Gong Cha – A new (but not really) to-go-place for bubbles

Address: 303 Centre St S, Calgary, AB T2G 2B9

Oh Gong Cha, what took you so long to get to Canada/Calgary? Gong Cha is HUGE in Asian countries like Taiwan, Singapore, Vietnam etc… How sad. I have always felt like Calgary is so behind on Asian trends (sushi train, milk foam, miniso etc).

Anyway, GongCha is finally here to battle against ChatTime (which is positioned right opposite GongCha across the street), JusFruit and others (Tocotoco, O’cups, and Vietnamese restaurants that offer bubble tea, just to name a few). Having tried so many bubble teas, I have gotten more picky with my bubble and yet I am still moderately impressed with GongCha. Their standard milk tea with pearls and Panda Milk Foam were pretty good. And because I’m cheap, that fact that it is 50 cents cheaper than Chattime across the street DOES make a difference.

Ehem, the milk tea does taste like how it’s supposed to taste like. The sweetness level for me was 30%, which was just right. The differentiating factor between this milktea and Chattime is probably the pearl. I mean, it’s called bubble tea for a reason right, the bubble is just as important as the milk tea itself. For the ones I have tried, the GongCha’s pearls were a tinny bit smaller and easier to chew (I hate it when the pearl is half-boiled, or too mushy). Their white pearls were surprisingly good with a more jelly-like texture and grape-y aftertaste (I don’t order or like white pearls to begin).

Anyway, either because I’m sick of Chattime, or GongCha is just better, I will go to GongCha more often for my monthly dose of bubbles and try out other new flavours!