The Boba Bandwagon
Bubble tea and snacks at D.I.Y. Tea & Beyond By Rachael Carnes
O
nce unheard of, boba tea, or bubble tea,
features chewy tapioca, or “boba” balls
that patrons slurp down with a wide
straw, along with a milky iced tea.
“It started in Taiwan in the 1980s,”
says D.I.Y. Tea & Beyond owner
Richard Zheng. “Now it’s all over the world.”
Zheng says his shop’s boba tea is a standout
because of its brewing process, using a tea
espresso machine, and the way they prepare the
addictive little boba balls themselves:
“We call it ‘brown sugar taste,’” Zheng
says, describing how the Boba balls at D.I.Y.
are dredged in sweetness for a particularly rich,
nutty taste.
Zheng came to the U.S. from mainland
China to go to college in New York City at age
19. “I worked on Wall Street for a while, then I
quit my job to open a tea shop in L.A.,” he says.
Fierce competition in California drove Zheng to
a quieter community, without so much boba per
square inch.
Zheng’s cozy space at 13th and Patterson
near the UO campus offers tea, coffee and
snacks. “Our house milk tea is our biggest
seller,” he says.
Made with roasted green tea and a blend
of milk tea powders, the iced drink is creamy
without being cloying.
6
CHOW SPRING 2016
For the
inexperienced,
grass jelly is
a Jell-O-like
treat, dark
green-brown
in color,
which makes a
surprisingly
tasty addition
to any cold or
hot beverage.
“Lots of people, they put grass jelly in their
drink,” Zheng adds.
For the inexperienced, grass jelly is a Jell-O-
like treat, dark green-brown in color, which makes
a surprisingly tasty addition to any cold or hot
beverage. “Some people put it in a drink or as a
topping. Or they’ll have it as dessert, with a little
honey,” Zheng says.
For snacks, D.I.Y. offers homemade popcorn
chicken, flavored with salt and pepper and special
spices. “It’s hand-marinated and prepped fresh,”
Zheng says.
Other offerings include sweet-butter toast,
made from locally sourced milk bread and topped
with chocolate, cream and sweet butter.
“I went to every Asian grocery store in town
and no one had this bread. So finally I asked a
local Japanese restaurant [Kamitori Masa] to bake
it for me.”
Zheng is thinking big and hopes to franchise his
concept as it gains traction. But in the meantime,
he’s hoping folks might try something new.
“This tea is very popular right now,” Zheng
says. “A lot of Chinese students, they know this
kind of stuff, and more Americans are coming
here every day, too.” ■
D.I.Y. Tea & Beyond is open 11 am to 11 pm Monday through
Friday, and 1 to 11 pm on Saturdays, at 1290 Patterson Street.
See the restaurant’s Facebook page for more info.
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