Bubble World - Surrey, BC
Thursday, February 5, 2009 by Bubble Tea Reviews
Bubble World
137-10090 152nd Street, Surrey, BC
Payment Options: Cash Only
So where can you find a bubble tea house in Surrey? The simple answer: Bubble World. It is centrally located on 152nd Street, across from Guildford Mall by the T&T Supermarket complex. With already established locations in Burnaby, Coquitlam and Vancouver, customers can expect the same kind of selection and quality of drinks at the Surrey location. While other Bubble World locations are only tea houses, this location offers plenty of lunch/dinner/snack menu items to choose from.
Ambiance [rating:4]
This brightly lit restaurant with modern and minimalist decor is very similar to other cafes found in Richmond. However, a place like this in Surrey is not all that common. This is why while waiting for our seats, multiple groups of customers of various ethnicities walk in and out with their take-out drinks. It is obvious that this busy establishment is a late night hotspot for teenagers and families alike. From the outside, the place stands out with its vibrant atmosphere inside which definitely appeals to and is inviting to the passersby outside.
Food [rating:3.5]
Once you crack open the nicely bound menu, you'll be greeted with a variety of hot and cold tea drinks and food items that are sure to solve your hunger. For under $10, you can have a good sized meal with your favorite bubble tea drink on the side. This is exactly why I love asian cafes and restaurants!
During this visit to Bubble World, my group and I decided to order a food item for each of us and a couple of appetizers. The fried tofu was just the right amount of softness and firmness. Although it could use a crunchier shell for my liking, it tasted pretty good and was easy to share with a small group of people. The beef wrapped in onion pancake was OK. The green onion slices were a bit big and therefore had a stronger, dominating taste over the beef (which tasted good!). The only other tiny complaint with this dish is that I wish there was some sort of toothpick to keep the roll together. As you can imagine, it is not that easy to hold a huge roll with your chopsticks. I can't say I know too many people who can have that in one bite!
The main dishes we ordered included Salty Peppery Chicken with Rice, Shrimp & Egg Fried Rice and Satay Lamb Noodles, all under $7 each. Out of these three, the chicken was the biggest serving and probably the most interesting one. The chicken was boneless and it came with some salad and tofu too! It's a pretty good and complete serving for someone like myself. The fried rice was unfortunately nothing special as it was a little bland and the noodles was a little soupy. But, bonus points for having lamb as a menu item for such a small restaurant.
Drinks [rating:4.5]
Taro Slush One of the best taro bubble teas I've had. Although this artificially flavored taro drink may be too sweet for some, it's just right for my taste. However, the bubbles were a bit too soft, making them not all that chewy but at least easy to swallow with your meal.
Papaya Milk Tea This is a great refreshing drink for those seeking something a little different than the typical. If you are planning to order this, keep in mind that the drink will not really taste anything close to a real papaya, but perhaps candy. ;)
In addition, my group and I enjoyed receiving our drinks in mugs. Although it doesn't look all that big when you compare it to the typical to-go plastic glass, you'll be surprised how much that mug can hold!
Service [rating:3]
The customer service at Bubble World when we went (after 9pm on a weekend) was not as great. Although we did get our food and drinks at a very reasonable amount of time, the interaction between taking the order, delivering the order and dropping the bill was lacking. In a way, there was this slight feeling that we were being rushed to get out simply because there were more people coming in for a late snack. As much as we appreciate the quick service when it comes to clearing our tables, the not-so-subtle lingering around our table was a bit of a nuisance.
[rating:overall]
Overall, this first visit to Bubble World in Surrey was a success. We enjoyed our late dinner and left with full stomachs! The drinks were excellent and the atmosphere within this small restaurant in Surrey is a great place to have some good bubble tea and a late snack or dinner with friends and family. If you feel like having bubble tea on the go, Bubble World also has take-out bubble tea that they neatly place in plastic bags specifically designed to carry bubble tea drinks so it's likely you'll leave a mess in the car on the drive home! Plus, it doesn't hurt that you can use your stamp card when you order bubble tea to go. Like other establishments, all you need to do is buy 10 and get 1 free!
