Celebrate National Mango Day July 22 with MangoMango Dessert Promo!

Layered Mango Snowcloud 

In celebration of MangoMango Dessert's newest seasonal creations, I was invited to a media preview to taste one of their new bingsu. The summer lineup includes the Layered Mango Snowcloud and the Toasted Coconut Snowcloud. Being true blue mango fans, we tried the Layered Mango Snowcloud that came with chunks of mango, popping boba, and a scoop of ice cream on top. The creamy bingsu is huge! Definitely big enough for at least 2-3 people to share.

We also tried MangoMango's version of the popular mango sticky rice drink - the Man-Coco Sticky Smoothie. I really loved that one as it was refreshing and filling. The sticky rice was so delicious!

Man-Coco Sticky Smoothie and Milk Tea with Boba

Be sure to stop in at MangoMango's Pearlridge or Ala Moana location on July 22, National Mango Day and get $2 off mango drinks! 

Thank you to MangoMango Dessert for the sweet media invite!

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Chaya Hawaii

 

It's amazing how new boba tea shops keep popping up on Oahu. It's such a small island, yet we can never get enough boba, and every boba shop seems to find their niche and loyal followers to keep them busy.  

During a recent visit to Kahala Mall, I discovered a new boba shop in the kiosk that has seemed to be a revolving door for many small business, even boba tea businesses.  Since I am still a fan of boba, I could not resist stopping for a drink.

The menu is small compared to other boba tea places, but that doesn't matter to me because I normally order the same thing when I first visit a new boba shop - milk tea.

I opted for a small milk tea made with black tea, with boba, at 50% sweetness.  I loved it! The milk tea was very smooth, not super sweet (due to the reduced sugar level), and the boba was nice and chewy. The 12 ounce small size was the perfect amount to quench my thirst and hunger.  

I look forward to returning to try their other drinks on the menu (matcha, strawberry, plantation iced tea)!

Follow them on Instagram @chayahawaii.

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CHAYA HAWAII

4211 Waialae Avenue

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The Alley at Ala Moana Shopping Center

If you have recently been to Ala Moana shopping center, chances are you have seen the lines for The Alley, a popular boba chain from Taiwan. Sure enough, when we arrived a little after 5pm on a Tuesday, there was a line of people waiting to get their boba fix. I decided to order online and let my daughter shop while we waited for our set pick up time. Fifteen minutes and 3 tops from Brandy Melville later, we went straight to the pick up window and our boba drinks were ready for us in a paper shopping bag.

The Alley makes their own tapioca balls from scratch and by hand. They also make their own sugar cane syrup to ensure quality and flavor. This definitely comes through in their boba drinks. I customized my Royal No. 9 milk tea with oat milk and while I loved the boba, I should have stuck with the regular milk because it was not as creamy as my daughter’s The Alley Trio milk tea. The Alley Trio comes with boba, coconut jelly, and konjac jelly. She loved it. 

Oahu already has many great boba shops, but The Alley makes a welcomed addition to Ala Moana shopping center especially with their  online ordering! 

 

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Sun Tea Mix 808

Sun Tea Mix has been on my radar ever since I saw their beautiful soufflé pancakes on Instagram so it was kismet when I was invited for a media tasting.  I was on quite the soufflé pancake kick last year when I found a recipe to make my own.  See my adventure here.  They were really good, but not nearly as delicious when someone else makes them for you!  And Sun Tea Mix's soufflé pancakes have the best light fluffy texture that I have ever had!

Popular Boba soufflé pancakes.

Also on their extensive menu are delicious hand crafted drinks made with quality brewed tea and real fruit.  I had a super refreshing grapefruit mojito made with no alcohol and fresh mint.  I loved the bubbles from the soda water and I would definitely order it again.  My son had a mango smoothie topped with mango gelato.  You could really taste the fresh mango.  My daughter couldn't stop raving about her strawberry smoothie topped with cheese foam and her addition of crystal jelly.  Her eyes widened with every sip!

Mango fruit smoothie topped with mango gelato.

Strawberry smoothie with cheese foam and Grapefruit mojito.

Sun Tea Mix = All smiles!

Currently, Sun Tea Mix is only open for take out.  Which is a shame because their cafe is the cutest!  When it does reopen for dining, expect cozy seating with available WIFI.  Parking is free for the first hour at HMart or Salt without validation and with validation: $1 for two hours or less and $3 for three hours or less.

