Asian Comfort Food - Bubble Tea and Thick Toast

This is Asian soul food. When we feel happy, we go for bubble tea to celebrate. When we are sad, we drown our sorrows in milk tea and tapioca. It's our comfort food alright. Featured here is the tofu dessert with pearls from Bubble World. Some people might irk at the thought of a cold, sweet tofu consistency as dessert (like many do when they hear about Chinese desserts with beans) but this soft, slurp-able drink in sugary syrup with round tapioca pearls is one of my favorite bubble teas. And they do it oh-so-right at the Bubble World on Kingsway.

Here we can a nice baked thick toast covered in condensed milk. Fatty and delicious! Other popular toppings include peanut butter, chocolate or just plain butter and sugar. The perfect warm and gooey snack to wash down with an ice cold bubble tea! Whatever you do, do NOT count your calories at this place. Rumor has it that a milk tea with pearls has more calories than a Big Mac!

An Estea Classic - Deep Fried Chicken on Rice with an Assorted Bean Slush

I have been a coming to Estea for their food and bubble tea ever since I was in high school. That must mean something. Although they have altered their staff, decor and dishes many times over and over again, I will still drive the distance for great bubble tea, chewy pearls and consistently good food. Years ago, their deep fried pork chop on rice with an amazing 'duck sauce' over rice paired with marinated egg and tofu was my favorite. Now the sides have changed and portions have become a wee bit smaller but it still remains a Phan fave. However, in the picture above, you will see my latest favorite, deep fried chicken on rice. I love how BBT places always have interesting sides to pair with their meals - it's a surprise every time. Delicious and reasonably priced at around $7-8.

This is also hands down, my all-time-favorite bubble tea flavor in the world! Assorted bean slush, hold on the pearls because you will be dang full after you've sipped the last bean. To non-Asians, it may sound weird to have beans in your cold, icey dessert drink but trust me on this one!!! Green, red, kidney, all types of beans blended with condensed milk = one satisfying Phan fave drink!

Double Dragon

This day, I bid a very envious adieu to my Amsterdam-bound-gal-pal MY at The Naam. We gabbed over food and said our goodbyes as she embarked on a 3 month journey abroad, cycling around in cute outfits, meeting hot European men and partying her little heart out. JEALOUS! Anyhoo, we were actually dying to have the lunch Dragon bowl (which I've never had) but we came during breakfast hours and settled for the breakfast version instead. My first experience was a pleasant enough one. We shared three plates of potato-and-egg plentiful dishes and were stuffed silly. Above, you see the open-faced Croissant Witch with scrambled eggs and veggie sausage over their homefries. I'm guessing that their food is made bland (healthy) and the flavor is added on with S&P and ketchup to your liking (which in my case, I had to add a whole lot).

We knew that we had to have their staple Breakfast Dragon Bowl with similar ingredients to the above dish except this was mixed with their famous miso gravy (which I couldn't really taste to be honest). Nonetheless, it was a hearty and filling breakfast. What I did really like was their thick toast and homemade jam, actually!

To compliment our starchy meals, we ordered a cup of their yogurt and fruit bowl which was quite nice and refreshing for our palates.

Why Double Dragon you ask? (Btw, I thought this name was brilliant because I got to experience two 'dragon' foods in one day!) In the afternoon, I met up with a few more friends at Dragon Ball Tea House and had another Phan fave there - the green tea ice cream slush with pearls. This combo is deadly. First of all, I don't know how they manage to get pearl consistency perfection each time. Of all bubble tea places, I think they have the best pearls (close runner ups are Bubble World and Estea). Second, I swear I saw them scoop the ice cream out and microwave it for 15 seconds once (is this their secret tactic?). Then the crazy chemistry of the frozen ice cream and warm pearls magically mixes and solidifies into an amazing dessert drink! It's damn filling, but worth every sip. =)