By Harry Leung
Last month, Tiger Sugar, a Taiwanese boba milk tea chain renowned for its brown sugar drinks, opened its doors in the Bay Area for the first time. The shop opened in Cupertino and customers flocked to its grand opening, forming a (socially distanced) line that stretched around the building.
Founded in Taiwan in 2017, Tiger Sugar is known for its signature drink, the brown sugar boba milk, which has found popularity both in and outside of Taiwan. The drink consists of sweet and chewy tapioca balls cooked in a brown-sugar syrup and served with cold milk. In addition to their unique taste, Tiger Sugar drinks are also known for their aesthetic presentation with streaks of brown sugar syrup along the sides of the cup. The streaks look like a tiger’s stripes, hence the store’s name.
As a boba tea lover, I had to give Tiger Sugar’s famous drinks a try to see how they stack up against brown sugar drinks from other establishments. I ordered the black sugar boba black tea latte with cream mousse, which was advertised as a top seller. Initially, it seemed like a disappointment: the cup was relatively small, especially for its high price of $5.50.
However, the drink itself was tasty. The caramel flavor was deep and flavorful, and the tapioca balls were still warm and perfectly chewy. The cream mousse complemented the rest of the drink well and tied everything together with its rich texture. I ordered my drink with half sugar, and although it was still on the sweeter side, it was still a very pleasant experience.
Despite its unfortunate opening in the midst of a pandemic, Tiger Sugar handled the situation very well and followed all necessary health guidelines. Although there was a large indoor seating area, only three customers were allowed inside the store at a time and only take-out orders were accepted. The six-feet social distancing guideline was enforced for both customers waiting in line to place an order as well as those waiting for their drinks outside.
In addition to its selection of milk and tea drinks, Tiger Sugar also offers popcorn and popsicles for sale, both in their signature brown sugar flavor. I did not get the chance to try the popcorn, but their popsicles were delicious and refreshing.
Overall, Tiger Sugar lives up to its hype. Their brown sugar drinks are some of the most flavorful I have ever had, and their tapioca balls have the perfect amount of chewiness. The line moved quickly as well, and I received my drinks within half an hour. I rate Tiger Sugar a solid four out of five, and definitely recommend giving it a try.