June Tate
You can get a fine cup of coffee at Jade Mountain Cafe, but why would you? This overlooked gem at 2611 E. Johnson St. is owned by immigrants who wanted to re-create an authentic Taiwanese tea house. The friendly staff excels at making boba (aka pearl or bubble tea).
Fruit teas include exotic flavors like lychee, kumquat, coconut and mango and taro. Such pretty colors. But the house specialty is tea — imported directly from Taiwan — listed on the menu according to caffeine content. The bubbles are thumbnail-sized black tapioca pearls. If you’re a tapioca hater, just skip them. But I think they’re kind of magical: perfectly round, sweet and tender.
My barista recommended a Taiwanese Red Milk Tea (basically a tea latte) — with bubbles. Cold, but no ice. What emerged from the hidden kitchen was worth the five-minute wait. Red tea is roasted with barley for a smoky flavor. Blended with the milk into a perfect froth, it was rich and perfectly balanced between sweet and savory.
The interior is simple with long wood tables, all shades of green, of course. A patio and large front window offer, on an October day, a splendiferous view of fall colors.
