Drinking At The House - Lakewood

On the plus side, there's some speculation regarding unusual items on the menu—could they really have drugs? That’s worth a mention! However, a downside is that the Bubbies Mochi Ice Cream didn’t taste quite as fresh as what you’d expect in Hawaii. It seemed to have a bit of freezer burn, which was disappointing.

I've had this dessert and tea cafe on my list for a while! Although I didn't get a chance to try the desserts, we ordered drinks to go, specifically the green tea frappé. They do a great job with their green tea frappé—it's not overly powdery or sweet like you find at some other places. There's plenty of seating inside, and I really wish I could have stayed longer to relax.

I usually visit this cafe late at night, and I always choose to enjoy some delicious traditional Korean teas. My personal favorite is the ginger tea. The teas come topped with crunchy almond pieces, which is a nice addition. I’ve tried their shaved ice before, and it was just okay. I’m interested in exploring some of their other drinks, but I would need to come during the day to have enough time to burn off the extra caffeine or sugar. In the evenings, the cafe gets quite busy with people studying, but there’s always seating available, and it never feels cramped. If I ever needed a place to study, this would be the perfect spot—though thankfully, I don’t! Yay!

I’ve also tried their smoothies, and the kiwi pineapple one has a strong banana flavor, with just a subtle hint of the other fruits. It seems they have a lot of banana smoothies, suggesting that banana might be a common base. My friend ordered a milk tea, but she wasn’t a fan; she found it overly milky. I noticed they have gallons of fresh milk in the fridge, so I believe they use real milk with their fresh tea. This venue is fantastic for studying, as it’s generally quiet and equipped with power outlets. They offer free Wi-Fi with a code, and the tables are spacious, with a few couches available too. The background music is a mix of soft to medium volume K-pop, Top 40 hits, and occasional classical tunes.

The service here was decent, but there was only one person working behind the counter. I can only imagine how much slower it would have been if the place had been busier. The employee wasn't very helpful when I asked for descriptions or recommendations about the desserts; she just kept saying everything was good. Perhaps she was simply shy. I decided to try a green tea macaron and two salted caramel macarons, priced at $2 each. They were soft, which I appreciated, and overall, they were enjoyable, but they didn’t wow me. I also wanted to try one of their ice cream sandwiches, but they only had a flavor I don’t like, so I passed on that. It seems like their dessert selection has dwindled compared to previous reviews and photos. In general, the macarons were good but not extraordinary. Additionally, I wasn't fond of the empty, dreary atmosphere or the fact that I had to order the macarons after viewing a photo instead of seeing them displayed like in most dessert shops. All in all, this won't be my new go-to place for macarons, so the search continues!