The tea• — Restaurant in Monterey Park

I've had the TEA several times now, this most recent visit being on Xmas that just passed, and I'm convinced this is my new fave spot for a Viet Coffee.

I will say that I've only had the Seasalt Cream OG and not the straight up Viet Coffee, but their take on it here is my favorite so far. If you're like me and have had an abundance of Viet Coffees than you have probably seen this common variation with the seasalt cream on top, so the concept is not new, they just do it well here. I like that the foam itself is not too thick like I've seen at some places, so that you can actually really stir it into your drink to evenly distribute the salted foam. The coffee has always been strong enough so that the cream does not overtake the base flavor you want in a good Viet Coffee. Oh and they used crushed ice which for me makes a good Viet Coffee, just that much better.

They are located on Atlantic, right across from Ralphs, and adjacent to Mar Center, so you should be able to find parking in that lot. But just FYI, those spots at the top of the structure are really narrow. There are a few spots directly in front of the TEA if you get lucky.

As I mentioned, my most recent visit was on Xmas, and the staff were all very friendly, especially the girl taking orders. I feel like she might be the owner/manager. She just had a real personal demeanor which is always much appreciated.

There is a nice green aesthetic inside and even though this is there singular location they seem to really have their branding on point with their name, logo, cups, etc. The inside is a longer rectangular shape with the employee work area taking up much of the space. There are a few tables at the front.

With the endless choices of drink spots in the area, be sure you work the TEA into your...

At my first visit I got the jasmine milk tea and I was hooked! I was already craving to go back again before I finished my drink. I enjoy the lightly roasted tea flavor with no bitterness yet sweetly complemented by the creaminess. A great solid option, even considering what other options are located in the area. The mellow milk tea was good but I thought it would be a little more roast-y. Although the color of the milk tea is dark, it was rather light on the tea/roast-y flavor so just know that.

Very open and spacious boba shop with clean, modern interior. Seating is quite limited for the size of the space, as most of the floor space is actually devoted to the barista work station located in the center. You order at the very front and pick up your drink at the very back.

Indoor seating are wooden picnic-y tables. It may be going for the nature-y tea fields vibe but clashes imo and is not at all comfortable for long-term cafe vibes studying.

That side of the plaza is still under some construction so parking right in front of the shop is limited but you can park right to the left because its all the same plaza and there's plenty of parking spaces at all times of...

They have a self-ordering kiosk but you can also order at the counter. We got the matcha matcha blend (6.95), matcha oreo (6.50), and the hojicha (6.00). The drinks took around 5 minutes to be ready and they have a nice counter for picking up your order. The interior only looks pretty chic and the design is very modern. They have a couple of tables to sit at as well.

The drinks were alright. I got the matcha matcha blend with less sugar but it was still on the sweeter side. It got harder to finish it as I drank more because it got sweeter. My friend who got the hojicha got less sweet as well and it was also too sweet that she could not drink much and had to add more milk at home. For the matcha oreo, my friend said it tasted too much like oreo and was too sweet. So, I think the drinks are a bit on the sweeter side here. The cup size is pretty big though but the drinks are on the pricier side.

The drinks were just overall okay and I would probably try another boba place if I was in the area...