With soothing interiors and music to groove to, the Dean Street branch of this bubble tea chain – which also offers a wacky galaxy of desserts from across Asia – is somewhere to come for sugar in all its forms. Liquid or solid, it’s all served up by helpful, enthusiastic staff.
Many of the desserts tasted a bit like breakfast, with elements of starchy, milky sweetness. Raindrop cake looked like three clear jellyfish sitting in a puddle of brown sauce; each wiggly spoonful – with a flavour of toasted caramel – dissolved instantly in the mouth, the sweetness bolstered and cut by the accompanying matcha ice cream and fresh fruit. There was also a lot going on in the traditional Korean patbingsu pudding: a sweet chill from shaved ice and ice cream, chewy starch from red beans and agar balls, and toppings of frosted flakes and condensed milk to edge you closer to a diabetic coma.
As for the boba drinks, try the classic milk tea, which comes with bursts of marble-sized boba in each sip. For that experience alone, BobaJam is a must.