Here it is folks, the eateries version of my Boba Mania
roundup (click HERE and HERE for my previous boba list posts).
Granted there are actually quite a number of eateries that has their own bubble
tea line here in Tawau (cuz it is the ‘in’ thing to do right now) so I’ve
selected my personal favourites out of the bunch just for you guys. More often
than not, the other drinks not featured below were either too diluted or too sugarly sweet for my liking. But then again, those were purely
based on my personal taste buds so it might not be the same for other people,
so you should check those places out for yourselves.
(Disclaimer: Similar
to my previous boba posts, I will be listing these out based on the
tastes of their chocolate drink line)
So without further ado (and in no particular order)…
ACTEASAN (formerly known as ARTEASAN)
Where? Formerly within the Pusat Komersil BDC area but has moved
to No.93-0, Lot T2, Block T, Ground Floor, Kubota Sentral (updated info on 01/07/2020).
What I had? Cocoa Cheese
The Good? It was only recently that I discovered that I
actually like their chocolate milk tea (as I’d avoid ordering them
for some reason whenever I went to the cafe)
and the cheese taste is stronger than their chocolate (probably because
of the ratio of the cheese as well, as seen in the picture below).
The Bad? Since they’re in the process of relocating to
Kubota Sentral (at the time I did this post) and change their name (slightly)
I’m not too sure whether their menu will remain the same. Here’s to hoping that
they will continue their bubble tea drinks as they were commendable.
** Check out my previous review of their café.
DOZO: THE INNOVATIVE NOODLE LAB
Where? TB528, Ground Floor, Jalan Hj Karim, Bandar Tawau
What I had? Chocolate Dirty
The Good? I admit that I’ve frequented this café mostly
because I simply loved their Chocolate Dirty drink as they added quite a
generous amount of chocolate sauce/liquid, though I usually had them sans the
pearls as it tasted a bit rubbery to me.
The Bad? Their bubble tea drinks seemed to be quite popular
among customers so do expect the pearls to run out frequently. Even though I’m
fine by it, it might be a different story for other die hard fans of bubble
teas.
** Check out my previous review of their café.
SOYA BEAR @ SUN
BAKERY
Where? Formerly within the Pusat Komersil BDC but has also moved to Taman Sri Aman, Jalan Apas (updated info on 01/07/2020)
What I had? Gula Melaka Pearl Soya Milk
The Good? Although they do not offer any chocolate drinks, I
do like that they had a healthier option in terms of soya bean. Also, their
combination of soya bean, gula Melaka & pearls seems to be doing it for me.
The Bad? Since they’re mainly a bakery, the choices for
their drinks are very limited (for now) as they only offer 4 varieties within
their menu. But on the bright side, they do sell breads, pastries and other fried munchies at affordable prices (with err.... sub-par qualities).
DEAR FRIENDS
Where? TB224, Lot 1-4,
Jalan Bunga, Bandar Tawau (below Shervinton Hotel)
What I had? Boba Gula Melaka Chocolate Brulee
The Good? Their drink (in my opinion) had a good balance of
both chocolate and cheesy tastes. Also, their pearls were softly chewable and
at just the right sizes for me.
The Bad? I do hope that they’ll promote their boba line
better. When I first saw their café, I thought that they’re selling ice
shaved desserts only. No pictures of said drinks were put outside of the premise
so potential customers might missed them all together.
YELLOW CUP @ TASTE
TWO
Where? TB16298, Lorong Perdana Jaya 9, Jalan Chong Thien Vun
What I had? Chocolate with Grass Jelly
The Good? I like the fact that their drink is not too sweet
(as even the most delicious chocolate-y sweetness can be overbearing sometimes)
and that they had grass jelly as a main option for their drinks. And it doesn’t
hurt that their pricing were quite affordable as well.
The Bad? What's funny was that probably due to the lack of
customers, the counter for said drinks is almost always vacant so do expect to
wait a bit to get any service from them. But the staff were actually a friendly
bunch & are quick to prepare your drinks after you’d managed to get their
attention.
** Check out my previous review of their café.
SAGE CAFE + KITCHEN
Where? Lot F6, Kubota Sentral, Jalan Chong Thien Vun
What I had? Brown Sugar Pearl
Choco Cheesy Brulee
The Good? I was surprise to find that I’d actually liked
their bubble teas, as I’ve had a few not-so-good experiences while dining
there. The taste of their bubble tea is similar to that of Dear FriendS &
their burnt cheese tasted really nice.
The Bad? Depending on you luck, sometimes the waiting period
for their drinks (as well as food) can be a bit nerve-racking. So do have lots
of time and patience if you decided to try them out.
** Check out my previous review of their café.
SECRET RECIPE
Where? TB1756, Jalan Masjid, Fajar Complex
What I had? Boba Cham
The Good? Since their chocolate line is not made available
at their Tawau branch (yet), I was ‘forced’ to try out their other flavour &
had picked out the latter simply because it looked closest to a choco drink to
me. A tad too sweet but still pretty yummy in my humble opinion (I will update
on their choco line should it become available in the future).
The Bad? It is advisable for any patrons to drop by well
over 11am (at least – if you’re there mainly for their drinks) since they’ll
begin their business at 10am but so will be the preparation for their tapioca
pearls (as it takes around an hour to boil those babies).
** Check out my previous review of their café.
ICE WORLD
Where? TB542, Tacoln
Complex Town
What I had? Chocolate Milk Tea with Chocolate Pudding
The Good? Even more OG than Drink Tea, I’m including this one on the list simply because the
drink ‘heavily’ reminds me of my teen years. And even though the overall taste
might not be as superb as the others; I like the consistency in quality within
their drinks.
The Bad? Bear in mind though that they originated from
the old school bubble tea line so do not expect to see those add on cheese or
brulee technique here.
