Author Spotlight
Caroline Gould
As a self-proclaimed bubble tea fanatic, I’m always on the hunt for new cafes. While being seemingly limited to Lulu’s Noodle Shop, there’s not a wide variety of bubble tea cafes near me to choose from. But just as I was about to give up hope on finding a new supplier for my addiction, Bruú Cafe opened and changed the game. And let me tell you, I’m already a fan.
My obsession with bubble tea started back when we could go out to restaurants without wearing a mask and having to sit six feet away from everyone. Sitting in the wooden booths at Lulu’s Noodle Shop, I was awaiting my steamed, pork gyoza when my friend suggested that I order a strawberry bubble tea, which I did, oblivious to the delicious experience my mouth was about to have.
I jabbed the pointed straw through the thin seel, slurping up the milky, strawberry liquid and doughy tapioca pearls. I was hesitant at first, but then immediately dove back in for more. And more.
Since then I’ve been wanting to find a more authentic, Asian cafe where you can customize the amount of sweetness and ice in your drink 一 that’s where Bruú comes in.
Despite its online store recently opening in August, they already have a wide variety of options such as refreshing teas, milk teas, cheese macchiatos and lattes. After browsing their website and admiring the selection, I narrowed it down to three drinks 一 the Hazelnut Milk Tea, Lemon Honey Green Tea and the Strawberry Marble Latte.
After spending the ride over tucked inside a cooler, the drinks arrived at my house chilled. As of now, Bruú is only offering order-aheads, where you order the day before and schedule a time slot for your beverages’ delivery. I chose the 4 to 6 p.m. time slot for a refreshing after-school treat, and the teas arrived just on time at 4 p.m. The perfect way to end a seven hour school day via my bedroom and a glitchy MacBook.
I first stabbed my straw into the $5.50 Lemon Honey Green Tea, which I had ordered with regular ice, the free crystal bubble tapioca pearls that it comes with and 75 percent sweetness. I was immediately surprised by the profound sweetness that this drink contained. It tasted just like an Arnold Palmer, but with multiple spoonfuls of sugar added. I definitely have a sweet-tooth, but the amount of sugar in this drink was a little over the top for me.
As for the tapioca pearls, the crystal bubbles most likely won’t be my go-to option next time. The pearls were like a jelly with a soft shell that spews out a sweet and sour flavor when you chew into them. I didn’t detest this bubble option, but I think I would rather go for the regular tapioca pearls.
Even though I slowly finished this drink sip by sip, I would actually recommend it. Now hear me out, even though it was so sweet it was sour, there’s an option when ordering to change the sweetness levels to your liking. You can raise the sweetness level to 100 percent if you’re a sugar lover, or you can lower it down to 25 percent sugar 一 which is the way I’d go when ordering this again. You can also change the tapioca pearls, so if the crystal bubble doesn’t sound like it’ll float your boat either, we can switch to the original bubble together.
Because there are ways to adjust the drink to your taste-buds, this could be a refreshing year-round beverage.
After the tangy taste of the Lemon Honey Green Tea left in my mouth, I was ready for something sweet. This time I poked my straw into the Strawberry Marble Latte with original bubble, 75 percent sweetness and a regular ice level. This drink gave me déjà vu to my previous taste of the strawberry bubble tea from Lulu’s and consisted of a light sweetness and strawberry taste. Not to mention, the marble effect with the strawberry puree was extremely satisfying to stir in.
This bubble tea cost an additional 50 cents compared to the other drinks I ordered, which I assume is because of the different layers of flavor in it. But this slight price increase was worth it for me. If you’re a sucker for the more simple, original flavors of bubble tea such as taro and mango, this drink is for you.
Lastly, I tasted the drink that I had been looking forward to since ordering it: the Hazelnut Milk Tea. I ordered this tea with original bubble, 75 percent sweetness and regular ice 一 like the Strawberry Marble Latte 一 but this one was definitely my favorite.
The subtle, yet fulfilling taste of hazelnut chocolate was balanced out perfectly with almond-hinted milk. This tea reminded me of chocolate milk, just silkier and lighter. Not to mention the almost-bitter taste of the boba balanced the drink out perfectly. Out of all the drinks, this one is by far my go-to bubble tea order at Bruú.
It’s safe to say that I’ve found my new favorite bubble tea place. I’m currently awaiting the day where I don’t have to order in advance and pay the three dollar shipping fee that currently comes with purchasing from Bruú Cafe, but the variety of teas and mouthwatering flavors made it worth it. I’m crossing out the days on my calendar until in-person-Bruú opens in October on the Plaza. And when they do, you’ll find me first in line.
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