By Isabel Kikoshima and Amelia Lipcsei
Each issue, we will review a different boba place. For each cafe, we will rate the tea, boba, atmosphere, and customer service. This issue, we are rating Wanpo Tea Shop, a Taiwanese inspired bubble tea cafe located in Main Street Cupertino.
Isabel’s Tea Ranking: 10/10
I ordered the Lemon Jasmine Tea, which pairs fresh squeezed lemon juice with a fragrant and fruity tea. As an avid fresh tea enjoyer, I was enlightened by the perfect sweetness and balanced taste of this tea. Fruity yet floral, the Lemon Jasmine Tea exceeded my expectations for fresh teas. Not only did the tea have a visually appealing marigold color, but also tasted very refreshing with the tart lemon flavor. Overall, I would rank the tea a 10 because the sweetness balanced perfectly with the lemon.
Amelia’s Tea Ranking: 10/10
I tried the Jasmine Green Tea Latte, and it was absolutely amazing. Because I ordered it hot, the silky jasmine flavors stood out, and the sweet cream paired well with the rest of the drink. There are very few boba places that can bring out the flavors in a jasmine tea, but Wanpo Tea Shop is definitely one of them. Honestly, I think that their Jasmine Green Tea Latte may be one of my favorite teas that I have ever tried. It truly was delicious.
Isabel’s Boba Ranking: 9/10
The boba at Wanpo was arguably some of the best pearls I have ever tasted. Silky and smooth in texture, the pearls were the perfect texture due to their chewy exterior. These pearls tasted different from other boba due to the smoothness of their texture. I would definitely recommend the boba at Wanpo because it was cooked to perfection and added a delicious treat to my drink. However, while I loved the texture of the pearls, I wish there was more of a brown sugar taste because the pearls did not have a memorable taste.
Amelia’s Boba Ranking: 8.5/10
The texture of the boba was incredible. The pearls had the perfect level of chewiness; the inside was slightly less chewy than the outside, which provided a nice change in texture. However, I do think that the honey taste in the pearls was lacking. I personally enjoy boba that has a strong honey flavor. At Wanpo, although the pearls were perfectly created, they lacked the flavor that I look for in top-tier boba.
Isabel’s Atmosphere Ranking: 8/10
Cozy and modern, the inside of Wanpo Tea Shop is certainly relaxing and nice to sit in. The interior has a variety of modern and bright lights, as well as different wood stains, which give it a homey feel. While I enjoyed the decorations and modernity of the cafe, I wish there were larger tables to do homework on. All in all, I would rank the atmosphere at Wanpo Tea Shop a 8 because while the table space was limited, the overall layout was visually appealing and comfortable.
Amelia’s Atmosphere Ranking: 8.5/10
I really enjoyed doing my homework at Wanpo. Although the table sizes were quite small, they had a cute little couch in the corner where I was able to do my work. The wooden floors and plant decorations added a nice touch of personality to the area. When I went, there was nobody else in the store; however, if you want to get work done during a busy time, I would probably recommend going somewhere else due to the limited table size.
Isabel’s Customer Service Ranking: 9/10
At Wanpo Tea Shop, the customer orders are taken virtually on a touchscreen. While I had little interaction with the employees, they all seemed very nice and put a lot of effort into handcrafting the drinks. They happily greeted the customers with their drinks and cared a lot about the quality of their teas. Although I did not have much interaction with the employees, they seemed very considerate and accommodating toward customers.
Amelia’s Customer Service Ranking: 8/10
Since most orders are taken on a touchscreen device, I didn’t really get to interact with any of the employees. However, they all were very nice when handing me my drink. My only complaint is that Wanpo’s website says that it closes at 6:30 p.m.; however, the employees locked the doors at 6:00 p.m. While they let all customers stay inside until 6:30, they stopped serving people 30 minutes before closing time. Just be aware that if you want to get a drink, you should arrive at least 40 minutes before the designated closing time.