Oh Sweet O•CHA

What's sweet and frosty, colorful and chewy, fun and good for you? It's bubble tea, and it is definitely not your grandma's cup o' tea. If you haven't tried it yet, get yourself to O•CHA Tea Bar directly and order some.

You'll have to "build your own" concoction by choosing first from a list of flavors that ranges from the traditional, such as strawberry or peach, to the more exotic passionfruit or lychee. Then you'll need to decide if you want green tea (loaded with powerful antioxidants) or black tea (also packing an antioxidant punch). Slushie or straight iced? Either way is great. You can add milk or not. Then, of course, there are the "bubbles."

The bubbles are actually tapioca pearls, an addition invented in Taiwan. Now before you stop reading, consider this: sure, it's a little strange to have these small, chocolate-colored marbles rolling around in the bottom of the cup (the big fat straw helps to slurp them up), but it's only strange the first time.

The pearls have the chewy consistency of gumdrops and a light, almost indistinct taste, especially if you've chosen a strong fruit base such as green apple. They are, however, highly addictive. As is the whole O•CHA experience.

O•CHA takes its name from the Japanese word for "tea," and the spare little space outfitted in bright white with shiny stainless accents has a distinct minimalist Asian vibe. But situated as it is on the banks of the Reedy River, it could very well be Greenville's version of a café along the Seine. In full view of the Wyche Pavilion and artists' studios on RiverPlace Walk, the tea shop's windows provide a perfect opportunity to watch the world go by, and perhaps catch a glimpse of one of the plein-air artists filling a canvas with a watercolor rendition of the scene. It's hard to resist, what with the ducks, the flowers, and the arching footbridge. Thoroughly charming.

Just because it's picturesque, don't overlook O•CHA's potential for doing business. With free Wi-Fi and a short but tasty menu of light lunch fare, it's a great spot to settle in for a few hours of focused work, or hold a meeting, or both. 

Oh, and did I mention there's mochi? This sweet Japanese ice cream treat is a little larger than bite-size (OK, three small bites) and is coated in a flavored sweet rice wrap. Possibly even more addictive than the bubble tea, it comes in seven flavors.

What are you waiting for? Go try it and drop us a line to tell us about your favorite flavors.