Tapioca Express — Restaurant in Cerritos

"And I'm on tonight You know my hips don't lie And I'm starting to feel it's right All the attraction, the tension Don't you see baby, this is perfection." - "Hips Don't Lie", Shakira

When it comes to fried food and sweet drinks, my hips certainly don't lie.

I used to frequent the Tapioca Express In Lakewood, located on South St. and Woodruff Ave. Having closed many years ago, I missed their crispy chicken (aka popcorn chicken) and pork chop plates. Many a day were they my go-to dinner or mid-afternoon merienda. Usually whenever I'm at the Cerritos Town Centre, I hit up Yasai for some hardcore sushi action, passing up Tapioca Express, The Great Steak & Potato Company etc. Hearing my stomach rumbling with hunger pains of yesteryear, I finally indulged this Tapioca Express so they can show me what they're working with.

Yup, had to order the porkchop plate & crispy chicken plate, mild spice with both including choice of iced black or green tea.

Greasy, yet good. The porkchop was tender with each bite, the chicken moist and sized in perfect poppable bites. Both were seasoned well, even if they were supposed to be mild. The cabbage was soggy, but the soy sauce egg was as delicious as I remembered. The ground pork reminded me of corned beef and the few slices of Taiwanese sausage were the combination of both sweet and savory. Maybe my nostalgia has rose-tinted glasses, but the plates didn't taste as good as I remembered. Or, it could be my taste palate has become more refined over the years. Yeah, foodie snob here ;p

Service was a little slow, with the late dinner crowd filing in for some cold boba drinks to indulge in and cool off. I was told the wait was because the porkchop takes a little longer to cook. Can't blame them for making sure it's cooked thoroughly. Don't want worms in the tummy!

There are a few tables inside and outdoor tables to dine al fresco. I'd recommend ordering food and/or drinks to go.

Overall, Tapioca Express is A-okay. Nothing extraordinary, but not a bad choice for a boba drink, coffee or an order of crispy...

Love having the red bean ice at this place clean and good! 👈🏼3years ago!!! **Update 7/16/23 place is not as clean as before red bean not as good……had an red bean icy today… wow it was the worst not sure what the kid did to this icy !!! Well it was icy but had no flavor no milk not that red beanie taste it was terrible Think-it didn’t help that while we were the first in line. You think that was a good thing but no he started our drink then stopped to get every freakin order that came in other person in back was no help…then started our again maybe that’s why it had no flavor it probably melted as it sat there !!!!! Zero stars but it wil not let me! No...

Tapioca Express is a solid spot for a quick and satisfying bubble tea fix, and more! They offer a huge selection of milk teas, snow bubbles (blended icy drinks), and fruit teas, so there's truly something for everyone. Beyond the drinks, they're well-known for their crispy popcorn chicken and other savory snacks like French fries and potstickers, making it a great place for a combo meal. It's a popular choice for a casual hangout or a study break, with generous portions and a wide variety of...