The Boba Files #022: Artisan Boba. Yes, It’s a Thing.
Let me just say, UC Irvine should be proud. Same goes to Arthur for having more aardvarks representation out in the world!
Of course, I’m talking about Boba Guys’ mascot: the aardvark.
We start off 2016’s Boba Files with a popular boba spot in San Francisco, CA. Boba Guys is a well known boba establishment in San Francisco that touts high-end ingredients to craft you the perfect cup of boba. They have two stores in San Francisco with one opening soon in New York.
And because it’s high-end, you can also expect it to be, yup-- more expensive.
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| You can get boba bright and early in the morning. |
I visited them last year when I was in San Francisco for the Epik High concert. YL and I visited the one located in the Financial District after a few hours of wandering around Union Square and eating desserts at Tout Sweet Patisserie.
Located next to a bridge underpass, this particular location will be hard to find, if it wasn’t for the line that extended past the door. Much like most milk tea shops located in San Francisco, this is a grab-and-go type of shop, where your parking meter is your time indicator and the tiny space doesn’t make for a great place to chill.
And a heads-up, their hours make it hard if you want it late in the night.
Despite the gray and somewhat drabby exterior of the outside, the inside of Boba Guys is bright, pleasant and somewhat reminds me of people’s kitchens.
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| They serve baked goods! |
It must be the tiles.
I mean it can’t be the aardvark, that’s for sure.
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| Menu |
Inside, they have their menu listed high up above their counter with any special drinks they’re currently running propped on the right. There are no seats available, only standing room. So I say, just take your boba and head over to Union Square instead.
I tried their Hojicha milk tea with boba while YL went for the Strawberry Cream Milk Tea.
So let’s start with the good points:
- love the packaging.
- love the simple kitchen-esque decor
- they deliver. Great if your office is into that! Your poor intern or admin doesn't have to do a massive boba run.
And.. that’s it.
I need to stop holding San Francisco milk tea up on a pedestal because from time and time again, I just get disappointed. All the hype and build-up just ends with a sad Amy nursing her mediocre cup of milk tea and questioning her life’s decision. If that’s the purpose of milk tea, then they succeeded...
These high end ingredients just don’t cut it for my poor-man’s taste buds.
And the boba sucked. The consistency was all wrong.
My milk tea tasted watered down and I was disappointed.
YOU DISAPPOINT ME SAN FRANCISCO!
YL felt the same way about her cup of milk tea and we spent the rest of our afternoon walking around feeling like we got jipped out of what should’ve been an amazing cup of tea.
Not amazing. Not even great. Just mediocre.
What I’ve learned in these few times I’ve drank milk tea in San Francisco is to take it with caution. Because all the rave reviews is simply a cloak to disguise the obvious lack of delicious milk tea.
Until next time San Francisco.
The only thing left on my milk tea radar in San Francisco is Plentea. Will Plentea continue this trail of disappointment of bitterness or is Plentea the silver lining? We’ll just have to see because I haven’t tried it yet. Let me know if I’m out of my mind by thinking that SF lacks good milk or whether I have a valid argument.
429 Stockton St
San Francisco, CA 94108
