Watch out, coffee enthusiasts, KungFu Tea may have just kicked our beloved Starbucks out of the water. Located in Annandale and Brookfield Plaza, the widely loved bubble tea keeps ‘em coming back.
First established in Taiwan, KungFu Tea began with the ambitious goal of serving authentic bubble tea that replicates the taste of home. While there may have been cheap, knock off bubble tea before, this fast growing chain boasts (almost) all natural ingredients, that is, minus some artificial powders for extra flavor.
Though I’m not exactly sure what ‘authentic bubble tea’ tastes like, I find KungFu Tea to be refreshingly different from all the other bubble tea drinks I’ve had in the past. I thought that perhaps the primary cause of this newfound KungFu Tea hype began with the Tapioca pearls, or what we all refer to as ‘bubbles.’ I was pleasantly surprised to find that KungFu’s bubbles had the perfect chewiness and was neither too soggy nor hard. Some popular flavors that weds perfectly with bubbles are the Red Bean Wow Milk, Oolong Tea, Taro, Red Bean, and my personal favorite and the ever so mouthful, Winter Melon Milk Green Tea. Try ordering that at the counter without stuttering awkwardly in front of the cashier.
Don’t be too intimidated by the long name. Despite the tongue twister, KungFu’s milk teas are practically a taste of paradise.
Another plus of KungFu is that it offers a wide variety of choices to choose from. Before I completely fell in love with their milk teas, I had a taste of KungFu’s mango slush. This icy drink was my saving grace even if it was absolutely freezing outside and I could literally see my breath. I can only imagine how much more refreshing it will taste during the summer. KungFu’s slushies could figuratively take you to the isolated island of your dreams.
Some other choices offered at KungFu are yogurt, milk caps, and coffee, though customers mostly walk out with teas in general. The different toppings also never make flavors any less boring or dull. Among the infamous bubbles, pudding, nata jelly, red and mung bean are some other garnishes you can choose to add to your drink.
As if these drinks can’t get any more personalized, KungFu allows for further customization by allowing customers to adjust the sugar and ice levels that go into their drinks. I highly recommend requesting for less ice, as it usually takes up more than half of the cup itself. This gives you much more to drink with all the extra space. All in all, the end product will be worth the wait on those busy weekends at KungFu.
Along with busy hours, the only other con of KungFu Tea is that they offer merely two sizes, which are medium and large. Why they didn’t choose to go with small and medium instead, who knows, but I’d go for large bubble teas over venti Frappuccinos any day.