Junbi - Irvine

There's mucha good matcha to be had at Junbi, and nothing is more refreshing than this classic Matcha Latte when you need a cold drink with a caffeine boost. 

The matcha is blended well so it has a smooth finish, not sandy like some of the less refined mixes others make. 

Satisfy your sweet tooth with the Matcha Soft Serve. They keep the bitter finish out without mellowing the matcha too much. Taro vanilla puree makes a great though not entirely necessary topping, no bad choices here. 

Good stuff all around; drinks, snacks, desserts etc. Pretty place for opening a laptop or just having a casual chill. 

The Vintage 1979 - Garden Grove, CA

Oh this is cute. SO cute. No sarcasm - I am genuinely enchanted.

Super Instagramable space with comfy chairs conducive to conversation and the prettiest drinks.  The vibe is retro and the posse of plants with all the mix n' match chairs really make the colors pop. The colors are unreal in this sea-breeze thing, and my Ube Latte is gorgeous. It's an amazing alternative to regular coffee shops and perfect for people who want to talk without the pressure to drink something stronger. Why not pay a little more for a nicer drink - it's already so much just for the garbage at Starbucks. Beware - these drinks are very filling - mine is an entire potato with milk. 

Each drink makes an ample dessert, but they make some pretty pastries as well. This Earl Grey Mousse is judiciously sweetened, fragrant like the tea with a texture like pure silk. 

Oh my, this is all so pretty. I can't get over the modern-princess vibe, and I'm a little bit appalled at how much my usually-cynical self wants to come back just to sit here again. Truly give it a try - this may be the sweetest place I've ever seen. 

Yamari - Torrance

Don’t ya want a, want a matcha? 

Answer carefully because this may not be what you think. This isn’t green tea flavoring, this is MATCHA. Dark and bitter, this powder is a biter. The Matcha Latte is a powdery punch in the mouth, earthy and thick, smooth and soothing with a texture that feels forever dry.

The same flavor is infused in their soft serve, which swirls well with a diplomatic hochija. Neither is sweet, but the hochija is warmly roasted, an aromatic tea. 

They sell out of the parfait pretty fast so grab one before it’s gone. The Premium Mixed Soft Serve is a close second, missing only the matcha jelly. A scoop of sweet azuki adds a spoonful of sugar, and mochi balls bring on a textured chew.

Do ya, want a, want a matcha? If you like matcha, abso-f'ing-lutley.

Wooloomooloo Rooftop Bar - Wan Chai, Hong Kong

I'm not sure how to take a place with a name like this seriously, but this view is no joke!

Sip your wine - there's nothing to whine about out here on a humid Hong Kong night. 

This isn't a bar for those with a fear of heights, but there are worse ways to see Hong Kong in its entirety.

I'm reunited with my Costa Rica roomie for the first time in...we won’t mention how many years it’s been. 

Keep the wine and the friendship flowing, Wooloomooloo, you and I are bonding.

Boteaga - Los Angeles

Mixed feelings all around. Six dollars is a ton for a tea or smoothie. This Dragonfruit Chizu one tastes like diluted sugar-water...then again, that's a pretty accurate representation of dragonfruit.

The chizu (cheese foam) is frothy and rich, and the salt mixes well with the fruit. Unfortunately, these cups are too tall and narrow to do much mixing, and there isn't enough foam to assert its creamy, salty flavor. And don't forget to ask for the boba - it's extra. I forgot and I'm sad. 

On the plus side, their wall and their drinks are very instagrammable. I just wish I wanted their drinks more. 

Ding Tea - Torrance

Two words: CHEESE. FOAM. 

I've never had cheese foam before. It sounds weird, I know, and I definitely started at this pile of cream cheese fluff on top of my Jasmine Green Tea with a lot of uncertainty. It looks like shaving cream with air bubbles. It tastes like very mild cream cheese with a little bit of sugar and a dash of salt. It mixes with the sweetened tea in a salty flurry.

The boba are perfect, and they below in every cup. The Hokkaido Black Milk Tea is creamy with a caramel finish. It's rich and cold, a variation of the classic milk tea but better. 

There's a reason Ding Tea is expanding. It's probably the first and only truly authentic boba in Torrance. There are plenty of places that hit the spot when you've craving the tea, but...CHEESE FOAM!

Ten Ren's Tea Time - Los Angeles

Bobaaaaaa! Chewy little Chinatown pearls, black tea, green tea, milk tea, peach tea, every kind of tea you can dream of, all under one tea-shop roof.

There's a robust Oolong, softened with milk and sweetened by honey, and a premium Honey Crysanthemun, beautiful and floral, and worth every penny for the extra 25 cents. 

Ten Ren's has made itself a staple in the Far East Plaza. An ideal cool-down for a hot day or a warm comfort on a cold one, boba is the perfect filler for an afternoon snack or a time-killer as you wait in line for Howlin' Ray's. 

Rachel's Ginger Beer - Seattle

I might be the only Asian in the world who doesn't like ginger, but I think part of growing older is learning to tolerate and eventually appreciate the things you can't like; for example, celery... Walmart and all the crazy people who shop there... and the Olsen twins.

But unlike all of the above, Rachel's makes a cool, refreshing swig of sharp, delightfully bitter carbonation on ice. The Mango-Mate Ginger Beer starts with biting ginger, which mixes with earthy mate, and the bitters neutralize each other as a hint of spicy mango makes its mark. A breath of fresh air without being overwhelming, subtle yet hard-hitting, and probably the best drink I've had in Seattle.

I can proudly say that I went to Seattle without ever visiting a single Starbucks. Sure, I walked by the first, and yeah, I snapped a picture or two, but liquid burnt beans are hardly Seattle's finest drink. Rachel's ginger beer, however, is probably pretty high up.

Drinks of Peru

Inka Cola

There are only three letters that adequately describe one's first encounter with Inka Cola: W, T, and F. This benign yellow liquid is an unexpected assault, a mish mash of cream soda supersaturated with bubble gum and cotton candy on crack. The sheer volume of sugar is impressive, along the lines of being stirred in while boiling like real southern sweet tea to make it fit. All the drama of a Latina soap opera crammed into the confines of one innocuous plastic bottle.

Cuzquena Beer

China has its Tsingtao, Colorado has its Coors, and Cuzco has Cusquena. A smooth standard beer, Cusquena sips smooth and tastes like a few drops of Dos Equis mixed into a bottle of Chang
.

Chicha Morada

Purple is my favorite color so purple corn juice wasn't much of a stretch. This stuff of the Andes is a thick, blended pulp, a literal corn syrup with cinnamon and cloves, like a better-tasting precursor to Pepsi.

Pisco Sour

Many a friendship is forged over a first drink, and the first drink in Peru should always be the Pisco Sour. This one is a deceptively strong combination of 60-70 proof pisco with lime and a frothy egg white foam. Even if you don't like it at first, a few sips will have you embracing it... And probably everyone around you... With open arms.

The Pisco Sour isn’t for everybody…well actually it kind of IS for everybody who goes to Peru. And if you’re really not lovin’ the lime, at least try to get passionate about the passion fruit and try the one with Maracuya.