Dragon Ball Tea House

Restaurant: Dragon Ball Tea House

Cuisine: Bubble Tea/Chinese

Last visited: February 21, 2010
Area: Vancouver, BC (Shaughnessy)

1007 W King Edward Ave
Range: $10 or less

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

Drinks: 6

Service: 3 (well it’s pay at cashier and they go as fast as they can)

Ambiance: 2

Overall: 5

Additional comments:

• Located at major intersection, but neighborhood area
• Famous for bubble tea
• One of the most popular places for bubble tea
• Attracts locals everywhere
• Family owned and operated
• Small operation
• Stamp card available
• Line-ups during peak hours (late night/after dinner)
• Fresh fruit flavours
• Seats 15 or so (very limited)
• About 4 hot rice dishes available (with fried egg style)
• Pay at cashier
• Great price
  
• Very casual/hole in the wall-ish
• Some small snack available: Pocky, instant noodles
• Open late
• Couple parking spaces in the back
• Pre-order/pick-up service available
• Opens daily at 1:30pm
  

**Recommendation: Japanese Green Tea Ice Cream, Supreme Milk Tea, and any of their fresh fruit series – I like blueberry

Next to Pearl Castle Bubble Tea and Peanuts this is also one of the most popular places for locals to get their bubble tea. Everyone loves Dragon Ball Tea House and it has been here for ages! At least 8 years I’d say…maybe even 10? It JUST got a make-over and it used to look even more hole-in-the wall-ish. It’s has very limited seating and it’s super casual and unpretentious. I’d even call it more of a to-go place. I’ve been coming here fore years and it’s my top bubble tea choice in the Vancouver area…although Capstone Tea & Fondue is good too.

Unlike many other bubble tea places, Dragon Ball Tea House really focuses on just bubble tea. They do offer maybe 3-4 hot dishes (which I’ve never seen anyone order) but they really focus on just bubble tea. They do a great job and they have steady traffic and pretty long lines and waits during busy hours…which is usually late at night or after dinner hours.

I’ve tried a lot of flavours here, but I always go back to the recommendations above. You can get drinks sweet/half-sweet/non-sweet/hot/slush/combination of flavours/mixed fruit etc. Almost everything can be customized, but they just don’t advertise it. Everything tastes like it’s made with ice cream here. The fresh fruit flavours are like smoothies. I haven’t had one bad drink. Even the tapioca pearls are great. Besides tapioca pearls they have coconut jelly, grass jelly and I think maybe mango stars as options.

On the table:

Pudding Slush Bubble Tea 4/6

• $4.00 + $.50 with tapioca pearls - $4.50
• This was my first time ordering pudding slush. Again it was like ice cream, they do a good job, however the best pudding slush bubble tea is still at Tri-ty.
  

• This was very good, but I wasn’t a fan of the pudding pieces at the bottom. That’s how it’s supposed to be served though, but I just didn’t like them that much. They’re jello like and not that flavourful for me…so I found it more distracting.
  
• The drink part is a sweeter drink and it tastes like vanilla pudding, but in slushy form.
  
• The pearls are great. Nice and chewy and cooked perfectly. They give you lots too!
• The drinks are pretty big and filling, but they’re delicious!

Tri-ty Café – Bubble Tea

Restaurant: Tri-ty Café – Bubble Tea

Cuisine: Taiwanese/Chinese/Bubble Tea

Last visited: January 24, 2010
Area: Richmond, BC

Unit 130-8100 Ackroyd Road
Range: $10 or less

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

Drinks: 5 (haven't tried food)

Service: 2

Ambiance: 4

Overall: 4

Additional comments:

• Specializes in bubble tea
• Hot food available
• Mainly Taiwanese food, some Cantonese
• Extensive menu for food and drinks
• Great for snacks/late night
• Brightly lit
• All ages
• Open late
• Great slushy drinks, but undercooked pearls
• Large glasses
• Self order sheet
• Popular for shaved ice, variety for toppings
• Cash only
• Minimum $3.95 per person
• $.50 for additional pearl, small pearl, coconut jelly, lemon jelly, grass jelly
• Lunch/Dinner/Snacks

