Visit Tokyo: Momi and Toy's

We wanted a snack while at DECKS, and the Japan chain Momi and Toy's Creperie was nearby.

My kids got bubble tea, and when I saw the Crème Brûlée Crêpe on the menu, I decided to give it a try (it was the only crepe that could not be ordered for take-out - it could only be eaten in the shop).

My fave part was the crispy, caramelized top, and the crêpe was really good too.  I did think, however, that the filling was a little too sweet for my taste.

Momi and Toy's
DECKS Tokyo Beach
Japan, 〒135-0091 Tokyo, Minato City, Daiba, 1

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Ding Tea - University of Hawaii Campus Center

I've been working on the University of Hawaii Manoa Campus for over 10 years, and I always thought the one thing this campus was missing was a place to get bubble tea (a.k.a. boba).  Well, earlier this year (towards the end of the 2023 Spring semester)  a bubble tea house finally opened at UH Manoa, on the first floor of Campus Center - Ding Tea!

They have a variety of flavors of teas, milk teas, Yakult/Yogurt, Lattes, Coffees, and Toppings. 

You can customize the sugar level and ice level too!

My go-to at any boba shop is the iced lychee green tea. It's so refreshing!  I like to order it with zero sweetness (the lychee already adds some sweetness to the tea) and some kind of topping such as lychee jelly or boba.  

If boba is not your thing, they also sell Pop Culture Artisan Pops - locally crafted ice pops that come in a variety of refreshing flavors.  The creator and owner of Pop Culture Artisan Pop is a graduate of UH/Kapiolani Community College.

 If you're not on the UH Manoa campus, you can visit their other location in downtown Honolulu on Halekauwila Street.  That location also sells banh mi sandwiches!

Hours for the UH location are Monday through Friday from 10:00 am - 3:00 pm.

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DING TEA
2465 Campus Road, Floor 1

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Mango Mango opens in Kapahulu

 

Mango Mango, a franchise which originated in New York's Chinatown, now has three locations on Oahu. The third location just opened in a newly constructed building along Kapahulu Avenue, just minutes from Waikiki.  

The boys and I went to get in on their Grand Opening special, which runs through Sunday, June 25. 

One of the specials is buy one classic dessert (menu item A1-A12), and you get one drink for free!

This worked out perfect for us, because one son loves their Strawberry Mango Juice Sago & Lychee Jelly w/Mango Ice Cream  (menu item A3) .... 

and the other son always gets their strawberry smoothie-o and adds boba for an extra charge.  

The next day I went with some friends and tried a couple of menu items that are not part of the grand opening promotions, but yummy nonetheless - Strawberry Nutella Crepe (pictured above)...

and the Oreo Mille Crepes Cake (slice).  Both desserts were gone in a flash!  Mango Mango makes all of their desserts (including the Crepes cakes) in-house.

Current hours for this location is 12 pm - 10 pm daily. Follow @mangomangohawaii on Instagram for updates.

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MANGO MANGO HAWAII
755 KAPAHULU AVENUE

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Visit Michigan: SweetING

We were in need of a restroom break and drink stop before heading back to Kalamazoo, so we stopped at Briarwood Mall, and found SweetING.

They offer all sorts of drinks - milk teas, smoothies, flavored green and black teas, and more.

You can also get the drinks with boba, whipped cream, cookies, jellies, and other add-ons.  

SweetING will definitely have a drink to quench your thirst or satisfy your sweet tooth.

SweetING
54 Briarwood Cir

Ann Arbor, MI 48108

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YiFang Fruit Tea launches first location in Hawaii!

YiFang Fruit Tea, a well-known bubble tea franchise originally from Taiwan, is now in Hawaii! Hawaii Mom Blog was invited to attend their media preview to see what will be brewing at YiFang's first location in Hawaii.  YiFang specializes in freshly brewed teas made with tea leaves imported from Taiwan.  

They use fresh fruits, organic whole milk, and other natural ingredients - no powder or artificial syrups, juice concentrates, or additives, so you can feel good about what you're drinking.  All of the teas they use in their drinks are brewed in small batches throughout the day.

We started our experience with a couple of their fruity teas...

L: Yifang Fruit Tea.   R: Roselle Lemon Tea

The Yifang fruit tea was my favorite of all the drinks we sampled - it tasted really fresh, clean, and didn't weigh me down. It is made with pineapple, apple, orange, and passion fruit. It's the perfect thirst quencher, and I feel good knowing that they do not use artificial sweetners. 

Yifang Fruit Tea 

The Roselle Lemon Tea was the drink of choice for my sons. Roselle is an herbal Hibiscus tea, therefore it's naturally non-caffeinated and has a slight tartness to it. I thought it tasted similar to cranberries (which may explain why my sons liked it so much). 

Roselle Lemon Tea

The hubby wanted to try the Red Bean Black Tea Latte that he saw on the menu, since it's not something you see at most bubble tea houses. He described it as very similar to zensai (a traditional red bean mochi soup served warm), but without the mochi. He really liked it!

 

Red Bean Black Tea Latte

I had to try their Black Tea Latte, which is the their version of traditional black milk tea. It is made with organic whole milk and chewy pearls imported from Taiwan. Fresh taste, no powder - loved this!

Black Tea Latte

I went out of my comfort zone in trying the Salty Cream Oolong Tea - oolong tea topped with whipped organic cream, milk, and sea salt. My husband said it tasted like white rabbit candy.  I think those who have an affininty and appreciation for oolong tea and milk will enjoy this one.

Salty Cream Oolong Tea

Most drinks are customizable by sweetness and ice levels. Not sure which sweetness level is right for your drink selection? No worries, Yifang's got you! They have recommended sweetness levels for some of their best sellers.

