T-Go Tea

I've talked ad nauseam about how businesses have to set themselves apart when there is far too much competition in the marketplace.  If one just does the same and expects people to remember them, then that is really a stretch.  So let's talk bubble tea.  Merely dismissed as a fad earlier on, this seemingly simple drink is here to stay.  You'd think with all of the various options available, there wouldn't be anymore opening up.  But it seems like a new one, whether it be a chain or independent, throw their hats into the ring monthly.  Remember when I said one must stand out amongst the trees?  Well, T-Go Tea offers up quality individual bagged premium teas to create a consistent product.  They even have Teapresso machines to further refine the product.

I was recently invited to sample some of their new flavours including the Honey Aloe Green Tea.  As expected, the aloe added a floral quality that was pronounced but was balanced off by the sweetness of honey and the slight bitterness of the green tea.  All of the flavours seemed harmonious rather than one being stronger than the other.  On that note, the sugar content was just about right.  Right beside it in the picture was something completely different being the purple-coloured Diamond Purple Rice with cubes of milk (which are supposed to represent the diamonds).  This was lighter than it appeared with purple rice hence the slight nuttiness.  Of course it was also milky and lightly sweet.

One of the more surprising drinks was the Sea Salt Assam Black Tea (left drink in the picture).  The intensity of the sweetness was actually enhanced by the salt (in a salted caramel like manner).  Hence, there was caramel-like finish that was smooth, rich and full-of-depth.  The drink was creamy and silky. Since they use individual tea bags with a press at T-Go, I'm not sure if it was psychological or not, but the tea flavour in the Toasted Oolong Tea Latte was pronounced with a nice finish.  I guess the fact they toasted it added a certain nuttiness as well. There was an option to use fresh milk hence this one was mildly milky.  That let the tea stand on its own.

The next 2 included the Honey Plum Tea.     and Oreo Cookie Blizzard Smoothie. As for the honey plum tea, it wasn't overly sweet, so the light tang and bitterness was able to come to the forefront.  It was slightly aromatic and lightly floral.  The pearls in both drinks were appealingly chewy with a nice mouth-feel with a touch of sweetness.  Yes, the Oreo smoothie wasn't going to win any diet beverage awards, but it was good nonetheless.  It was creamy with the distinct taste of Oreo cookies.  Surprisingly, it wasn't crazy sweet nor too rich.  Hence, one could drink this with a little less guilt?

Onto the last 2 drinks, we had the Avocado Goodness Smoothie and Sweet Peaches Smoothie.  Naturally, they were presented rather attractively without their lids, but hey, it made a good picture right?  Well, truth be told, they drank as good as they photographed.  The avocado was actually made with almond milk, so those who have lactose-intolerances can rejoice.  It was pretty creamy like ice cream and not notably sweet.  There was a slight almond milk aftertaste though.  The sweet peach was refreshing as expected and lightly floral.  It tasted like peach and was blended smooth (as a smoothie should be).  Overall, I enjoyed the drinks at T-Go Tea where they have done a good job at being a bit more unique than the regular.

*All beverages were complimentary*

The Good:
- Individual tea bags ensure consistency and flavour
- Easy on the sugar
- Some unique flavours and many options

The Bad:
- Not much to critique about the product, but the parking situation can be difficult at peak hours
- Not much seating