Gong Cha

Wowsers — so Unilocal is international!
I’ve been in Singapore for a few months now! Guess it’s about time to let people know what’s good here — even though im returning home in a couple weeks!
Luckily I live very close to MRT train station, but unlucky (and lucky at the same time, lol) I walk through a mall and pass by Gong Cha everyday on my way home…
«should i get the tea? …hmmm. no i don’t need it!» I never listen to myself! I’m addicted to the milk tea here. I’ve tried quite a number of places, but no one gets it right like Gong Cha. They are always busy busy– so I think the locals feel the same way.
They have a variety of tea and coffee drinks — but I stick to the milk tea. You have the option to choose your sugar level in percentage, but I always get no sugar because the combination of the milk and the tea has the perfect amount of flavor. I add pearls to the drink to add texture and a little hint of sweetness. Their pearls are also the best pearls I’ve had! Somehow they cook them differently than anyone else, and the amount of chewy-​ness is spot on!
It’s more of a grab and go joint — there is no where to sit. But they do give you these little bags that make carrying your drink around more convenient. The customer service is so so, sometimes they are kinda nice, but most of the time they are stoic! Kind of weird, but I’m used to it. Nothing can come in between me and my tea: D

I don’t really understand the Gong Cha craze as this is definitely not my thing. I’ve tried both the Melon Tea and Plum Tea, and both are far too herbal for me and have this sickly sweet after taste even if I asked for 50% sugar. The pearls are not a draw for me either, so I usually go without.
Nevertheless, this seems like an incredibly popular choice amongst many in Singapore, so it may be worth a taste. It could suit your palate; unfortunately, my taste buds aren’t the least bit keen to return for another go.

This has got to be my favorite Gong Cha outlet! among so many other branches which I have tried, this one stands out for its efficiency and speed. When you are pressed for time to catch the shuttle bus that is really important.
It also gets really crowded after lunch as people buy in bulk back for their colleagues. The staff has never gotten my order wrong though and consistently serves up the Gong Cha that I like. If this branch is anything like the one at Raffles City basement I would be drinking much less bubble tea.

This branch is the Gong Cha flagship store and I am surprised that the owners chose this relative quiet mall. The first few times I went there, there was barely a crowd. These days, it get really crowded during lunch time.
Unlike the other bubble tea shops, I like the unique Gong Cha Milk Cap Bubble Tea. I love the froth. It is rich, creamy and a tad salty but goes really well with the tea and pearls. There are some that tried to follow suit but they just don’t taste the same.

Bubble tea is the widely popularized drink that hailed from Taiwan. It comprises of black tapoica pearls in a milk-​tea/​herbal-​infused tea. Made popular a couple of years ago, the bubble tea industry has grown by leaps and bounds. But what sets Gong Cha’s bubble tea apart from the rest is their secret recipe, which makes the experience of sucking the pearls through the straw most satisfying.
Its close rival is Koi Café, another bubble tea joint. In my opinion, Gong Cha is better as their tea tastes richer. Although I would admit that Koi really is a very close substitue for Gong Cha.
Queues at the Raffles City branch are phenomenal, especially during peak periods. To get your fix, I recommend visiting Basement 2 of City Square Mall (along Kitchener Road). There is hardly any crowd, plus you can pair Gong Cha with sashimi, as there is a pop-​up sashimi store next to it.
My favourite has to be the Gong Cha MIlk Tea with herbal jelly. Ever since bubble tea pearls have said to be carcinogenic and have the caloric equivalence of one bowl of rice, I’ve been much more watchful of my intake of them. Herbal jelly on the other hand, is as it name suggests, «Herb-​like» which is most certainly a healthier option.
The drinks range from $ 2.50-$ 4.00 depending on what you order.