Ventura County’s boba lacks adequate taste
Boba is a growing sensation that consists of chewy tapioca pearls in different flavored drinks. There are not many good boba lounges in Ventura County, but as a boba connoisseur, here are the ones I have visited and rated.
It’s Boba Time, a boba restaurant in Oxnard and Simi Valley, has good quality boba and is the only place in all of Ventura County that has honey boba, which are tapioca pearls mixed with honey before being put in the drink. The milk tea from It’s Boba Time has the best flavor, but where it leads in milk tea, it lacks in smoothies and slushies. It’s Boba Time is very good, but not spectacular, so it is rated a 4/5.
Matcha is a relatively newly opened boba place at the Janss Marketplace. Their tapioca pearls are very chewy and flavorful, one of the best in the area. But if you do not like boba that runs sweet, this is not the place for you. Matcha is rated a 4/5.
Subsequently, Wild Cherry is located on North Moorpark Road, near the Conejo Valley Plaza. Their drinks are mostly fruity and their “creations,” mixtures of different flavors that they made on their own, are the best on the menu. But the boba they put in the drinks are obviously frozen, and if left out for long enough, an opaque brown layer will settle on top of the boba, which becomes tough and flavorless. Wild Cherry’s boba would be rated a 2/5, mostly because of their frozen boba.
Pho & Tea is at the entrance of the Oaks Mall, in the food court with Great Khans, Panda Express and Sarku Japan. The only drink worth buying there is the Vietnamese Coffee Blend, which is basically just coffee with boba in it. There are much better boba restaurants in the area, it would be best not to waste time at a place like that. Pho & Tea, the worst in Ventura County, would be rated a 1/5.
Next, Bobas Cuz is in Moorpark, near Magnolia Park. The quality of the tapioca pearls here are about the same as the ones at Matcha. The smoothies, while initially satisfying, tend to become icy towards the bottom of the cup and the thai tea at Bobas Cuz leaves stains on your teeth after consumption. The interior has a cozy atmosphere, as it is essentially a renovated home made into a boba lounge. The rating for Bobaz Cuz would be a 4/5.
Obviously, boba from Ventura County is not the best. Bounce Boba, although not in Ventura County, is definitely worth the drive to Northridge. The boba is of the highest caliber and the drinks there are to die for. While this is not an important factor, the shape of the cups are unique and cute. This boba lounge has a sort of sophisticated but mellow vibe that makes it a perfect place to relax with your friends. This is one of the best lounges for boba because of the high quality and great service. I would rate Bounce Boba a 5/5.
