Wow Tea Drink, the modern bubble tea shop, which had its re-opening on El Camino on March 28, offers a wide variety of floral and fruit drink options.
When we first walked in, we were met with a clean and sterile smell. Combined with the light blue and white decor, along with the harsh white lighting, the space did not exude warmth. The attempt at plant greenery felt forced, if acknowledged at all, and the modern seating was not comfortable. We enjoyed the music, but it was too loud for our liking. While the creative drinks may be worth exploring, we would not recommend this store for a study or hangout spot.
The ambiance tainted our first impressions, but it only got worse as we learned they did not have boba ready 30 minutes after opening. Seeing as boba is the main attraction of the shop, this left us void of satisfaction and seemed unacceptable.
However, the employees were extremely kind and attentive. They were knowledgeable about the menu and were ready and willing to answer any questions we had.
Now, let’s dive into the drinks.
Drink: The Best Jasmine Green Tea Latte ($6.50)
The first drink we tried was the Jasmine Green Tea Latte, which was recommended by the employees. The drink was extremely floral and tasted fresh, with a light sweetness that gave the perfect amount to taste the flavor without being overly bitter. Upon first taste, the jasmine profile came through and was not overly milky, which we liked, but after a while, we felt bored and felt the drink could have been elevated with actual boba pearls. Overall, we felt the drink was a solid order, but we wouldn’t necessarily call it “The Best.”
Taste: 8.5/10
Description accuracy: 9/10
Value for price: 8.5/10
Drink: White Peach Guan Yin Lemon Tea ($6.75)
This drink has the word “tea” in its name, but there was barely any taste of it — which isn’t a bad thing, because what you do taste is impressive in its own way. Despite its distinction from its name, the drink reminded us of tasting an actual peach, even giving us the same velvety feeling inside our mouths after drinking. Not only that, but it tasted exactly like white peach juice with a small hint of lemonade. With regular sugar, it wasn’t too sweet to be unable to finish, and the price point was reasonable for a large sized drink as it aligned with other drink stores nearby. If you’re looking for tea with bitterness, we recommend you to pick a different drink, but if you’re looking for a refreshing fruit drink that tastes organic, the White Peach Guan Yin Lemon Tea is the way to go.
Taste: 9/10
Description accuracy: 10/10
Value for price: 8/10
Drink: Fruit Infused Qilan ($6.75)
“Apple-infused,” and with “freshly muddled orange and lemon,” the description read. Each sip was supposed to deliver a “nuanced and satisfying burst of flavors.” Flavors burst in our mouths, but it was unfortunately not nuanced. We were hit with an overwhelming blast of orange and cinnamon, while other fruit flavors, if present at all, were muted to the point where they were almost nonexistent. Those looking for a multi-fruit infused drink will be sorely disappointed. In addition to the unexpected flavor mishap, there were also massive slices of orange in the drink; they were completely unnecessary and were there merely for the added visual appeal, which sadly meant we got less of the actual drink. With all that being said, the drink was quite pleasant; the oranges tasted fresh, and the cinnamon added a nice kick. As for the value, we thought it was a little pricey given the fact that it was essentially a cinnamoney orange juice.
Taste: 6/10
Description accuracy: 4/10
Value for price: 5/10
Drink: Matcha Mochi Rice with
Matcha Cloud ($7.99)
The drink started out as your typical high-quality matcha, earthy and grassy with nutty undertones and a subtle, lingering sweetness. The mochi rice, stretchy and chewy with a milky, silk-like consistency, sat at the bottom of the cup, bringing welcome texture to an otherwise boba-less drink. The matcha cloud was where things started to take a turn for the worse. After enjoying a satisfactory cup of delicious matcha and rice mochi, the foam added to the top of the drink reached the straw, bringing saltiness into the taste palette that ruined our previous appreciation. Did the menu warn us about this? Yes: “The top is covered with salted cheese matcha cream,” the description read, but given that the title neglected to inform us about its salty quality and simply said that it was going to be a “Matcha Cloud,” we weren’t expecting such an imposing savory flavor to be integrated into our otherwise sweet-to-neutral drink. If we were to order it again, we would select the option to remove the matcha cloud, because we did enjoy the rest of it. The description was very accurate, although we would push back on the claim that the “salted cheese matcha cream (created) a delightful … experience.” Still, we recognize that this might have been due to our unfamiliarity with the flavor combinations of the cheese matcha cream, and others may enjoy it. While we thought the drink was a little pricey, most boba drinks are comparable in cost, and it was reasonable given the addition of the matcha mochi rice and the cloud layer on top.
Taste: 7/10
Description accuracy: 9/10
Value for price: 7/10
Overall, we felt that Wow Tea wasn’t the best drink spot. Located behind California Avenue, we’re not sure that many Paly students will go out of their way to visit.
And although we’re weary about the caliber of the boba pearls, we felt that there was a good variety of drinks with kind employees who were willing to help.