**Recommendation: Pudding Smoothie with Milk

Tri-Ty Café is a brightly lit bubble tea house that attracts people of all ages, similar to Pearl Castle. It’s comfortable and they have a lot of options for snacks, drinks and meals. People go for lunch or dinner and everything on the menu is served all day including, fried rice, hot pot, noodles and desserts. Only their light meals are like toast, sandwiches and waffles are served at 2:30pm-5:30pm or after 8:30pm. The all day meals are $8.50-$9.50 and they look pretty good although I haven’t tried them. The Taiwanese Style Popcorn Chicken actually looked really good! A lot of people order their shaved ice as well because they have a lot of topping options and you can choose any 5 for $6.50.

I’ve ordered one thing only, but I always keep going back for this one drink! It’s also my recommendation. Overall their other drinks are pretty good too. The only problem I have is that the pearls are a bit hard because they don’t cook them long enough. As a result they’re a bit smaller than they should be and they’re not as chewy. The drink part is great though, and it’s been consistent all the times I have gone. I always get a smoothie and they do a good job here. It’s really thick and they pile them high and some of them include a scoop of ice cream!

On the table:

**Pudding Smoothie with Milk 5.5/6

• $5.25 Additional $0.50 for pearls etc.
• I bet all the smoothies are great here! They taste like milk shakes and it kind of is because they do use ice cream.
• This one tastes like vanilla ice cream, mixed with actual vanilla pudding and some milk tea. It does have a really subtle tea taste to it. It’s pretty sweet, but not overly sweet for me. Let’s put it this way, I discovered it over a year ago and have introduced people to it and this time we went 4/7 of us ordered it!
• Unlike the typical pudding drinks, there are no actual pudding pieces in this drink.
• There's ice cream in the smoothie already but I love how they put another scoop on top. It's just vanilla ice cream and then the pudding flavour comes from the vanilla pudding powder.
• The only thing wrong is the pearls. They’re undercooked and therefore they’re a bit hard and smaller in size. Hence my .5 deduction.

Strawberry Blueberry Slush 5/6

• They use real frozen blueberries and strawberries and they don’t sweeten it too much so it’s very natural.
• Again nice and thick and piled high. I’m pretty sure it’s dairy free and they sweeten it up with some simple sugar syrup. It was sweet and tart from the strawberries.
• Same thing with all their drinks – undercooked pearls.

Mango Peach Smoothie 4/6

• This one isn’t very sweet at all. It’s maybe because I had it after my pudding smoothie which is quite sweet.
• Again it’s made with real frozen fruit. Well at least the peaches are. It’s a great balance of both fruits because I could taste both. However I think the mangos they use could be canned. They garnish it with some mango syrup on top, so I wouldn’t be surprised if it was mango syrup or canned mangos.
• Again, I love the scoop of ice cream! If you order “smoothie” it will come with ice cream, but if you order “slush” it might not.
• Undercooked pearls.

Lychee Calpis

• I didn’t try this one, but it’s not as exciting as their slushy series. It looks cool though! The blue thing is actually just a fake ice cube with a light.

Lychee Slush 4.5/6

• This was canned lychee which is expected, but it was good. It was what you expect, not too sweet or anything but just canned lychee with the syrup and some ice blended up. This one was most refreshing.

Twinkle 2 - Bubble Tea

I think it's advertising some special, but I can't read it. Please leave a comment if you can translate. Thank you.

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.

Capstone Tea & Fondue

Restaurant: Capstone Tea & Fondue

Cuisine: Dessert/Bubble Tea
Last visited: December 3, 09
Area: Vancouver, BC (Robson Street/West End/Downtown)
1429 Robson Street

Price Range: $10-20

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

Dessert: 4
Service: 3
Ambiance: 3
Overall: 3.5
Additional comments:

• Specializes in bubble tea and fondue
• Classic/herbal/bubble teas
• Chocolate fondue & cheese fondue available
• Large selection of drinks, large menu
• Real fruit drinks
• Real milk, not powdered
• Brightly lit
• Good for groups
• Attracts young Asian couples/groups (ages 17-25)
• Minimum charge $4.45/person
• Accepts Visa

**Recommendation: Chocolate fondue in a pot, Dipping Ice-Cream Chocolate Fondue

This is an experimental post. I'm trying something new so your comments and feedback would be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance.

