Jasmine Green Milk Tea – Oyo Cha

My dad went to Mochinut today, and you would expect him to come back with Mochi Donuts…but instead I got a drink, ha! Don’t get me wrong, mochi donuts are pretty great; they’re super chewy and decadent and come in all different flavors. My family started getting mochi donuts pretty frequently over quarantine because two new places popped up in our local Asian grocery stores over the summer: Mochinut in Zion, and ModoHawaii in Mitsuwa. Thus, we discovered the treat that is the mochi donut! They’re way too easy to eat which makes them a little dangerous, and eating them always leaves me wanting a little more. We mostly buy from Mochinut since it’s easier to order, but one time we tried Modo, and then I decided I liked Modo more because the donuts are actually freshly fried and are warm and slightly crispy when you eat them (plus I think they’re slightly cheaper)! Mochinut is still pretty good with their flavor variety and that you can order right there, but maybe I’ve had it too much over the summer…though if you offer me one (and I like the flavor) I definitely won’t say no. Someday, I will try Fill Bakeshop’s and Friendly Donuts’s mochi donuts…

Okay, so my parents actually went to Zion today to get the purple (Kyoho?) grapes that are in season right now, so naturally my dad gravitated to getting Mochinut as usual (pretty tempting when it’s right there). I had also known for a while that the booth offers drinks (and boba!), though I was not sure of the quality because obviously it’s not a drink specialty shop. When asked if I was interested in mochi donuts, I posed the question, “How about a drink?”. Honestly, a drink is so much more satisfying to me than donuts even though they are so good, and I was very happy when instead of donuts I could get a drink, hehe.

I ended up going for the Jasmine, for a light refreshing tea. Yes, I had a similar tea yesterday, but I prefer milk teas, and the Jasmine seemed the most appealing at the moment. A nice default for me would probably be the Thai Tea, but perhaps for next time. Anyway, for a place that doesn’t specialize in drinks, the Jasmine is surprisingly good! It’s fragrant like a nice Jasmine should be, and just the right amount to sweetness. Even though I initially thought it was a little creamy, I felt the drink was somewhat watery at times, but overall the Jasmine flavor was strong enough to distract from that thought.

Unfortunately, getting no ice takes a chunk out of the drink, but such is reality with these kinds of places. The boba is also pretty good, with a nice texture and a little sweet. Their boba is slightly smaller than standard boba, kind of like some of Oiio’s. They also give a decent amount.

As a side note, I’m debating whether to (eventually) write an Oyo Cha entry. On one hand, they do offer a decent selection, and on the other, they aren’t an official shop. The tv monitor in the store says “Poke Bistro and Tea”, but I can’t find any actual Oyo Cha store or Poke store on the internet. The cup is branded with a tape logo, which I have found to be amateur-ish.

Details: Jasmine Green Milk Tea; with honey boba; no ice; less sugar; from Oyo Cha (aka Mochinut in Zion Market)