Located off University Avenue in a nook on Bryant Street, Tong Sui is a vibrant spot offering signature coconut-based puddings and a selection of refreshing drinks. The store’s unique layout adds to its charm, featuring a garden-like area with various plants and layered seating that’s perfect to chill with friends.
Matcha Red Bean Pudding ($9.95): 6/10
It takes a while to realize the Matcha Red Bean pudding has matcha. The added red bean flavor enhanced the matcha taste but it would’ve been nice to have more red beans. Each pudding comes with two layers: the intended matcha flavor and the coconut flavor. The matcha flavor should be much stronger because you can barely taste it.
Black Sesame Pudding ($9.95): 7/10
The Black Sesame pudding offers a rich combination of walnut, sesame, and coconut flavors. The sesame pudding has a grainy texture, which contrasts with the smoothness of most other Tong Sui puddings. Made in two layers, it can be tricky to reach the coconut layer beneath the sesame. When combined, the light coconut flavor balances the dense sesame flavor, but on its own, the sesame pudding can quickly become overwhelming.
Mango Mochi Pudding ($10.95): 10/10
The Mango Mochi pudding is a must-have for any Tong Sui first-timers. Right away, the mango’s freshness adds a vibrant sweetness that perfectly complements the light coconut flavor. It perfectly blends the goopy texture of the mango and mochi with the smooth consistency of the pudding, creating an irresistible mouthfeel. Its taste is reminiscent of the flavors of traditional Hong Kong desserts like mango pomelo sago. There’s no doubt that the Mango Mochi pudding takes the cake (or pudding) out of all the Tong Sui puddings.
Brown Sugar Milk Tea With Boba ($6.95): 5/10
You’re better off ordering a classic Brown Sugar Milk Tea elsewhere. This drink was way too sweet, even though I opted for less sweetener when ordering. With only two sweetness options, there is not much to do for those who enjoy less sweet drinks. The drink’s milkiness overpowered the brown sugar flavor, making it less enjoyable. A plus for this drink is that it comes with boba, while for the other drinks adding boba costs an additional dollar.
Sweetheart Matcha With Boba ($7.95): 7/10
The Sweetheart Matcha is a seasonal drink that offers a unique twist on the classic matcha milk tea. The drink features a rose-infused matcha cream on top, which provides a subtle bitterness to the drink, but the rose infusion itself is faint. Eating the petals themselves—a last resort for more flavor—brings out more of the rose, but it is overall still lacking. The milk tea itself is sweet and enjoyable, though the tea is not very strong. After mixing the tea and cream together, it’s hard to discern the matcha flavor, leaving you with a slightly green-tinted milk tea. The boba was standard and had a nice chewy texture. Overall, the Sweetheart Matcha is a charming pick but it would benefit from stronger rose and matcha flavors.
Coco Avocado Drink ($8.95): 7/10
The Coco Avocado drink features a creamy but light texture that sits on the tongue and is a great option if you don’t want an overly sweet and rich smoothie. Switching out the whole milk base for the coconut milk base at no additional cost adds another layer of flavor to the smoothie. When mixed together, the rich flavor of coconut brings out the nutty, and subtly sweet flavor of the avocado. However, the drink can become monotonous after a while, especially considering the large cup sizes at Tong Sui.
Coco Strawberry Drink ($8.95): 9/10
A perfect drink for summer, Coco Strawberry is fresh and sweet. The drink includes a variety of textures, with the smoothie in the beginning, bits of strawberry puree in the middle, and boba at the bottom. While it may seem like any other strawberry smoothie, the rich, fresh flavor of the smoothie and strawberries are still enjoyable and worth the visit.
Tong Sui offers a variety of puddings that are definitely worth trying at least once. However, while the drinks are refreshing and enjoyable, the prices are much higher compared to other boba places that have similar drink selections. If you’re in need of a unique sweet treat, head to Tong Sui.
