After sampling Starbucks, Higher Grounds and Stimulance, some students may be looking for a new coffeehouse high. Sure, everyone loves a Frappuccino, or a cinnamon hot chocolate, but what can students do if they want some caffinated variety in their lives?
The Bubble Tea Café, located in the Piccadilly Plaza at 3202 Sheridan Drive, offers an unconventional yet delicious alternative to the everyday brew.
"Bubble tea is a tea drink that can be served hot or cold. In the tea, there are little tapioca balls. And as you drink it through an oversize straw, you chew on the balls as you drink," said Dennie Yee, one of the café's three partners.
Rai Mra and Eugene Leung are the café's other two partners.
"We've got over 20 different flavors right now, not including mixed flavors. Everything from strawberry to taro," said Yee.
The teas can be served either with or without milk, depending on which of the many flavors is chosen.
The café's menu gives a full list of the tea's flavors, and some of the more exotic ones include lychee, honeydew, and green apple.
Although bubble tea is the café's specialty, the options are anything but limited.
"We also sell traditional teas: green tea, Thai iced tea, Thai coffee. We're also famous for our desserts," said Yee.
The Bubble Tea Café's desserts include selections like Butterscotch Brownie Cheesecake, Raspberry Blast, and White Chocolate Mousse.
And where did this unusual concoction we call "Bubble Tea" come from?
"The concept of bubble tea is about 16 years old. It originated in Taiwan, but basically wherever Chinese people went, they brought it with them," said Yee.
Yee, Mra, and Leung did not have to go much farther north than Buffalo to discover bubble tea, according to Yee.
"We all knew each other before. We all graduated from UB. Eugene and I would go up to Toronto, and every time we went up, we had bubble tea," said Yee. "We were saying, 'you know, we could make a lot of money opening one of these places in Buffalo.' We came home, told Rai about it, and he was all for it. So about a month after that conversation, we had this place going," said Yee.
That was just over a year ago and according to Yee, business is growing strong. "We're the only bubble tea place in Western New York . On most nights, it's packed," Yee said.
While the Bubble Tea Café is already an interesting alternative nighttime hangout, Yee says that new ideas are going to help bring in some different crowds during the day, as well. "We're trying to get a lunch crowd here, so we introduced the pasta dishes.
The new pasta dishes include a Crab Pasta Salad, a Tuna Pasta Salad, a Roasted Vegetarian Pasta Salad, and a Tuscan Pasta Salad," said Yee. "We're also looking to bring in hot dishes. This is just the tip of the iceberg."
Patrons may be surprised to find out that Mra, one of the partners, doubles as the cafés chef.
"Yeah, Rai is what we call 'the master chef.' He's the head of culinary arts here," Yee said.
The three partners, all UB graduates, are determined to gear their success towards helping other organizations at the university.
"We like to focus on UB because of the proximity, and we all went to UB. We've supported the Korean Student Association, and we helped an Asian sorority with their car wash," said Yee. "Any organization that's come to ask for help, we've done it. We're very big into community service."
The Bubble Tea Café is also a place that you can go do get some work done if you appreciate the warm atmosphere of a coffeehouse. The café has wireless Internet access for students to use as they drink their tea and eat their desserts.
"All you need is a laptop, a wireless card, and you're all set," said Yee. "A lot of our clientele comes from the universities around here, and a lot of students take advantage of it."
The café's Web site, http://www.bubbleteacafe.com, offers a complete guide to the café. On the Web site, users can access a complete menu, a history of bubble tea, the café's hours, and learn of events at the café.
The café is open from 11 a.m. until 11 p.m., Sunday through Thursday and until 1 a.m. on Friday and Saturday.
