By Hannah Lazarte & Zoe Tran
Boba, also known as tapioca pearls, has taken over social media by storm these past years. Spanning around 30 locations across California, Tastea is a known boba shop in California. Being approximately a 20-minute walk away from Fountain Valley High School (FVHS), FVHS students occasionally go to Tastea after their classes.
Popular for their tasty milk teas and fruity refreshers, prices at Tastea range from one to 10 dollars, not including Tastea jugs.
First Look
Walking up to Tastea, you could see four tables outside the store. In total, there seemed to be eight seats. Inside, there was only a walkway for ordering and no seating. Although this was the case, the inside was still very welcoming with a kiosk near the entrance.
We would recommend waiting outside instead of indoors because of the little space inside. Surprisingly, the wait time for the drinks was around four to seven minutes and not very long despite it being crowded at various times of the day. This was no surprise because they have a specialty in drinks. The food didn’t take much longer and was out around two to three minutes later.
Drinks
Classic Milk Tea [9/10]
A classic staple at boba shops is the sweetened black teas with milk. Tastea did not disappoint. The presentation of the drink was a little boring (being a plain color) and the taste was very simple.
While some might say the drink is plain and basic, we enjoyed how the drink wasn’t too sweet. Besides it being basic, it is still a classic, comforting drink. We would order this again.
Strawberry Sensation [5/10]
Since strawberries are a favorite fruit among both parents and kids, we ordered the Strawberry Sensation with high hopes. The smoothie was a bright pink, almost red color. It screamed, “I’m so cute, funny, and silly!!!”
The chunks of strawberry were a fun surprise while sipping the drink. The drink was fresh and would be perfect for a hot day. Even though customers can adjust the sweetness level in their drinks, we kept ours at “Full Sweet.” This might’ve been why the sweetness of the drink was a little overwhelming in our opinion. We would not order this again.
Tiger Milk Tea [6.5/10]
The design of the Tiger Milk Tea was unique, with brown sugar around the drink used to imitate tiger stripes. The brown sugar also gives the drink a rich and unique twist despite being similar to Tastea’s Classic Milk Tea.
The creme brulee had a unique texture, throwing us off. It was also a little too sweet and not our favorite taste. We are unsure if we would order this again.
Food
Karate Chicken [8/10]
Since Tastea is most known for its drinks, we didn’t have high expectations for their food. We were surprised at how they beat those expectations, as the food was hot and freshly cooked. They allowed us to choose the sauce and spice level. Spice levels ranged from no spice “Mild but Wild” to “Insane” being the spiciest. Along with that, the chicken was flavorful, juicy and had a herby twist to it, complimenting the snack. We would order this again.
Buttload’afries [9/10]
With the new set of expectations from the chicken, we had some hopes for how the fries would taste. It was one size and in a bigger box than the chicken. Like the chicken, you could choose your spice level and sauce for the fries. They were hot and fresh with a soft inside and a crunchy outside. We would order this again.
Prices
The price of each drink ranged from $5.30 to $6.55, with Classic Milk Tea costing the least and Tiger Milk Tea costing the most. We believe the prices correctly fit the drinks, not being too expensive or too cheap.
On the other hand, the price of the Karate Chicken was $5.85 and the Buttload’afries was $7.95. Although the chicken was great, we believe that it was too small of a portion for the price. Even though we thought that the chicken didn’t fit the cost, we think the fries were a great price for the amount.
Overall
Tastea is a great boba shop and it’s only growing more popular. With the welcoming atmosphere, it would be a great place to hang out with your friends after school. We suggest trying Tastea if you’re around the area looking for a quick snack, and, maybe, you’ll enjoy the items more.