Visit them at their website for online ordering.      

    

   

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New to Kaimuki: Cowcow's Tea

Cowcow's Tea opened up in mid-April and thanks to social media was able to get word out about their boba drinks, sparkling waters, and first in Hawaii Purple Rice Yogurt drinks.  Yogurt isn't my fave, but I was curious about the healthy drink and wanted to try the chewy purple rice.  The shop claims it's a healthy alternative to their delicious bubble teas. 

The boba shop is located on Waialae Ave. just a few doors from Pipeline Bakeshop & Creamery so you can pick up some yummy malasadas while you are at it!  There are tape marks on the ground for social distance queueing purposes and a max of 3 customers are allowed inside the shop at a time.

I ordered the Cowcow's Rice Yogurt and my daughter got the Azuki Bean Milk Tea with boba.  Like other shops, you can customize your ice and sweetness level.  We also picked up a white peach sparkling water for a friend.  Also on the menu are cheese fruit smoothies, hot drinks, and even quick bites like dumplings and organic tea eggs.  The shop is super cute with a rose petal wall and ample seating in a pastel pink color scheme that will hopefully be used again one day soon.

After we ordered, we waited outside for our drinks.  I liked the yogurt drink!  It was icy and creamy and the yogurt flavor was subtle.  My favorite was the chewiness of the purple rice and would have liked more in my drink.  My daughter really liked her boba drink savoring the azuki flavor in each sip.  I took a sip too and liked the soft texture of the boba.  Their temporary business hours for take out is Wednesday through Sunday from 11am to 8pm. 

Super cute shop

White Peach Sparkling Water

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Grab & Go or Delivery: Rabbit Rabbit Tea Hawaii

Craving boba while sheltering in place? Rabbit Rabbit Tea is still operating everyday from 11 am.

Rabbit Signature Fresh Fruit Iced Tea (Left: with lychee jelly; Right: with boba)

Call ahead for grab n go orders - (808) 488-8811. Specify your drink selection, toppings, sweetness level, and ice level. 

Assam Milk Tea with boba

You can also get free delivery on orders over $20 through Bite Squad (use "RABBIT" at checkout).

They are a member of the Five Stars Rewards Program, so don't forget to enter your phone number at the register to earn free toppings and drinks!

RABBIT RABBIT TEA

99-115 AIEA HEIGHTS DRIVE

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New to Aiea: Rabbit Rabbit Tea Hawaii

Rabbit Rabbit Tea Hawaii is the latest boba tea shop to spring up in Hawaii.  Located in the Aiea Shopping Center, between McDonald’s and Ice Garden, Rabbit Rabbit Tea Hawaii is a popular chain from Taiwan with over 23 locations and expanding.  They pride themselves on using only premium teas and high quality ingredients in their drinks.  Milk teas can be customized by sweetness level, ice level, type of milk, and with a variety of toppings.

The shop is cute and cozy with a few tables and a decorated wall perfect for photos of your boba creations.  Besides boba drinks and teas, they serve cloud smoothies that are just the cutest!  They are made with a touch of whipped cream and look like fluffy, colorful clouds that you would find in a wonderland.  

We weren’t given a choice, but we had golden boba in our milk teas which were not as sweet or chewy as the regular boba.  My daughter loved her matcha milk tea and finished it on the car ride home.  I had adjusted my drink to 50% sweetness level which I regretted on my first sip.  I vowed to stick with their original recipes next time.

They are open daily from 11am so go get your boba on! 

Cute seating area and perfect for boba selfies. 

So many options on the menu! 

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Visit San Francisco: Boba Guys

Boba Guys started out with two guys learning how to make the perfect cup of boba milk tea and two months later threw their first pop-up.  Now they have expanded to locations in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and New York.  If you see a line, you definitely know you are in the right place.  

What sets Boba Guys apart from the rest is their dedication to quality.  You’ll be happy to know that your boba drink is free of anything artificial.  Boba Guys uses their own housemade boba, making it the first boba to be made in the USA!  They use real tea leaves steeped in house and their own crafted natural brown sugar based sweetener.  No wonder there’s always a line!       

On our weekend trip to San Francisco, Boba Guys was on our way to the theatre so of course we had to make a stop. Lucky for us we arrived 15 minutes before opening making us the first in line.  My daughter had the classic milk tea with boba and pudding while I had a coffee milk tea with boba. The drinks were delicious and they came with bamboo straws which they encouraged us to compost when done.  

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