Boba Life = Happy Life :D

'Ssup People!! 

This post is gonna sum up my boba experience during the 2013 Indonesia Trip. I knew that the boba fever of mine started some time in 2012 - sadly, can't remember exactly! I knew that I went back to Indonesia some time before starting nursing school in 2012, and it was early in the year (March) right after my Ireland trip in February. But wait.. I don't quite recall hunting for some bubble tea then while in town. 

Hmm.. Hang on.... *Checking old pics and found some pics of me drinking Quickly boba in Surabaya and Jakarta (two biggest cities in Indonesia), dated March 2012*. Ahhh, so I was already having the boba fever then. My speculation is that either other franchises were not as prevalent yet in Indonesia, or just because I happened to not search for any of them due to lack of knowledge. Quickly was definitely the most well-known one back then, so finding their outlets were just so much easier and bound to happen.

Alright, gotta stop the rambling. Let's check out the awesome bubble tea I got to enjoy during the trip!

1. The Lab, Jakarta

This one was savored at the end of trip while I was in Jakarta. It was actually my last night in Indonesia. I stayed at a hotel in Thamrin area and got picked up by my cousin and her boyfriend. Off we went straight to this bubble tea hang-out place located in Pantai Indah Kapuk. One big bubble tea cup was priced at 22,000 IDR, which was the same as what Chatime charged. Taste was peeerrrty good! It was the sweet milky tee-y kind, which I liked. They concocted the ingredients with the right ratio. I would rate it 9/10! 

2. Sharetea, Surabaya & Jakarta

Tagging the cities here doesn't mean that you can only find Sharetea in the mentioned cities. I only do so to indicate where I had their boba. First Sharetea I had was at Galaxy Mall in Surabaya. I was there to meet up with friends, who happened to also love boba. Sharetea was one of the best ones I've had. It is Taiwanese franchise, whose outlets are easily found in big malls in big cities. 9/10 also goes to Sharetea

3. Calais, Semarang

This is the one I would rate 9.5/10 for its lovely cup and outlet design. They were also quite generous with the tapioca balls. The moustache symbol definitely attracted my attention at first sight. However, drinking it every day may not be a good idea as the sweetness level is a bit higher than their contenders. You can request the less sugar boba at Calais, but I honestly don't recall of ever doing that :D. Must be my sweet boba tooth. Calais was my best friend during my daily visit to Paragon Mall in Semarang. Their other outlet, which I also visited, was off mall. It has a large seating area and is combined with a cafe-styled restaurant called Fritto. This outlet had a 50% off deal after certain hours on a certain day -can't recall what day. Such a sweet boba deal.

4. Chatime, Bali , Jakarta & Surabaya

Woooot, this is probably one of the most popular boba franchises at this time. I've had Chatime in Indonesia, Cambodia, Vietnam, South Korea, and (Eastern) Canada by now. And I know, their outlets are all over the world. I give it 9.5/10 for its super fragrant tea. I once saw them brew the tea in their location in China Town downtown Toronto -it was such a long well-worth process, considering how aromatic the tea produced is. 

5. QTalk, Bali

The milk tea somewhat lacked of the boba kick one can expect from a great-tasting bubble tea. It was good, but not quite the sort I like. I'd give 7.5/10 for this one. I only had it once while in Bali. It was not as tee-y. Cream/milk was a tad too strong. In addition, I don't think they put enough tapioca balls. Their variety was awesome though. But for those who like plain bubble milk tea like me wouldn't probably care much about variety point of view.

6. Teapresso, Semarang & Malang

This is the one with the least attractive appearance of all. Taste wise, it is quite comparable to Q Talk, so I'd give the same rating of 7.5. Teapresso was the only boba I could get in Malang, so I was kinda stuck with it. Later near the end of my trip, I got it a couple of times in Semarang when visiting Java Mall. Price is slight less than Chatime and the other superior competitors, so you sorta know that you get what you pay for. Tapioca quantity wasn't given that generously; Also, I think they should make some improvement in the taste by perhaps, using better tea quality.