For me, one of the great joys of visits to the ID is boba tea (aka "bubble tea"). My introduction to this Taiwanese confection is immortalized in a track by my band Cats Cradle Robbers entitled Mille Boba. (you can read the description here). That first experience was at Gossip Espresso and Tea, which has been in its lifetime a popular karaoke TV bar and is now a bright and airy boba tea joint presided over by the lovely and gracious Emmerline Wu, who has managed this establishment for some time. Gossip has recently expanded its offerings to include espresso, pastries, and snacks. The floor to ceiling windows overlook Hing Hay park, and help to make this my favorite boba tea joint in the district.
The other two dedicated boba tea bars in Chinatown (Ambrosia and Oasis) are also very popular and each has its fans. I've had tea at each, and frankly, the drink itself seems to vary very little in quality from vendor to vendor. Where Gossip stands out is the wonderful bright atmosphere they've worked to achieve.
My favorite drinks are the Jasmine and Rose milk teas (with tapioca pearls, of course), but they have a wide variety of drinks on the menu, including a delicious fresh watermelon slush, and a very popular purple-hued taro milk tea. For something a little bit different, try the wheat tea (like a sugary drink of Cream of Wheat), or augment your drink with pudding or jellies rather than tapioca. If you're a beginner, you can't go wrong with the Gossip milk tea - that was my first taste after all.
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