Philip Ashby
Kung Fu Tea is a new bubble tea franchise at 449 State St. That shopfront briefly hosted a Firehouse Subs last year; before, it was home to Dobra Tea, a purist’s haven with a Zen-like reverence for its product. Now there’s boisterous K-pop on the speakers and something called “wow milk,” which is really just a lactose-free milk.
There is, however, recognizable tea listed on the menu — jasmine, Earl Grey and oolong, along with white gourd tea and longan red date tea. Drinks come as “classic” (no milk) or, better, with milk, or add a fruit flavor for a drink that Kung Fu calls “punch.” Slushies (with crushed ice) and smoothies are available, as well as toppings: bubbles, nata jelly, red bean, mung bean and pudding.
Steepery Tea Bar is just a block away, yet the menus are different enough so that each shop should be able to win its own fans. Kung Fu lists more specific teas, versus Steepery’s “black,” “green” and “chai,” while the Steepery has jellies in more fruit flavors. Kung Fu seems more Asian than Steepery; its menu is printed in Chinese as well as English.
An Earl Grey black tea classic with tapioca bubbles lacked much Earl Grey flavor, or much character at all. But this isn’t the place to rest on the familiar. Go all out with strawberry lemon green tea, or peach oolong punch, or an earthy red date tea with red bean pearls.
