Dr/Dressed in white overalls, a ‘tea specialist’ is stationed behind the counter at the newly launched bubble tea bar Dr Bubbles – Chai Specialist, in Bandra. It resembles a laboratory with its white walls and neat interiors. A series of jars filled with various liquids (flavors), and two large steel containers (to store the bubbles) line the counter. A colorful board overhead lists varieties offered.

This frothy delicious drink, called Bubble Tea was invented in Taiwan in the 80s, and today it is a very popular trend in a lot of Asian countries. In recent times, Mumbai based Asian restaurants like Lemon Leaf, Eat Thai, Trikaya, tea lounges like Tea Trail have introduced various flavors of Bubble Tea on their menu. Most recipes of Bubble Tea include actual tea, and contain milk or fruit flavors as the base, to which juicy, soft tapioca balls or fruit jellies are added. There is a misconception that it is called ‘bubble’ tea because of the tapioca pearls. The name actually comes from the fact that when the drink is prepared, it is shaken in a cocktail shaker to form air bubbles, making the drink frothy. “The main attraction of this drink is its texture and presentation. It gives an unconventional twist to regular iced teas.

Bubble tea, in its original form, is more of an acquired taste, owing to the heavy use of tapioca. Yet, it has made it to Australia, US and UK over the last five years. Internationally, honeydew-flavored bubble tea is quite the rage. At Lemon Leaf, Rangras plans to introduce five new flavors, including Green Apple and Malaysian Spice.

For those who like the original bubble tea, Dr Bubbles – Chai Specialist offers freshly made tapioca as one of the toppings. And if you are in a mood to experiment, watch out for new additions like chocolate and coffee poppers. While the teas are refreshing and different, all the ingredients used to make the tea are naturally sourced. For instance, the poppers are made of aloe vera gel (instead of the usual gelatin) and the fruit-based jellies are made of coconut.

Quirky packaging and the thick straw are also part of the draw. In fact, drinking bubble tea almost always turns into a game, as you try to fish out the bubbles with the straw, and then feel it pop in your mouth.

Whenever I am in Bandra, I make it a point to visit Dr. Bubbles. I have tried almost all their fruit flavors. I experiment with the bubbles and the flavors. The tapioca bubbles are great to pop. When they pop in your mouth, they give out a burst of flavors. You can try bubbles that complement the tea flavors or use something totally different. Dr. Bubbles uses actual natural green or black tea in its ice teas, and it is super refreshing. It is super fun to suck up the bubbles from the glass. They have also come up with some stickers, small ones and big ones for fans like me to paste it on their cars or walls or tables or just anywhere.

Recently, they have launched a new venture – Dr. Waffles with great waffle flavors. I did not get a chance to try out the waffles but I am sure they are going to be just as delicious.