Before I stepped foot in Jade Mountain Cafe, I was trying to remember when was the last time I had bubble tea, the specialty here. Sadly, it may have been several years ago, when the bubble tea place at the old University Square existed (I never went to Bubble Island at the now-defunct food court).
I’m guessing it won’t be years in between sips again, as the bubble tea at this small cafe not too far from Ella’s Deli is fantastic. You can order from the milk teas (e.g. black, oolong, etc.) or from the iced fruit teas (e.g. peach, mango, etc.). Prices are $2-$2.50 for small, $2.30-$2.80 for medium and $2.50-$3 for large; just add 50 cents for the tapioca or lychee jelly bubbles.
I immensely enjoyed the passion fruit, lychee and red bubble teas, in that order. They’re just so refreshing that I could see myself slurping them on the outdoor patio on a hot summer day. Word of caution: don’t slurp too quickly, or you may choke.
Jade has a full coffee selection as well. There also are a few appetizers, desserts and pastries (provided by Stella’s) on the menu. I had the 10-piece chicken pot stickers ($4.99), which appeared overcooked but actually were quite flavorful. I wouldn’t order the pork steamed bun ($3.25) again, though delicious as the filling was, there was just a tiny bit of it (95 percent bread otherwise).
Jade Mountain Cafe is open every day. You can find parking on the street, or there’s a small parking lot nearby, though the stalls aren’t marked well.