It was never my intentions to make a visual blog entry...but my friend was taking pictures of me eating so I'm just testing the idea. So rather than writing out what I thought of the food, I’m going to post pictures so you can observe for yourself. You’ll be able to tell by my facial expressions if it was enjoyable or not.

Of course I will include some descriptions and details…that’s the foodie in me, I can’t rely on photos alone to describe the food and experience.

On the table:

• Dipping Ice Cream Chocolate Fondue w/side fruits 6/6
• Served with 20 assorted ice cream balls and dark chocolate $19.95
• Flavours include: Strawberry, Mango, Green tea, Cookies & Cream
• Side order of fresh fruits: strawberries, bananas, apples, mandarins, pineapples, grapes

• Let the series begin...
• 

  

  
• The verdict...
• 
• Okay these ice cream balls is the BEST thing here. I LOVE those! There these mini ice cream balls made with extremely frozen ice cream and you dip them into the fondue pot. It’s almost like a Purdy’s ice cream bar and the chocolate just hardens before you eyes. It’s so good!
• The brand of ice cream can always get better and the chocolate fondue can always be a more expensive brand of chocolate…but for what it is, what they serve does the job fine. I have no problem.

• Get creative too! I did! Green tea ice cream ball + strawberry…yum!
• Strawberry ice cream ball + banana dipped in chocolate

• You can get additional toppings ($1.45/topping) like coconut, walnuts, almonds, sprinkles etc With toppings this would have been even better!....Next time…there’s always next time…

• Matcha Bubble Tea Slush 5/6
• I really liked this, but it’s because it’s not too sweet as a lot of other places. I’m in a Matcha slush phase right now so I’m always ordering it to see the difference. They use real milk rather than powdered milk and you can tell. They don’t use as much Matcha powder as Pearl Castle, but you can still taste it. It is quite light though.
• It really is a personal thing for why I gave it 5/6. I think they use less sugar, so it’s really refreshing and it worked perfectly with the sweet fondue. I wouldn’t want something sweeter than the chocolate fondue.
• The pearls are nice and chewy and not too soft.

Peanuts - Bubble Tea

Restaurant: Peanuts - Bubble Tea

Cuisine: Bubble Tea/Desserts
Last visited: November 3, 09
Area: Richmond, BC (Richmond Public Market food court)
Unit 2130 - 8260 Westminster Hwy
Price Range: $10 or less

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

Food: 4.5
Service: 3
Ambiance: n/a
Overall: 4.5
Additional comments:

• Specializes in bubble tea and "Che Lung Bing" - a Taiwanese "cookie" made out of a crepe and stuffed with your choice of custard/red bean/coconut/peanuts etc.
  
• Familiar/popular to locals
  
• Family owned/operated
• Hole in the wall Bubble Tea stand
  
• One of the popular stands
• Fresh fruit flavours
• Operating for at least 8+ years
• Taiwanese dessert available
• Fresh fruit yogurt available/yogurt bubble teas
  
• Stamp cards available
• Cheap
  
• Cash only
  

**Recommendation: Yogurt-based Bubble Teas, Vanilla Frappe, Che Lung Bing

I've been a loyal customer of Peanuts for at least 8+ years. They've only done renovations once since I've known them and they don't need anymore operating space then what they have. They're not pretentious and know what they're good at which is the reason for their success. They do very well considering the location and set-up. It's very popular to locals.

They're also popular because they use real fruit in their fruit flavoured bubble teas. You can also order yogurt based bubble teas where they make frozen yogurt with frozen fruit (just like Yogen Fruz) and mix it in your bubble tea. It's great!

My only complaint is that their pearls have gotten too soft over the last few years. I don't know if they're over cooking them or what.

On the table:

• Matcha Bubble Tea 4.5/6
• Not as much Matcha powder as Pearl Castle's Matcha bubble tea. The one at Peanuts is a bit sweeter and the one at Pearl Castle has more of a bitter aftertaste, it's also darker green because they there's more powder.
  
• The one at Peanuts is very good, it's almost like a green tea ice cream bubble tea, which is also available.
• Again the pearls were a little soft, but they give you a good amount.
  

