Welcome to the first issue of “The winner is…”! I’m Kate Rose, and I’m a staff writer for The Talon. For this column, I decided to do what I do best: be judgmental and eat a lot. For each print issue, I’ll rank three different food spots, anything from bagel shops to taco trucks. 

But if you hate my opinions, don’t worry — I’m not doing this alone. For every installment, I’m bringing along two additional Talon staff members to give their input. This time, I’m joined by juniors Jade Palatnik and Manya Sikka. They agreed to participate very fast. I like to think it was my company that convinced them, but the promise of free drinks probably helped too. If you also hate their opinions, I don’t know what to tell you. 

To kick off my junior year, I completed my most challenging task yet: visiting three local boba places. Just kidding, that’s a regular week for me. 

Teaspoon, Los Altos

Our first contender is Teaspoon. I ordered a Caramel Cream with honey boba — one of my personal favorites — for Manya, Jade and me to share. This drink, and all others in this review, had 100% sweetness and light ice. 

Manya described the Caramel Cream eloquently: “This is way too sweet, I’m dying.”

But I do recall her finishing the entire drink, so… who knows. 

Jade decided it was 100% my fault for ordering 100% sweetness. But we all agreed that their flavors are usually solid, and their honey boba is the perfect blend of texture and taste. Basically, if you order with 50% sweetness and can ignore their soggy straws, the whole Teaspoon experience will get a lot better. 

However, I must address Teaspoon’s Achilles’ Heel: their drinks only come in one size — a large. Thankfully, we have solutions for that. 

The sizes are good for sharing, and I guess they’re also good for very dehydrated people. Plus, if you’re in the mood for a smaller drink, you could split it up: drink some the first day, then store the rest in the refrigerator for later. It’s a good self-control exercise! I will admit I fail this exercise. Every. Single. Time. 

Boba Guys, Los Altos

Moving on to our next contender, Boba Guys. I ordered what is and will always be my top choice: a Strawberry Jasmine with boba.

The drink is so refreshing and not too sweet — perfect for a summer day. Or a winter day. Any day, really. 

Jade, however, was not as easily impressed. 

“You call this boba?” Jade said. “It’s way too tough.”

That was the moment I realized Boba Guys might be doomed in our ranking. Especially considering that the Strawberry Jasmine might be the only thing worth ordering.

“A lot of their other drinks are too tart for me,” Manya said. “It doesn’t pair well with the boba.”

We did like the cup design, though — a part of the lid folds back and clips in place, leaving a large opening either for your straw or straight sipping. 

“They’re super functional, but also easier for spillage,” Jade said. A minute later, an impressive amount of Strawberry Jasmine spilled on her phone. 

All in all, we decided Boba Guys’ real name should be One-Hit Wonder (hire us for marketing!) because we do find their Strawberry Jasmine (minus their boba, apparently) absolutely amazing.

Boba Bliss, Mountain View   

Finally, let’s proceed with our last contender, Boba Bliss. I ordered one of their specialty drinks, a Brown Sugar Pearl Latte with honey boba. 

“This is really wonderful,” Manya shouted from the heavens. 

She then proceeded to vouch for the entire Boba Bliss menu. Seriously, it took a solid five minutes. 

But I can’t say I disagree. Though they only offer one size, we were too enthralled by the flavor to notice. It was sweet, but not overpowering: a hard balance to strike! 

Not to mention, the ambiance puts all the other shops to shame. Boba Bliss has indoor seating — I’m talking couches, tables and bar-style seating. All Boba Guys and Teaspoon have are little corners of the wall to huddle in. 

Results

Now — drumroll please — the winner is…

Boba Bliss! It was perfect. 

Our close (but not too close) second is Teaspoon, saved by their dependable quality and spot-on honey boba. 

And coming in last (and least) is Boba Guys. Even our favorite drink couldn’t save them. Plus, I think Jade’s still holding a grudge over what happened to her phone. 

This ranking was unanimously agreed upon, and we apologize in advance if we have offended any boba connoisseurs. 

A big thank you to Manya and Jade for your heroic sacrifice: getting driven around and drinking the boba I paid for. See you all next time!