic tops are pierced with jumbo 1/2-inch

diameter straws. Some customers find Boba too exotic and opt for

omitting the pearls, while others become addicted.

At Boba Smoothie, a top-of-the line Boba tea bar, only the

freshest, highest quality ingredients go into each drink. Whereas

most tea shops add powder flavorings in place of fresh fruits, owner

Bo Jean concentrates on the finest in-season produce.

“Your tongue can tell the difference,” Jean said.

Milk tea drinks can be made with 2% low-fat milk, soy milk or

yogurt for smoothies. Tea choices include: black (keemum), an orchid

flavored tea; Japan’s most popular green tea, Match Uji; and fragrant

Jasmine tea.

Boba Smoothie’s menu was tailored to fit customers’ tastes. Jean

surveyed 120 locals to find out their favorite items, and downsized a

typical Boba menu to their liking. The result was a mixture of fresh

smoothies, tea drinks, slushes, juices, a high-end European line of

herbal and flower teas and gourmet Asian foods.

The meals and snacks include fresh sushi ($4.50 to $5.50),

Oriental chicken salad ($4.50), crispy pepper chicken and calamari

($3.50), homemade cream puffs ($2.50), candied pecans ($3.50) and

green tea red bean cakes ($2). Boba Smoothie has a unique shaved ice

machine that instantly turns ice into powder. Giant 40 oz. glass

containers hold shaved ice desserts. Flavors include mango,

strawberry, kiwi, watermelon and red bean/green tea. Some can be

covered in sweet “black ice” -- Jean’s secret recipe for caramelizing

brown sugar.

* BEST BITES runs every Friday. Greer Wylder can be reached at

[email protected]; at 330 W. Bay St., Costa Mesa, CA 92627; or by

fax at (949) 646-4170.