Bubblelement first opened up in Galle, and we're thrilled that they've expanded into Colombo as well. Located in Colpetty, this is the newest place to get Bubble Tea (and other non-tea but bubble-infused drinks) in Colombo.
They also serve up a range of paninis and, sometimes, cake. Meanwhile, the other place you can get some pretty solid bubble iced teas is Which Way West.
Food and Drink
Bhagya and I walked in to a packed house on Sunday evening, really hungry and thirsty. We went all out and ordered three iced drinks, a panini, and a marbled cheesecake that they had displayed on the counter.
Our Steak and Cheese Panini (Rs. 475) was very generous with the meat; which was incidentally very well flavoured and cooked to perfection. The only downside was that these were rather long strips of meat sandwiched between the bread, and tended to separate themself entirely as it was kinda chewy and you couldn't easily bite through it.
Bubble-drinks wise, we went for one Oreo and one Honeydew drink, both priced at Rs. 420.
The milk-based drinks come with tapioca bubbles (dark, chewier ones) whereas the non-milk based drinks come with flavoured little bubbles filled with juice. I liked the Oreo and Bhagya liked the Honey dew — both were creamy and the flavour came out well in each. The Oreo shake had a powdery thick texture, and the Honey Dew had that strong melony taste.
We also picked a Passion Fruit Iced Tea with mango bubbles, and we liked how both flavours complemented each other. Personally, I think their iced-tea range is quite watered down and not very flavoursome (tried a few other teas including the Faluda before this), but did enjoy the rest.
Presentation meanwhile, is beautiful — with the drinks floating in on little wooden canoes and the cheesecake on a dark wood tray which complemented its marbled chocolatey tones.
It's wonderfully creamy and cheesy, more runny than a traditional cheesecake. The chocolatey bits weren't really highlighted, and the cheese taste was strong. It wasn't one of our favourites, and we think it could be better if the flavours were a bit more balanced (there was a slight sour-ish undertone) and the texture was more firm.
Service and Ambience
The decor is incredibly nice, with a dull colour scheme and furniture with a white-washed effect.
There are funky little wall hangings and quotes, with bric-a-brac adorning the tables and the counter. The staff are really friendly, and they take time to explain the tea-milk-bubble process to you and what combinations work or not.
It gets really crowded towards the evening though, so you'll have to either stand around for a table to free up or just take away.
Conclusion
There are about 13 bubbly items chalked up on the menu board, and 8 panini options. It's a lovely place to go and chill (when there's no crowd, in which case it's almost like a high school) with friendly staff and great drinks and breads. Note that they don't accept credit cards yet though, so take cash!
