Bubble tea has been taking Colombo by storm for the past few months and Bubble Me has been a notable player in the game. They recently opened a branch in Maitland Crescent, so we went to check it out.
The Bubble Teas
Bubble Me has more flavours to offer than any other Bubble Tea store in Colombo. They've got fruit-based teas, milk-based teas, yoghurt flavoured tea and slushies.We tried four of their new flavours: Matcha and Almond Slushie with Black Pearls (Rs. 480), Caramel Mocha Slushie with Chocolate Popping Boba (Rs. 480), Honeydew with Coconut Jelly/25% sugar (Rs. 380) and Taro with Black Pearls/25% sugar (Rs. 380).
Let me tell you something, if you don't like matcha, don't go for the Matcha and Almond slushie. When you drink it at first, it tastes great but it leaves a very bitter aftertaste in your mouth. We didn't even get a hint of almond in that drink, which is quite sad because it could have helped reduce the bitter aftertaste.
The Caramel Mocha slushie was by far our favourite drink there. It had a strong hit of coffee and sweetness from the caramel. But, it wasn't too sweet so you wouldn't feel guilty drinking it. We got this drink with the popping chocolate boba, which was recommended. It was strange because they were tangy and did not taste at all like chocolate. Not complaining, though, because it worked surprisingly well with the drink.
The Honeydew and Taro we brought back to YAMU HQ so that everyone could try it out, and the verdicts were not good, The Honeydew syrup used had a very strong flavour and it was too much. The taro on the contrary, had too little syrup and the drink was very bland. The only other place that does Honeydew and Taro is Bubblelement and they do it much better.
Service and Ambience
This branch has much more seating space than the one in Thimbirigasyaya. They've even got space upstairs, complete with colourful cushions and aesthetically pleasing drawings on the wall. The staff is mostly the ones from the previous branch, so there's a lot of familiar faces around (familiar to me, because I practically lived at Bubble Me Thimbirigasyaya). They are friendly and guide you through the ordering process and recommend complementing flavors and toppings.
Location-wise, I'd say that Bubble Me has hit the jackpot. This is because there are two schools within walking distance and if you walk in around 2 PM on a weekday it will be filled with students. So make sure to avoid these times, if you're in a hurry for your drink.
Conclusion
Out of Bubble Me's new drinks, the Caramel Mocha is the only one I can recommend to you without hesitation. Their drinks from the original menu have proved to be delicious, though! Try their Caramel Milk Tea with Black Pearls at 0% sugar.
