Sweet Mother of Pearls

In a place where coffee timelessly reigns supreme, there is another drink that has taken the beverage world by storm. We’re talking about the drink that, in the past thirty years or so since its inception in Taiwan, has revolutionized the daytime drinking game. Nowadays “getting a drink” is no longer limited to sitting in hipster cafés with your adult dose of caffeine in a cup, but has now grown to include the fun younger sister of decadent drinks; the bubble tea. Bubble tea or “boba tea”, as it’s affectionately known, is known to be the object of many a person’s obsession (present company included!) with its basic key ingredients of tea, milk and chewy tapioca pearls thrown together to create hundreds of different combinations, perfectly customized to quench your tea thirst. So to get you started on your very own boba journey, we’ve come up with a list of some boba joints around Brunei and what we love about each of the menus.

GONG CHA

A crowd favourite, there’s always something so fulfilling about Gong Cha drinks. Whether it’s their Alisan Tea with Ai-yu jelly, Earl Grey Tea with Herbal Jelly or their Mango Smoothie with White Pearls, there’s nothing that can’t be made better by adding a layer of their special milk foam topping to the mix. But if you’re looking for something that hits the spot just right, their signature Pearl Milk Tea with Milk Foam may be overkill to some but to us it’s a savoury-sweet dream come true. •• IG: @gongchabn FB: @Gongcha.brunei

SHARE TEA

Let’s get down to it. No one does a Rock Salt & Cheese Foam like Share Tea. Paired with their crisp Wintermelon Tea, the combination perfectly balances out the luxe creaminess of the foam, thanks to the mildly savoury undertones the cheese factor brings. Some people understandably find it difficult to grasp the idea of cheese in their drinks, but to that we say, don’t knock it until you’ve tried it! •• Tel: 673-2338559

LIHO

The newest player in the sipping field and the first to come in strong with the Brown Sugar Pearl, Liho is a Singaporean franchise which promises only the freshest in your cup. While we love the richness of their Brown Sugar Pearl Milk Tea (we enjoy ours with little to no ice for full flavour), their Brown Sugar Pearl with Fresh Milk is also a crowd pleaser for its lighter consistency— and yet there is simply no mistaking its rich flavour. •• IG: @lihobrunei FB: @LIHO Brunei

INFINITEA

Infinitea stays in their own lane and what a delicious lane that is. In the vein of doing things once and doing things right, the Bruneian-born brand stands firmly by what they know best which is their tried-and-true menu of drinkable local delicacies. From their Gula Melaka Milk Tea to their Bandung Ice Blended to their Milo Dinosaur drink, there is no shortage of local flavours to enjoy. As difficult as it is to choose a favourite, we simply cannot get enough of their intriguing Ice Blended Black Sesame drink— there’s really nothing like it! Order it with white sago topping for an incredible mouthfeel and enjoy the concert of flavours running through your taste buds. •• IG: @infinitea.bn FB: @infinitea.bn

EASY WAY

The only advice we can give when it comes to the franchise that’s been around since the beginning is to order your drinks in a size Large because that’s the best way to enjoy an Easyway drink. Whether you order their iconic full-bodied milk teas in classic, taro or any of their many, many flavours, be sure to enjoy it with their lusciously silky and chewy pearls. And on a blazing hot day, you’ll be hard put to find something more refreshing than their Honeydew Relish Tea with Green Apple Coconut Jelly. With a “no frills” take on their drinks menu, you always know what you’re getting. Easyway is fussfree and easy-breezy when it comes to quenching one’s thirst. •• IG: @easywaybrunei FB: Easyway Brunei

OCHADO

Ochado’s strengths lie in their intriguing toppings. Konnyaku Jelly, Coffee Crystals, Ice Jelly and Azuki Beans are just some of the selections that complement their bestsellers such as their Oolong White Peach tea and their Okinawa Matcha Milk Tea. But we especially love ordering their Pop Egg topping paired with a simple base of Milk Tea. The Pop Egg does exactly what it says it does by bursting to release a lovely coffee-flavoured surprise which mingles perfectly with the tea to create a taste unlike any other. •• IG: @ochadobrunei FB: Ochado Brunei

TEABOX

Another born-and-bred Bruneian brand, Teabox has been standing strong for more than a decade, yet another testament to our love for the drink. While we love trying new things, it’s hard to want to experiment when you already have a fast favourite. And for us, that drink is their heavenly Malacca Milk Tea with a side of their irresistibly soft pearls. The Malacca Milk Tea uses Gula Melaka, a special type of palm sugar originating from Malaysia, often described as having smokey caramel and butterytoffee undertones. YUM. Oh, and another reason to indulge in their menu? Teabox’s drinks and snacks are incredibly reasonably priced. Talk about a win. •• IG: @bruneiteabox FB: Tea Box Brunei