On June 7, 2005, the launch of Albuquerque’s first made “you suck” acceptable in polite vernacular. Long a pop culture term of mock derision, “suck” refers, in this case, to the drawing in of liquid refreshment by creating a vacuum in the mouth. More specifically, it refers to the act of sucking through an oversized straw, the tea, milk tea, hot tea, slush and smoothie beverages at the Boba Tea Company.
The Boba Tea Company is the brainchild of Vi and Hoa Luong, the enterprising duo which made Cafe O one of the city’s best restaurant launches (and lunches) in 2004. Wanting to create a “Starbucks for the younger generation” the Luongs have revolutionized tea drinking with a quantum departure from high tea tradition made fashionable in England. Boba tea certainly does that.
Tracing its roots back to Taiwan in the early 1980s, boba tea is derived from the starch of the cassava root, a type of sweet potato. The bottom of each boba tea cup (plastic, not china) is lined with gooey, gelatinous globules that seem to inherit the flavor of the drink. If you’re not a connoisseur of exotic teas, you can partake of boba slushes, as refreshing and intensely fruity beverage as you’ll find anywhere.
My early favorites are the raspberry and cantaloupe slushes, both of which taste like the pulpy area of the fruits from which their flavors are derived. Slurprisingly good is the chocolate milk slush which tastes like a liquefied fudgecicle. A chocolate/orange combination brought to mind the gourmet chocolates often sold around Valentine’s Day. The menu includes many unique flavors such as lychee, mung bean and more that will keep me busy trying to find a new favorite.
Situated next to Cafe O, the Boba Tea Company is designed as a fun for all ages (with an emphasis on youth) store staffed by a young, energetic staff. When completed, the Web site promises to be almost as fun to visit as the store where in addition to boba tea and slush, you can purchase tee shirts, hoodies, hats and camis inviting you to “join the Bobalution.” We’ve joined!
Boba Tea Company
4401-a Wyoming, N.E.
Albuquerque, New Mexico
(505) 332-2622
Website | Facebook Page
LATEST VISIT: 21 April 2006
# OF VISITS: 2
RATING: 19
COST: $
BEST BET: Boba Slush
We live in clovis nm wondering about bring a franchise there. Where can I get some info on that?
Are there franchise available?
I love boba tea company but unfortuantly I live in Santa Fe, Can you please build one here that would be soo awsome!!!!!
The Boba Tea Company is one of the most underrated aspects of ABQ-treats going!
My wife has connections to Asian territories, so going back years was very familiar with the “Pearl Tea” concept from her youth. Thus, when a brand new Boba Tea Company opened a few years back near our house on Motgomery & Wyoming, she was excited to have us try.
At first the concept seemed sketchy at best to me. I typically am not as huge an Asian connoisseur as I am to Mexican, New Mexican, and American. However, holy cow – when I tried it – I was so hooked!
The best bet out there: The Jasmine Milk Tea w/ Extra Boba. That, my friends, is heaven.
My only complaint on Boba Tea Company is that it is pricey…probably moreso than what you really are getting. However, the stuff is like crack to an addict…when we lived nearby, it was dangerous, as I would return several times a week and my wallet took a beating (but my taste buds a taste of heaven).
That concept (boba or pearl or bubble tea) is now being done more and more nationally, and while I am sure some prominent big cities have places that do it well such as L.A., there are many, MANY places that just don’t do it nearly as well as Boba Tea in ABQ does.
I can’t wait to get back to my rightful adopted hometown of ABQ in October for a week, and once I am there, I will be eager to stop in for one (or 4) Boba Teas over the course of the week!