Review: Boba Corner bubble tea shop in Taunton

Bubble Tea is one of the newest crazes which seems to be taking UK cities by storm, so it was very exciting to hear that one was coming to our humble county town.

And it seems I wasn't the only one keen to give it a try. There were people queuing out on to the street when I visited Boba Corner on Saturday (April 9), clamouring with excitement to get their hands on one of the many wonderful creations inside.

As the queue gradually edged forward and the people who had just been served came out, you could hear a rattle coming from inside as the door swung open, which I would soon discover was the noise of the drinks being made.

What is bubble tea and how is it made?

Bubble tea is a tea-based drink which originated in Taiwan in the early 1980s.

It is a mixture of tea and tapioca balls which give it a sweet taste. You can also choose to add all manner of toppings and other ingredients such as red bean, aloe vera and grass jelly.

At Boba Corner, you can choose how high or low the sugar content of your drink is, as well as the level of ice it containts.

It has recently become popular in the UK, with shops popping up across the country.

What did we think of Boba Corner in Taunton?

Anyway, let's get back to the review!

The queue was really shifting now and the enticing sound of the rattle was getting louder.

Before long we were inside and it was packed. The drinks are quite elaborate and take a little while to put together, especially if you're ordering a selection for you and your friends. So the friendly staff take your order and your name and then give you a shout when your drinks are ready.

I got chatting to a couple of ladies as we waited. One of them had had bubble tea before and was very excited, the other was a first-timer but was equally as thrilled to try.

I was in the latter camp, I'd never had it before so it was a brand new experience for me.

Bubble tea is unlike anything I've had before and, as such, it is quite difficult to compare it to anything for the benefit of anyone else who might want to try it.

There are loads of options and variations of those options on the menu and I went for the Taro Ube Overload which was icy cool and refreshing.

I thought it would be of a thicker consistency, like milkshake, but it is very much a liquid - the thicker bits are all at the bottom. 

You are given quite a wide straw so that you can get to all of the delicious tapioca balls at the bottom, which are where the sweetness motherlode lies.

It was a bit like sucking up pieces of chewy cake. I really hope I'm not putting anyone off with that description, because the drink is delicious, but it is the best way I can describe it.

It was like a liquid dessert treat mixed into a iced tea - having your tea and cake at the same time, if you like.

By the time I had finished my bubble tea, I was just getting to the point where I felt like I might have been on the verge of having too much of a good thing, much like when you have one piece of cake too many - it's great, but you know you've probably gone too far.

If you've not had one of these drinks before, I would definitely recommend giving it a try. It is a lovely cold treat on a hot day or a hip beverage to enjoy with friends.

I can see myself having another one before too long.