Pearl Castle

Restaurant: Pearl Castle

Cuisine: Taiwanese/Chinese/Bubble Tea
Last visited: Sept. 19, 09
Area: Richmond, BC
6551 No. 3 Road
Price Range: $10-20

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

Food: 3.5
Service: 1
Ambiance: 3

Overall: 3
Additional comments:

• Taiwanese dishes
• Specializes in bubble tea
• Wide variety of drinks
• Offers hot food/mini hot pot/snacks
  
• Service is never great at either location
  
• Busy/line-ups during peak hours
  
• More spacious than Continental Plaza location
• Affordable food/lunch specials
• Pricier drinks
• Quick sit down lunches
• Open late
• Set meals available for lunch or dinner

** Recommendation: Bubble tea, chicken nuggets, Pepper-salt Chicken knees

This is perhaps the most popular bubble tea place in Richmond. Everyone loves it. It's open late and attracts a younger crowd at night. It's brightly lit so older people go as well and there's always a line-up at peak hours.

The newest location (I think the 4th one now) is located inside Richmond Centre across from Carlton Cards and McDonald's. It's quite spacious compared to the original (on Sexsmith), but still busy.

I've been to the original one numerous time. However I must say I'm a bit nervous about it now ever since a friend of mine got sick from a milk-based bubble tea she had there. Apparently they didn't store their milk properly. Please comment on this post if you have had a similar experience. I have never gotten sick, so I hope it was a rare case that they learned from.

On the table:

• Japanese Green Tea Frappe with Milk and Pearls 4/6
• It's pretty expensive at $4.75 and that's not including pearls.
  
• It was a tad sweet but the pearls are great. Nice and chewy and they give you a lot.
  
• The slushes are called "frappes" here.
  
• They use a lot of Matcha powder in this as you can tell by the colour. It's very pungent in green tea flavour and you get that slight bitterness. A lot of places use green tea ice green or substitutes for real Matcha powder - but you get the real deal here.
• **Chicken Nuggets 4/6
  
• I didn't order it on this occasion, but their deep fried items are actually really good here. These chicken nuggets are surprisingly good! They're made in house with white meat and they have a really crispy and flavourful breading.
  
• **Pepper-salt chicken knees 4/6
• Again, I didn't order on this occasion.
• If you like salt and pepper chicken wings you'll like these. It tastes and looks like popcorn chicken. The breading is just really good and they're really fresh. They serve it with a plum sauce.
• House Special Beef Noodle Soup 3.5/6
• This was quite tasty. The beef broth was pretty thick and flavourful, but I can't help but to think they used some pre-made beef broth for assistance. The colour was just so deep it didn't look natural. It was a bit oily and they used chili oil in it so it was nice and spicy.
• The noodles were nice and chewy and had a firmer texture. (Not made in house and I don't expect them to be...for a place that specializes in bubble tea)
• They give you about 6 chunks of beef brisket which were relatively lean for beef brisket. They were really tender and really did fall apart.
  
• For what it is and this kind of place it's actually pretty expensive at $7.95.
• Taiwanese Egg Roll 2/6
  
• This is a fried egg rolled in a deep fried Asian style pancake or crepe.
  
• I had to wait like 15min for this, which is good because it means they're making it fresh...but 15min. was not worth the wait for what it was.
• The pancake was a thin deep fried crepe but it wasn't very good because it was soggy and kind of stale. It's not fluffy or crispy, just dough like. They either buy it frozen and deep fry it or the oil was not hot enough and they allowed it to soak in the oil rather than fry.
• I like the crispy fried egg on the inside though - the only thing that gave it texture. The break the yolk during the frying process so it's fully cooked. It's the same thickness as the pancake so you get really even layers in the roll. When eaten together it's good, but overall it still needed more texture. The pancake part just wasn't done well.
• It's served with a garlic Teriyaki-like sauce.
  
• The red sauce on top is a spicy red sauce that's really salty and pungent. It's definitely some kind of fermented sauce, but I'm not sure what.
  
• It was worth a try and it's an interesting appy, but it's also kind of plain.
• 
• The dessert they serve with all their set meals - a frozen Costco cream puff.