Bubble Tea@ Joy Yee Noodle Shop (Chinatown Chi)

Bubble tea is the popular Americanized name for Pearl Milk Tea and other similar tea beverages that originated in Taichung, Taiwan in the 1980s. Drink recipes may vary, but most bubble teas contain a tea base mixed with fruit (or fruit syrup) and/or milk. Ice-blended versions of the drinks, similar to smoothies, are also available, usually in fruit flavors.   

walk-thru window

Where can you find great bubble tea?  Well, in just about almost every Chinese, Vietnamese and Thai restaurants.  Where to get the best?  Well, from my experience the Chinese and Taiwanese does it the best because they don't skimp out on adding more of the natural fruit flavor instead of diluting it or using powder base instead of real fruit. From all of my experiences the best place is in the New Chinatown Square call Joy Yee Noodle shop(http://www.joyyee.com/index.shtml).  If you rely on public transportation than just take the redline to Cermak/Chinatown.  They also have locations in Naperville, Evanston and University Village Halsted.

It's a Taiwanese restaurants that serves Pan-Asian cuisines including desserts such as frozen yogurt and bubble tea.  The selection and combination of flavors at Joy Yee Noodles is endless.  My favorite is usually the avocado with tapioca balls.  Tapioca balls are black pearl shape starch balls that has a chewy texture to it.  This is also a reason why they give you a giant straw with the circumference the size of Jupiter, a conventional straw will not do.   

black tapioca pearls on bottom of cup

Bubble tea is a great way to beat the heat on hot summers days.  Popular flavors includes mango, kiwi, banana, cantaloupe, coconut, honey dew, lychee, papaya, watermelon, Thai tea and durian. Yes I did say durian.  Durian is a fruit originated from southeast Asia.  The smell of this fruit is horrendous and the texture is very mushy.  This is absolutely an acquired taste but when made into a smoothie it can be quite refreshing and interesting.  On average a big serving of bubble tea would run you about three to four dollars so quite affordable to even try it once. 

Joy Yee is very popular amongst tourist so be prepare to wait in line which is usually only about ten minutes max.  You won't have to enter the restaurants to get a hold of these sweet savoring delicacy.  There's a walk -thru window you can order from and places to sit down and mingle with strangers or just gawk at the designs of Chinatown Square while you wait. 

http://chicago.menupages.com/restaurants/joy-yees-noodle-shop/