Time for TKettle and tapioca

I was going to meet Beth at Mariebelle for hot chocolate tonight but it was a bit hot and humid so we decided to do it next week instead in hopes that some of the heat will pass. I gave myself the excuse to head down to the East Village to relieve the urge I've been having the past few days to try a new milk tea place that Rebecca mentioned that her friends said was better than Saint's Alp and other teahouses in Chinatown. "Better, huh?" I remember saying and thinking to myself that I could not wait to try it because I am a huge milk tea fanatic. Authentically-brewed teas excite me too but I haven't had my tapioca tea fix for like a week now. I always seem to end up at Teariffic on Mott St. and while I can never manage to not order my usual Almond Milk Tea (usually cold with pearls) I was starting to get a tad tired of the place. I've burned through so many frequent-buyer cards that I think they at least owe me 10 more free drinks (I bet many regulars think this too) for going in almost every week.

I found TKettle on St. Marks Place-you can't really miss it with their bright lights bouncing off their orange and white interior. It looks like any other milk tea shop: the fat straws neatly held in containers, drink displays on the counter and a menu offering everything from flavored teas and slushies to Asian snacks like toast and a variety of "dan ta" (egg tarts...one in Portuguese-style too)!

It looks to be a shop owned and run by a husband and wife. But I could be wrong. The reason I say this is because I walked in and an Asian woman behind the counter smiled at me sweetly and asked me what I'd like to have, while an Asian man behind her shook up beverages for other customers. I ordered the Original Milk Tea with Pearls but then asked the woman how the Almond one was because I ALWAYS order that kind. But before she could answer I said: "May I switch it? Oh no, nevermind, I'll stick with the Original. Sorry!" I hate my indecisiveness when at the cash register, but this stems from fear of choosing an item I will regret having. Anyhow, the woman told me they opened just a month ago and perhaps since it's so new, not many people have wandered into this tea store just yet. While my drink was mixed in one of those cocktail shakers, the man told me that there was more seating in the back (there were two tables outside in the front). This place is larger than the eye can see at first glance! I walked straight back and sure enough, there were more seats. And at left was exactly what I saw: a room full of cushy seats for me to choose from! But the ambiance took some time to grow on me because I was trying to decide if I liked how narrow the room was. I took a sip of my drink and was pleasantly surprised that it was well... good. It reminded of tapioca milk tea in California, where these shops are almost as prevalent in Asian communities as Starbuck's are um, on every street corner... all over the world. You could taste the tea for sure, but it was shaken with the right amount of milk so that it wasn't like drinking milk colored brown or drinking watered-down tea with a murky white cast (think mud puddles on a rainy day). It was sweetened of course and something I can definitely see myself getting on a regular basis if it weren't a tad far for me to get to. But I am pleased to say it's $3.96 for a real 16 ounce cup with pearls. Lots of places charge that price for a 12 ounce cup. I can't believe I'm saying that because if you think about it, it's 4 bucks for a cup of tea with tapioca! I have been New Yorkified!

Well, going back to the drink-I liked the pearls a lot because (and this may be different for others if they go there at the wrong time) they were the chewy I prefer: not too stiff like overchewed bubble gum but they also didn't dissolve in goopy bits in my mouth like at some places when the pearls have been left out uneaten and soaking in sugar syrup for too long. Slightly sweet, the tapioca balls were the regular size, not the baby ones that got popular over the years, and there was a generous amount but not so much that you're overwhelmed.

The more I sat there, the more I liked the place because I can see it as a great teahouse to meet a friend for tea and as word continues to get out, it could become a popular late-night hang-out. The orange seats are cushioned with a backing, something really more comfortable than the wooden, Asian-style stools at lots of other places. I can only sit on those for 10 minutes before slumping over and propping my arms on the table. But at TKettle you can sit and chat for a good amount of time because the seats are not only comfy, but the place looks very clean and lively, and there's enjoyable radio music playing through a relatively clear sound system. All it needs are more people to make the place cozier. Some electrical outlets would be nice too for people who want to do a little writing there. Overall, I'm happy to say I will be a returning drinker.

Lesson of the day: There is hope for milk tea in N.Y.C.!

TKettle
26 St. Marks Place (between 2nd and 3rd Ave.)