In recent years, there has been a rise in milk tea fanatics around the country. Ateneans themselves have joined the craze, if the persistent lines for nearby boba joints are any indication. Along with a variety of soft-serve ice cream bowls, the sought-after drink is brought to JSEC by none other than Bowba.

Taste

Bowba’s menu has six milk tea flavors: Brown Sugar, Okinawa, Wintermelon, Dark Chocolate, and Matcha. These bases can be paired with soft-serve ice cream or sinkers such as pearls, coffee jelly, and nata de coco.

Among the variations of milk tea, the Bowba Signature (Okinawa) and the Tiger (Brown Sugar) are the stall’s best sellers. The Bowba Signature is the definition of the classic milk tea drink. Although the drink contains Okinawa or roasted brown sugar flavoring, its blend of Bowba-made in-house tea and Assam tea gives it an authentic full-bodied taste. The contrast between the tea’s bitterness and the syrup’s sweetness creates that perfect balance of flavor. Pair the concoction with boba, and it becomes a refreshing and satisfying thirst-quencher. 

On the other hand, the Tiger lacks the harmony found in the Bowba Signature. Interestingly enough, the former is technically not milk tea, but rather, a mere mixture of caramelized muscovado sugar and full-cream milk. Hence, it misses the bitterness of tea and banks on a single flavor profile. This results in an overly sweet drink that is a struggle to finish.

Aside from milk tea, Bowba offers soft-serve ice cream in waffle-cone bowls. These come in a variety of combinations, namely, Black Pearl, Coffee Kick, Peach Graham, Fancy Blueberry, Chocolate Oreo, and Mango Graham. Since some blends have more underwhelming flavors, the Coffee Kick and Mango Graham definitely stand out. The Coffee Kick delivers a delicious harmony as the bitter coffee syrup and coffee jelly perfectly combine with the sugary soft-serve. This variant is ideal for people after something less sweet. 

Just as impressive is the Mango Graham. Inspired by a national favorite, this mix of tangy mango bits, graham powder, and sweet caramel syrup is reminiscent of golden childhood days with mango ice-box cake. This is the ultimate Filipino comfort dessert in JSEC. 

Concept

There is nothing innovative about serving milk tea. However, the stall’s offerings are not limited to that particular concoction. A clever play on the words bowl and boba, Bowba differentiates itself by adding edible ice cream bowls into its menu. This addition earns it the title of JSEC’s sole dessert stall this year.

Value for Money

An order of classic milk tea with a single sinker costs Php 100. Turn it into an ice cream float, and the price becomes Php 120. As this is already the cost of a regular JSEC meal, this amount for a drink is quite pricey. On the other hand, a soft-serve bowl costs Php 70. Considering the size, toppings, and waffle-cone bowl, this amount is much more reasonable. In any case, all Bowba’s prices can be somewhat justified by the quality of ingredients used. 

Final Verdict

Bowba’s milk tea and soft-serve bowls are sure to satisfy many Ateaneans’ dessert cravings. Still, some items lack depth and harmony, either falling flat or ending up too sweet. Nonetheless, after a hearty meal in JSEC, consider dropping by Bowba if you need that dose of sugar.

Rating: 3.5/5

Editors’ Note: In the interest of fairness, Vantage writers only reviewed food that was offered by the stalls during their respective taste tests.

Photos by Gabriel J. Medina