#MoreThanMilkTea: The Buzz on Brown Sugar Boba Continues at Xing Fu Tang

A new brand makes its entry to the local market, riding high on the country's obsession with boba milk tea. It's a trend that isn't slowing down any time soon. From Taiwan straight to Manila, meet Xing Fu Tang...

Literally translated to "hall of happiness," Xing Fu Tang is exactly that when it comes to brown sugar boba with their extensive and varied selections. Founded in Taiwan, Xing Fu Tang is the latest player to the metro's emerging and competitive boba market with their wide array of refreshing variants. Read on for more on the latest buzz on boba...

I've always been intrigued, even perplexed, with the exclusively millennial fascination with boba. I have to admit, I am no expert with this type of beverage. Maybe it's a generational thing. Maybe it's the fact that you can chew while drinking at the same time for that playfully fun tactile experience. Whatever the case, boba milk tea drinkers seem to be a happy bunch. But it's amazing to see how traditional beverages are given a contemporary spin, making it new, exciting and refreshingly different. The buzz on boba seems to have surpassed being just another trend, as more brands continue to pop up in the metro. For many milk tea fans, brown sugar boba is definitely the thing nowadays. The deep caramel-like sweetness and the firm chewy texture of the boba simmered in brown sugar play well with the soothing notes of the tea while the infusion of fresh milk caps it with a creamy and dense layer of pure indulgence. And Xing Fu Tang brews diverse expressions of boba with Premium Jasmine Green Tea, Classic Black Tea, Green Tea Mix Oolong Tea, Roasted Oolong Tea and Roselle Tea Mix Black Tea that's sure to catch the attention of this boba-crazy metro.    

Located at the Ground Floor of Promenade in Greenhills right across Beard Papa's (more on Beard Papa's on my earlier post, 20/20: Beard Papa's Celebrates 20 Years of Cream Puff Indulgence with a Special 20% Discount for the New Langue de Chat Puff), Xing Fu Tang offers its own refreshing take on brown sugar boba. 

It's the boba stir-fried and simmered in brown sugar that has transformed the popular beverage adding that distinctive "tiger streaks" on the side of the glass. You can say it's an innovation that reinvigorated the already robust and established milk tea market. The boba is prepared as you order, so you get it fresh, chewy and warm with the caramel-like sweetness straight from the iron wok.

Xing Fu Tang's Brown Sugar Boba Black Tea Latte (P 120/P 130) is the perfect introduction to their line of boba milk teas. The thick sweet boba at the bottom of the glass is layered by fresh milk topped by black tea, coming together in fresh and soothing notes with every sip. The texture of the boba is firm yet soft, never mushy. The bold flavors of the toasted brown sugar ties all the components together, enhancing the black tea while the dense layer of creamy fresh milk completes the beverage. It's both soothing and decadent at the same time, with each sip delivering even more intense flavors. 

Xing Fu Tang gets playfully creative with their uniquely blended smoothie topped with the rabbit-shaped panna cotta...

The Mango Smoothie and Rabbit Panna Cotta (P 140) combines the tart sweetness of mangoes with the rich creamy notes and silky texture of panna cotta for balanced flavors. The colorful fruit-based beverage delivers a refreshing tropical vibe, just what you need to perk up your day. 

For those who prefer an option without dairy, the Lemon Black Tea (P 100) is the ideal choice with the deep notes of black tea punctuated by the bright hints of lemon.

Bannered by these three flagship variants, Xing Fu Tang takes on the local market with its innovative blends. 

But there's so much more to experience and discover at Xing Fu Tang in a variety of flavors and colors. In addition to the Brown Sugar Boba Black Tea Latte, Mango Smoothie and Rabbit Panna Cotta and Lemon Black Tea, Xing Fu Tang also offers a Brown Sugar Boba Milk, Brown Sugar Boba and Herbal Jelly Milk, Soda and Handmade Jelly, Matcha Boba Milk, Strawberry Boba Milk, Brown Sugar Boba Milk Tea, Grapefruit Green Tea and Lemon Green Tea. And I totally get it. It's fun, even liberating to chew and drink at the same time. Just take your pick and experience your own "hall of happiness" at Xing Fu Tang. 

You can find Xing Fu Tang at the 5/F of The Podium, Mandaluyong City and the G/F of Promenade, Greenhills, San Juan City.

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