What's got chewy, marble-size balls, tastes like ice milk tea and gets sucked through a big, fat straw? The answer is pearl tea -- a wacky and tasty snack-in-a-beverage from Taiwan now being served in Tokyo.
Also known as boba tea, bubble tea and its original Mandarin name "zhenzhu naicha," pearl tea is an Eastern holdout against the West's encroaching espresso bar.
Typically served in a clear plastic cup, the richest of the pearl teas is a concoction of black tea, coconut milk, ice and a bunch of dark, rubbery, tapioca-style pearls in light caramel syrup sitting in plain sight near the bottom. The gelatinous pearls themselves are made from a sweet potato powder and sugar base.