Battle of the bubble tea ice cream.
Our experience
2020 may well be remembered as a viral year, and we don’t just refer to Covid-19 or bushfires. You may recall our earlier round-up review of the Bubble Tea dessert trend that was spreading like a wildfire in NYC late last year to early this year. If you follow worldwide dessert trends like we do, you will know that this particular dessert trend shows no sign of abetting. In this review, we taste-test two brands of Bubble Tea Ice Cream: Xiao Mei (小美) and Tiger Sugar (老虎堂).
Both brands come in boxes of four. Here’s a summary of our taste test, followed by close-up photos of the Xiao Mei and then, Tiger Sugar version. Let us know which you prefer!
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Xiao Mei (小美) Bubble Tea Ice Cream |
Tiger Sugar (老虎堂) Bubble Tea Ice Cream |
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Price point |
Approx USD $7-8 |
Approx USD $8-9 |
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Appearance |
Melts moderately Intensely marbled brown
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Melts quickly (does not survive commutes 😦 ) Pallid beige-brown |
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Ice cream taste |
Saccharine Stronger burnt caramel flavour |
Creamier Stronger milk tea flavour
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Bubble pearls |
Softer pearls Many small pearls |
Chewier pearls Infrequent, ultra large pearls
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Dessert adventure checklist
- ☑ Dessert destination: We found the Xiao Mei Bubble Tea Ice Cream at a South-East Asian grocery store on Mulberry Street, and the Tiger Sugar Bubble Tea Ice Cream at the Hong Kong Supermarket on Hester Street. You might also be able to find it via online grocery stores, albeit with a delivery fee.
- ☑ Budget: $ (USD $7-$9).
- ☑ Sweet irresistibles: Ice Cream.
- ☑ Must-eat: Xiao Mei Bubble Tea Ice Cream for an intense experience, or the Tiger Sugar version for a milkier/creamier taste.
- ☑ The short and sweet story: Battle of the bubble tea ice cream.
Dessert Correspondents 