While browsing the FiveStars app on a Sunday afternoon, I noticed that TBaar at Los Cerritos Center had a Buy One Milk Tea, Get One Free deal. I was planning on going out later that afternoon nearby, so I figured why not treat myself to two milk teas for the price of one?
I did a little research by looking at their website and Yelp page prior to leaving home. While TBaar offers fresh juice, smoothies, fruit teas, and lemonade, the FiveStars deal only applied to milk teas, which there were about 10 different choices from Bubble Milk Black Tea to Matcha Latte. I was immediately sold on Vanilla Milk Tea as one of my drinks, but decided to wait until I actually got there to decide on the second drink.
After parking my car on the Macy's side of the mall, I was pleasantly surprised that TBaar wasn't too far of a walk. TBaar is located right at the mall entrance of Dick's Sporting Goods. There were about 2-3 customers in line at the time, but luckily, I didn't have to wait long before it was my turn to order.
As I was standing in line, I tried to find a menu with prices, but all I saw were TV monitors in the back that showed the different drinks available at TBaar. No mention of prices until I got to the order counter where the menu was posted on the plexiglass. You wouldn't be able to read the menu unless you were at the register, so it's good that I actually looked at their website and Yelp page beforehand.
As I mentioned before, I wanted the Vanilla Milk tea, but was trying to decide what to get as my second drink. I had tried some Jasmine Milk Green Tea from Boba Guys at 2nd and PCH before, and I didn't like it that much. Maybe the one at TBaar would taste better? I decided on the Jasmine Milk Green Tea as my second drink.
I added boba to both of my milk teas. The BOGO deal was applied after entering my phone number in the FiveStars Rewards tablet, but I still got charged for the boba on the free drink.
After 3-5 minutes of waiting, my number was called, and the bobarista handed me my two drinks with two boba straws. After getting the drinks, I made a beeline back to my car to enjoy them.
The drinks looked similar to one another, so I was afraid that I might not tell which was which. Luckily, there were labels on the cups that told me which was Jasmine Milk Green Tea and which was Vanilla Milk Tea. Also, the taste of the two drinks was so different that I definitely could tell which was Jasmine Green and which was Vanilla.
The Jasmine Milk Green Tea tasted kind of sour to me. Not sure if that's how it's supposed to taste, but I wasn't asked for my desired sweetness or ice levels. I didn't really enjoy this drink, so I'm pretty convinced that I just don't like green tea, at least with milk. However, the Vanilla Milk Tea was outstanding! There was a great deal of Vanilla flavor in the drink that it pretty much washed away the sour aftertaste of the other drink. I absolutely enjoyed every sip of the vanilla, especially with the nice and chewy boba in the milk tea.
I definitely should have gotten two Vanilla Milk teas instead of going with a drink that I previously didn't like, but at least now, I know not to order a Jasmine Milk Green Tea again.
On my second visit, I ordered a Vanilla Milk Tea again, but this time, sans boba. It tasted just as awesome as the first drink, but I thought they added a little too much ice. I wasn't asked for my desired ice level, so that was kind of disappointing.
Service was friendly, but I wish they could show the menu with prices on the TV monitors in the back so that I don't have to wait until I arrive at the register to decide what to get.
Since I enjoyed the Vanilla Milk Tea so much, I would definitely be open to trying something else. Maybe a fruit tea will be my next cup of tea! :)