OROBAE — Restaurant in Irvine

Its taken me this long to see what this Boba tea thing is all about. The lines outside these tea shops are ALWAYS long. I had to know what I was missing. I could use some special powers. It was open-space ordering outdoors with plexiglass dividers and thorough disinfecting between each guest. There was about 5 people in front of me, so I was able to listen to what others were ordering (even with the 6ft gaps between each person) I wasnt able to hear any one specific favorite. Everyone ordered a good variety of what was on the menu, so that gave me the indication that everything was good. The line moved quickly. The menu was easy to understand as far as the different varieties of tea available. From the sweetness level to the ice level and the different flavor beads, but I remained undecided. I had overheard the gentleman behind the plexiglass deliver the news that they were out of the tapioca beads and did so with such professionalism. Rather than it coming off as "bad news", he made a suggestion as to what other flavor would be great in its place. One after the other, this guy showed genuine hospitality to every guest. Ive done the whole restaurant thing, and there is a real difference between friendly (fake) and genuine. Its like the customer service "phone voice" that gets raised up about 3 pitches. everyone. By the time I made it to the front, they had been closed for almost an hour, yet never made an annoying announcement or cut off the line. I was really impressed by that. I was now seeing the face behind the voice I had been hearing. I peer in to the shop and notice the staff working like a well-oiled machine. When I stated that I was new to the whole boba concept, and needed some direction, there was real passion in his response. The level of product based knowledge was high as he shared a bit of background behind the tea itself. I requested his recommendation on what to order within the milk tea category. Having a preference toward more oaky notes, I ended up with the Roasted Oolong with coffee beads and the Pineapple Slush. I was pleasantly surprised to learn that they do not accept cash at this time in an effort to minimize the spread of COVID. I applaud that. One can CLEARLY see that this place has a service standard that I truly wish everyone had. I was treated like family, despite being the only white girl in line. I was embraced and welcomed. Most businesses see dollar signs. This place simply wants to share the product they are proud of, and get paid too, of course. This wound up being much longer than I had planned. Wow. Thank you for such a pleasant experience! I...

In short, it’s great if you generally love tea and know exactly how you want your boba tea to taste like. You can taste the tea aroma and so it feels like an elegant cold British tea. But the caffeine will hit you hard at the end.

Long version: So every time we visit Irvine, we see this long line at this mall. We asked our friends who travel a lot to Irvine if they know this place and usually they do. They say how different their boba milk teas taste. Also, the reviews are mixed; some praise them to the max, the others say they are so-so.

We finally tried them and can say why people have mixed reviews. We tried the top two: Rising Phoenix and Metal Buddha, both oolong tea based.

First, you can definitely taste the aroma of the tea; this is where the first divide happens. If you’re not used to regular hot tea like Earl grays or Green teas; the boba teas may feel like they’re watery. However, if you are a regular tea drinker and know brands like Fortnam or Mariage frères, you’ll appreciate the balance Orobae created in their drinks. My friend easily explained it as: “like drinking cold British tea with bobas.”

Second divide is the sugar and ice control: Orobae’s recipe will put the tea taste first and the milk will not interfere with it, meaning at first taste you may feel less of the milk. So no matter what level of sugar or ice you put in, the drinks will either taste like elegant milk tea (for fans) or watered down boba teas (for non-fans). And this can be a put off for non-tea drinkers since boba tea is generally known for its strong taste, creaminess and milkiness. Though you can definitely feel the creaminess at the end of the drink (or maybe it’s the caffeine hitting you hard at the end.)

Recommended to try, if you’re sick of the redundant taste of general boba milk teas.

If you aren’t so particular about boba milk tea tastes then only try when there isn’t much of a line.

Hope this helps for those on the fence for waiting in line for milk teas.

Other notes. You order outside. Mention you are first-timers and you can adjust the taste after your order comes out. Orders come out in batches so be alert for numbers at least 2-3 above you. Service was great, kind and professional.

Personally, I liked the first few sips, but I’m now an old millennial so can’t take too much caffeine and sugar.

And...

Food: 4.5/5 Service and Setting: 4.5/5 Value: 3/5

Orobae is arguably one of the most popular boba shops in Irvine. Though they have a physical storefront and COVID-19 restrictions have become more lax, Orobae still chooses to operate entirely outdoors for customers. The lines can get very long, but they work efficiently and I’ve never needed to wait longer than 15 minutes. Be warned, waiting in the spring or summer sun can be brutal. After you order your drink, you will pick it up at the adjacent table where someone will ask if you have had the drink before, and if you have not, to taste it in front of them to ensure that it is up to your expectations before you go. The customer service is great but a part of me feels so bad for the employees that need to ask this hundreds of times a day.

Honey Gyokuro Green Milk Tea: 4.5/5 I have had several of Orobae’s drinks and they are all very similar in terms of sweetness, ice levels, and most importantly, quality. The Honey Gyokuro Green Milk Tea is on the sweeter end and has a sharp saccharine taste upon your first sip, typical of drinks sweetened with honey. Even with no changes to the level of ice, your drinks will not have too much excess ice as I believe Orobae uses fresh brewed teas in their drinks, so I do not recommend getting any less ice. Unlike many other boba shops, you can really taste the flavors of the tea and the dairy/sweetness compliments the more complex and floral notes without masking any of them. The drink itself is flavorful, full-bodied, and refreshing. I just wish that Orobae would be more adventurous in their flavor combinations, but quality and consistency is definitely the name of their game. If this your first time at Orobae, I think that this should be a safe...