I talk about energy drinks a lot, but another one of my favorite drinks is boba tea. My go-to is a smoothie or another frozen and blended flavor with fresh tapioca, but I’m open to anything and everything! When I was asking around for suggestions of where to go for boba tea, everyone said that the best place to go to in the Quad Cities was Icy Bubbles, and after taking a few trips there, I can see why everyone on campus loves it so much. But my articles are for those who have not been to all of the iconic places in the quad cities but really want to explore more, so are my top three recommendations from Icy Bubbles for someone who is craving some good boba tea.
- Tiramisu Tiger Stripe Milk Tea
For those who have known me for a while, you’ll know how much I love tiramisu. I have a special place in my heart for coffee, so I was destined to make even more space in my heart for tiramisu. But no matter how often I have eaten it, I’ve never had it in a bubble tea, so it was the first thing I tried from Icy Bubbles. Not surprisingly, it’s in my top three. The tiramisu flavor is strong, sweet, and creamy when combined with the milk tea, and the extra mocha syrup lining the inside of the cup adds a whole other level of flavor (it also gives the Tiger Stripe Milk Tea its iconic stripes). The tapioca is fresh and chewy, and the sweet cream on top blends beautifully with the bitter coffee flavors without overpowering the rest of the drink. This is for my fellow tiramisu lovers: try it as a boba tea. You won’t regret it.
- Banana Chocolate Smoothie
I’m not the biggest banana person, but something about this drink intrigued me. Maybe it was because I haven’t seen a lot of chocolate banana smoothies in most of the drink shops I’ve visited, maybe it was because something inside me knew that this drink would be delicious. Whatever it was, I’m glad I trusted it, because this delicious smoothie from Icy bubbles is now in my top three. The fresh banana balances out the bitter chocolate to make a taste that is sweet and powerful on my tongue without one flavor overpowering the other. Add some fresh tapioca to the bottom of the cup and the chewy texture gives a fun twist to the smoothie. If you’re looking for a drink that will always satisfy your sugar cravings, or if you just really like chocolate and bananas, this drink is perfect for you, and I suggest hopping right out of your seat and running to the boba shop now to get it.
- Strawberry Nada
For my Tajin lovers, this one for you. A delicious strawberry slush is combined with Tajin and your favorite type of boba (in my case, tapioca) to create the Strawberry Nada. There are also Mango, Watermelon, and Pineapple Nadas if that’s more your speed, but as you know I’m a strawberry lover, so of course that’s the one I’m going for. The slush itself tastes like one of those hard strawberry candies that have the image of a strawberry on the outside and are found in the reception rooms of beauty salons (for those of you who don’t know what I’m talking about though, basically the slush tastes like strawberry candy, and it’s fantastic). The Tajin adds a spicy and tangy twist to the drink and blends perfectly with the super sweet strawberry. Add some fresh strawberry slices on top and hot tapioca spheres at the bottle and the Nada somehow becomes even more perfect. I understand that this type of drink can be out of your comfort zone, but if you’re craving the perfect summer drink, try the Strawberry Nada from Icy Bubbles. I promise you, you’ll love it.
I hope this list makes you want to hop in your car and pick up some boba tea now. Icy Bubbles is seriously underrated and it deserves more love, especially among my fellow bubble tea fans in the quad cities.