They also have a short tutorial on how to successfully poke your straw into your vacuum-sealed cup without spillage.  We tried it - it really works!

YiFang's soft opening will be from February 1-4, 2022 at 602 Dillingham Blvd. Customer parking is located right in front of the shop (freshly paved!). Follow @yifanghawaii on Instagram for updates and announcements!  

 

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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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Infinitea at Marine Corp Base Hawaii

Infinitea has opened its 5th location on Oahu on Marine Corp Base Hawaii on the windward side of Oahu. Their beverage menu is quite impressive, consisting of a wide selection of milk teas, fruit teas, smoothies, and lemonades.

I am a fan of their royal milk tea (I always ask for it 50% sweet) with boba.

The boys like their strawberry smoothies, with boba of course!

They also have bagel sandwiches!

Infinitea is a great addition to the Marine Base, as they are the only ones on base that offer boba. 

Open 7 days a week!

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Infinitea

Building 6919 (Seldon Street Marine Mart Complex)

 

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Tea Time Taiwan Opens in Kailua

Tea Time Taiwan, known for authentic Taiwan-style bubble tea drinks, recently opened their third location in Kailua, across from Moke's Bread & Breakfast.  All of their teas are brewed daily, and they have a lot of different flavor's and add-ons to choose from. Sugar and ice levels can be adjusted to your preference.

Most drinks (except for smoothies) are available in three sizes, and they even have a twin cup which allows you to enjoy two different drinks in one cup. Once you place your order, they will offer you a sample of your drink to see if the level of sweetness suits you.  

The new location in Kailua has a lot of free parking and interior space for those who want to hang out while they sip on their bubble drinks.  I've come here on two occasions so far (once during the day, once at night) and never had a problem finding parking or a table inside to sit and relax.

The signature milk tea (30% sweet) with big tapioca is my drink of choice here. It's very refreshing after a day at the office or after a long day at the beach!

Tea Time Taiwan

26 Hoolai Street

(808) 200-2140

www.teatimetaiwan.com/

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Taste Tea Kaimuki

One of my best friends was in town for a short visit from Los Angeles. After catching up over fresh poke and garlic fried chicken at Fresh Catch, we walked a block to Taste Tea for a bubble drink.  

Taste Tea's Kaimuki location is a lot different from it's original location on Kapiolani Blvd. It's a lot less crowded, the menu is smaller, and the decor is much more minimal.

The lack of customers could be due to the schools being on summer break, as I'm sure this is a popular destination among students from St. Louis, Chaminade and Sacred Hearts since it's within walking distance.

You can tell this location caters to students, since it has a student special of BOGO 50% off during certain times.  They also have a 20% off check-in offer on the Yelp app.

We both ordered almond milk tea, 50% sweet.  My friend thought the bubble tea was exceptional, which is saying a lot, since LA has a lot of legitimate bubble tea cafes.

If you don't want to deal with the crowds at the original Taste Tea, then come to their Kaimuki location!

Taste Tea Kaimuki

3221 Waialae Ave (Kaimuki Shopping Center, street-side)

(808) 732-9888

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Teapresso Bar Kaimuki

I was in the Kaimuki area running errands during my lunch break, and I needed a bubble drink to quench my thirst. I decided to check out Teapresso Bar on Waialae Avenue since I had never visited this location before (I have visited their other locations in Downtown, Ala Moana, and Keeaumoku).

Teapresso Bar uses premium grade teas, non-powder flavoring, and every drink is brewed-to-order, which means it takes them a little longer to make the drinks than at other places, but the the freshness is worth the wait.

Customize your drink, or choose from one of their signature drinks.  If you aren't sure of what to order, choose one from their Top 5:

Or try a sample...

My go-to here is the almond milk tea, which is made with roasted oolong tea and almond flavoring.

Limited parking is available on the ewa side of the building.

Breaking news: they just opened another location inside Island Country Markets in Koolina!

Follow them on Instagram: @teapressobarhawaii.

Teapresso Bar - Kaimuki
3220 Waialae Avenue
(808) 892-1378
Hours: Monday - Sunday 7:30 am - 10:30 pm

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Hula Boba

There are many bubble tea houses in Hawaii, but only one let's you serve your own toppings for your drink - that's at Hula Boba in Kapolei. On a recent excursion to the west side of the island (sans kids!), the hubby and I stopped here to check it out.

The ordering process is simple - pick your cup (2 sizes available), fill it with toppings of your choice, then hand your cup over to the cashier and tell them which drink you want, and they will make your drink for you. 

They have over 15 toppings to choose from, including popping bobas, jelly toppings, tapiocas, mochi balls, pudding, and more. 

There are two lines on each Hula Boba cup. If your toppings stay below line 1, it's free.  If you go over line 1, it's an addition $.75.  If you go over line 2, it's an additional $2.  Theoretically, you could fill your cup to the top with toppings, however you won't have any room for your beverage. :)

I filled my cup with regular sized tapioca and rainbow jelly. The hubby filled his with tapioca, mango jelly and custard.

As with most other bubble tea houses, you can adjust the sweetness level of your beverage.

The hubby and I both filled our cups to line 1, and ordered the lychee green iced tea at 25% sweetness.  It was really refreshing and priced reasonably at $5 per drink.  The only thing I dislike about this place is that they used wide cups which did not fit in the cup holders in our car.

If teas are not your thing, they also have smoothies and shave ice on the menu, as well as a variety of packaged snacks.

If we lived closer to Hula Boba, we would definitely be regulars here!

Hula Boba

885 Kamokila Blvd

(808) 693-8818

Open 7 days a week

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