137-10090 152nd Street, Surrey, BC
Payment Options: Cash Only
So where can you find a bubble tea house in Surrey? The simple answer: Bubble World. It is centrally located on 152nd Street, across from Guildford Mall by the T&T Supermarket complex. With already established locations in Burnaby, Coquitlam and Vancouver, customers can expect the same kind of selection and quality of drinks at the Surrey location. While other Bubble World locations are only tea houses, this location offers plenty of lunch/dinner/snack menu items to choose from.
Ambiance [rating:4]
This brightly lit restaurant with modern and minimalist decor is very similar to other cafes found in Richmond. However, a place like this in Surrey is not all that common. This is why while waiting for our seats, multiple groups of customers of various ethnicities walk in and out with their take-out drinks. It is obvious that this busy establishment is a late night hotspot for teenagers and families alike. From the outside, the place stands out with its vibrant atmosphere inside which definitely appeals to and is inviting to the passersby outside.
Food [rating:3.5]
Once you crack open the nicely bound menu, you'll be greeted with a variety of hot and cold tea drinks and food items that are sure to solve your hunger. For under $10, you can have a good sized meal with your favorite bubble tea drink on the side. This is exactly why I love asian cafes and restaurants!
During this visit to Bubble World, my group and I decided to order a food item for each of us and a couple of appetizers. The fried tofu was just the right amount of softness and firmness. Although it could use a crunchier shell for my liking, it tasted pretty good and was easy to share with a small group of people. The beef wrapped in onion pancake was OK. The green onion slices were a bit big and therefore had a stronger, dominating taste over the beef (which tasted good!). The only other tiny complaint with this dish is that I wish there was some sort of toothpick to keep the roll together. As you can imagine, it is not that easy to hold a huge roll with your chopsticks. I can't say I know too many people who can have that in one bite!
The main dishes we ordered included Salty Peppery Chicken with Rice, Shrimp & Egg Fried Rice and Satay Lamb Noodles, all under $7 each. Out of these three, the chicken was the biggest serving and probably the most interesting one. The chicken was boneless and it came with some salad and tofu too! It's a pretty good and complete serving for someone like myself. The fried rice was unfortunately nothing special as it was a little bland and the noodles was a little soupy. But, bonus points for having lamb as a menu item for such a small restaurant.
Drinks [rating:4.5]
Taro Slush One of the best taro bubble teas I've had. Although this artificially flavored taro drink may be too sweet for some, it's just right for my taste. However, the bubbles were a bit too soft, making them not all that chewy but at least easy to swallow with your meal.
Papaya Milk Tea This is a great refreshing drink for those seeking something a little different than the typical. If you are planning to order this, keep in mind that the drink will not really taste anything close to a real papaya, but perhaps candy. ;)
In addition, my group and I enjoyed receiving our drinks in mugs. Although it doesn't look all that big when you compare it to the typical to-go plastic glass, you'll be surprised how much that mug can hold!
Service [rating:3]
The customer service at Bubble World when we went (after 9pm on a weekend) was not as great. Although we did get our food and drinks at a very reasonable amount of time, the interaction between taking the order, delivering the order and dropping the bill was lacking. In a way, there was this slight feeling that we were being rushed to get out simply because there were more people coming in for a late snack. As much as we appreciate the quick service when it comes to clearing our tables, the not-so-subtle lingering around our table was a bit of a nuisance.
[rating:overall]
Overall, this first visit to Bubble World in Surrey was a success. We enjoyed our late dinner and left with full stomachs! The drinks were excellent and the atmosphere within this small restaurant in Surrey is a great place to have some good bubble tea and a late snack or dinner with friends and family. If you feel like having bubble tea on the go, Bubble World also has take-out bubble tea that they neatly place in plastic bags specifically designed to carry bubble tea drinks so it's likely you'll leave a mess in the car on the drive home! Plus, it doesn't hurt that you can use your stamp card when you order bubble tea to go. Like other establishments, all you need to do is buy 10 and get 1 free!
i went to this place while i was in canada they have a yummy bubble tea