Twinkle 2 - Bubble Tea

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Restaurant: Twinkle 2

Cuisine: Taiwanese/Japanese/Chinese/Fusion
Last visited: November 27, 09
Area: Richmond, BC
Unit125 – 8291 Alexandra Rd.
Price Range: $10 or less

1: Poor 2: OK 3: Good 4: Very good 5: Excellent 6: Tres Excellent!!

Food: 2 (I’ve only tried 3 things)
Service: 2

Ambiance: 3

Overall: 2

Additional comments:

• More Taiwanese than it is Japanese
• 2 locations on Alexandra Road, Richmond
• Different owners for Twinkle 1 and Twinkle 2
• Busy at night time/late night snacking
• Small portions
• Extensive bubble tea menu
• Confusing menu (parts Chinese, lots of additional charges etc)
• Some creative creations and exotic flavours
• Great for snacks, lots of options
• Serves alcohol/beer/coolers/vodka cocktails (I’m surprised)
• Clean interior, youthful atmosphere
• It’s under $10, but it’s actually quiet expensive compared to others
• Board games/magazines available
• Attracts young Asian crowd – not a rowdy one
• Minimum charge $3.50/person
• Free parking, but lot always full
• Open late
• Cash only

**Recommendation: Taro Coconut Slush

I’ve been to Twinkle (the original location just down the street) on more than a handful occasions over the past few years. It’s not my go-to bubble tea place in Richmond, but when it comes down to bubble tea, what’s open, nearby, and convenient – it’s an option.

I actually came to Twinkle 2 for the first time over the summer, and I thought it was owned by the same people. However I think they franchised it because I tried using a free bubble tea card and they said my card was only valid at Twinkle (1). So they’re different owners – and FYI these promo cards no longer exist at either location because someone stole the stamp.

On this particular visit to Twinkle 2 it was for a mid-afternoon snack. There was hardly anyone there, but at night it gets quite busy. They have quite a selection of food although I found it more Taiwanese in flavour than I did Japanese-Taiwanese fusion. The menu is more Taiwanese in general and they offer a lot of creative bubble tea flavours that I haven’t seen at other places. There’s a lot of selection but it’s one of those places where it seems like they’re adding $0.50 here $1.00 there and I can't read it so it get’s confusing and quite pricey. It is more expensive than most bubble tea places.

On the table:

**Taro Coconut Slush 4.5/6

• Taro Coconut Slush $5.85
• I always get pearls, but I didn’t this time because I was going to have a rather early dinner and wanted to be hungry for that.
• This is pretty much the thing I will keep coming back for. It’s not so much that it’s the best here, but it’s the only place I have found that offers it. I’ve also tried the Matcha Coconut Slush, which is really good. The taro one is just a bit sweeter, but both are good and not available at other places.
• My biggest problem with this drink is that they don’t make it with milk. It’s ALL milk powder and that really bothers me. If you’re going to used milk powder than you can’t charge the price of using real milk. It’s $5.85 with tax and tip NOT included…that’s a pretty expensive bubble tea.
• I think they mix taro, coconut, and milk powder to create this drink. Then they just add water. It’s not as sweet as a regular taro bubble tea. The coconut really stands out but they balance each other really well.
• It was nice and thick, rather light tasting and I like the glass they serve it in. I still enjoyed the drink, but I just think it’s expensive for what they’re using.

**Satay Beef Ramen 2.5/6

• Satay beef ramen. Served with your choice of soup base: tonkatsu, miso, or spicy $6.85
• This dish usually wouldn’t be my choice, but I was still curious to try it. I ordered it with tonkatsu soup.
• It was ramen topped with lettuce, corn, 1 fish ball, 1 small artificial shrimp flower cake thing, ½ an artificial crab stick, ½ a fish cake, 2 bamboo shoots, nori, bean sprouts and beef.

• I appreciate the variety they tried to give, and I understand them trying to meet costs, but c’mon…those topping are pretty weak. I would rather have fewer toppings, but good ones. Actually I would rather have wonton noodles…but that’s completely different.
• The tonkatsu soup was surprisingly good. The broth was rich, creamy and white which is a common characteristic of pork-bone soup. The noodles were chewy and also a good part.
• I couldn't even taste the flavour of the beef because I couldn't get past the fact that it was not tender at all. It was old and really tough and I left that almost all to the side.
• The bamboo shoots were also very hard and woody, and I was literally gnawing on them so those went to left as well…to the left, to the left…like Beyonce would say.
• The ramen bowls come with a free drink from a small selection of drinks, but there's all these options and additional charges if you want pearls, or to make it cold, slush etc...I got confused.