File #002: Fantasia, possibly one of the most extravagant names I can think of for milk tea.

I remember the first time I was introduced to Fantasia. It was during one of the dinner parties at Milpitas Square to celebrate my grandma’s birthday. One of my many cousins came in holding that inconspicuous cup with the distinguishing logo of the Chinese character “dream” stamped on alongside the English word “Fantasia”.

By this time, I was well familiar with boba or at least I thought I was. After all, there was regular milk tea and then the flavored milk tea and then you can also add boba to smoothies as well. And that was that right?

Nooope. Boy was I wrong.

That was before I met TARO milk tea. And that was what my cousin was holding that night, some number of years ago. But we’ll leave my love for Taro milk tea and specifically Taro Milk Tea at that particular Fantasia store for another time.

Today I’m talking about my overall love for Fantasia, in general. Hands-down, Fantasia has the most consistent and delicious milk tea in the Bay Area. They have several store fronts, but the one I go to most often has to be the one at Rivermark Plaza. This little shop is hidden in the back of the plaza, right on the corner of the roundabout (where I have seen on occasion people driving the wrong way). There are a few small tables inside and outside and a slightly bigger one hidden in the back behind the counter/cashier area, but overall all of the Fantasia stores have a similar small layout. It’s not exactly ideal for hanging out with large groups of friends.

Jasmine Green Milk Tea

Menu wise, it’s a relatively simple menu, but there are small variations here and there at each shop. They do your normal milk teas (iced or hot) and they have some smoothies and fruit based concoctions as well as some coffee drinks. I can’t speak for the coffee drinks since I rarely order coffee, but I usually go for the regular milk tea, Jasmine green milk tea, honey milk tea and almond milk tea. If I want something fruity, I go for either passion fruit or strawberry. I also don’t like the taro at this Fantasia. It doesn’t hold up to the one in Milpitas.

Just a heads-up, Fantasia does have a stamp card system where if you fill up your card, you get one up to the value of $3.00. Anything over, you just pay the remainder. Fair warning though, the cards have an expiration date so if you don’t fill them up after a certain time, it will expire. That has happened to me constantly when I went to school up in Davis and only came back to the Bay during my breaks. Nowadays… well let’s just say I resolved the issue.

This store, much like most boba shops, only accept cash. They also don’t charge tax on their drinks so the price you see on your menu is what you pay.

Have you tried the taro milk tea at Fantasia? And if so, do you favor one store over the other?