A new venture in Girgaon is attracting foodies for their Korean ice cream bingsu. We drop by for a taste test to see what the buzz was about
Choco hazelnut bingsu
As if to celebrate the onset of summer in South Korea, a new venture, Yo! Boba at Girgaon, has introduced the increasingly popular Korean staple, bingsu, to its menu. Last weekend, this writer dropped by the eatery to find it jam-packed with youngsters. It had only been a week since its inception, and the queue was spilling out of the small space, onto the main road.
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The Girgaon venue has an open kitchen without a seating area
We waited for nearly 15 minutes before it was finally our turn to place the order. There is only space for a counter and an open kitchen. With no seating area, customers are required to collect their orders and head elsewhere, or find a spot near the eatery. A family of four behind the counter was working overtime to navigate the overwhelming response. While the menu boasted of nearly 10 flavours of bingsu (black current, berry blast, strawberry, mango tango, coffee, among others), they were currently only serving their bestseller, choco hazelnut bingsu (Rs 229). Along with this, we placed an order for their other specialties — lychee boba tea (milk-base) (Rs 179) and passion fruit boba tea (soda) (Rs 149).
Lychee boba tea is refreshing
The crowding within the tiny space made it tough for us to see how the bingsu is made. We managed to snatch a glimpse that revealed machines installed in the kitchen to make these desserts. Our order was ready in five minutes. A dollop of shaved and flaky ice cream was served alongside a generous amount of chewy boba topped with chocolate syrup.
Patbingsu, the traditional milk-based, shaved Korean ice cream, is usually served with red beans, chopped fruit and fruit syrup. This one was an interesting variation with tapioca pearls. Courtesy its flaky texture, the ice cream melts instantly in your mouth. The taste is hardly different from the regular chocolate ice cream. However, the pearls add a playful element to it.
Passion fruit boba tea. Pics/Devanshi Doshi
Next, we tried their lychee boba tea and passion fruit boba tea. The former was sweet, while passion fruit was a tad sour. To our disappointment, several popping boba pearls had already burst open in the beverages, possibly in haste while preparing them.
The increasing curiosity to explore Asian food culture among Mumbaikars is bound to draw in crowds here. But will the venue find regular customers in a location which houses many other leading ice cream ventures like Naturals, Baskin Robbins, Apsara, and even decades-old kulfi carts, all just a few metres away? We believe it will come down to constant innovation in flavours and presentation. All in all, the bingsu is fun to try, and the boba teas are unfailingly refreshing.
Yo! Boba
AT Sopariwala Estate, Charni Road, Girgaon.
Till 11.30 pm
Call 8108205557
Also check out
Taro tea bingsu
At Dr Rizz, Poonam Garden Road, Mira Road East.
Log on to @darizzspot
Lotus Biscoff bingsu
At HighCha, Inorbit Mall, Malad West; also at Kandivali.
Call 9930236084
PICS COURTESY/INSTAGRAM
Classic bingsu
At Barako, outside Phoenix Mall, Lower Parel, also t Bandra, Colaba, and Mulund.
Call 9867544164
Nutty fudgy chocolate bingsu
At The Bite Hub, Godrej Hill Road, Kalyan.
Log on to @the_bite_hub
**** Exceptional, *** Excellent, ** very Good, * Good, Average. Yo! Boba didn’t know we were there. The Guide reviews anonymously and pays for meals
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