Iconic and authentic Taiwanese milk tea franchise Milksha has finally opened its doors in Los Angeles, with their first LA location in Westwood, just under a mile from campus. The name originates from their dedication to solely using fresh milk instead of typical creamer powders for the entirety of their menu. Milksha teased their opening on their social media channels, promoting a giveaway for their first 100 customers that featured a tote bag, stickers and even a tumbler.
The opening day on May 7, saw long lines at 11 a.m. sharp, largely due to their buy-one-get-one-free offer on the opening day, followed by 30% off on all items the following Friday and Saturday. Stacked with a photobooth, DJ and other festive decorations and celebrations, the opening was promising — but did the drinks live up to expectations?
BruinLife’s Ali Alfarsi, a first-year neuroscience student, and Caroline Gin, a third-year business economics student, tried five beverages, four of which were promoted on the menu that was being handed out. The promoted drinks were the Cloudy Cream Uji Matcha, the Single-Origin Black Tea Latte, the Handcrafted Brown Sugar Milk, the Fresh Taro Milk with Honey Boba and finally the Westwood-specific Campus Crush. All drinks can be adjusted to your preferred sweetness level, but start at 50% sweetness and can be increased or decreased.
Campus Crush
Just like the two contrasting blue and yellow colors of the drink, our writers had contrasting opinions.
Alfarsi: This was one of the drinks I was most excited about, considering it was a new drink limited to Westwood and flaunted UCLA’s blue and yellow colors. It tasted refreshing and sweet, though it felt a bit too sweet. The drink leaves a cotton candy aftertaste in your mouth, which is somewhat unexpected, but makes this a top contender for those who enjoy cotton candy and sweet beverages.
Gin: Campus Crush, being a Westwood exclusive, made it a must-try for the first time going to Milksha as it flaunted UCLA’s blue and yellow school colors. The cotton candy flavor is caught in the aftertaste and some people may instead taste more of a fruity tropical essence. However, for most students, the mango slush of the drink is the most familiar flavor and is prominent. It’s reminiscent of my specific craving for a blue raspberry slush before going to watch a movie at the theaters. It tasted refreshing and sweet, though after drinking for a while it could lean a little too sweet. For those with a sweet tooth and school spirit, this could be the perfect refreshing drink in Westwood village.
Cloudy Cream Uji Matcha
Although our writers have different takes on matcha, the two different backgrounds culminate in one shared and agreed-upon take on Milksha’s Cloudy Cream Uji Matcha.
Alfarsi: As someone who typically does not like to drink matcha after many instances of trying it, I was pleasantly surprised by Milksha’s take. It tasted light and was not overpowering at all and the sweetness felt minimal, which is a nice change from matchas that are typically heavily sweetened. The cream top added a rich texture to the drink itself and balanced the matcha’s flavor.
Gin: Out of all of their signature drinks, I was most skeptical about their matcha, especially with Los Angeles being a haven for matcha lovers like myself. Surprisingly, I found the beverage to be a great balance between bitterness and sweetness. Their matcha leans more on a milder note rather than intensely grassy but I think for a boba front, this choice pairs well with their other toppings. The creamy top has a salty note that, when mixed with the matcha latte, creates an indulgent caffeine fix.
Single-Origin Black Tea Latte
The name of the “Single-Origin Black Tea Latte” reads very inconspicuously; it isn’t the most eye-catching compared to drinks like “Out of this Swirl” or “Cha-Cha Churro.” Despite that, we both agree that the taste makes it a clear contender for one of the best classic black milk teas. Unexpectedly, the tea is strong and fragrant at the first sip. Tea leaves are sourced from Sri-Lanka’s Ruhana region and pack a bold flavor that simultaneously is calming. The drink is an all-rounder, a people pleaser and one that is a top pick for those who have been drinking milk tea all their lives or are just being introduced.
Fresh Taro Milk with Honey Boba
The fresh taro milk is what put Milksha on the map with their taro being blended and steamed into a paste which is strewn around the cup and topped with milk to create its signature velvety drink. The taro is surprisingly more grainy and chunky than others we’ve had which comes down to personal preferences — similar to the debate on orange juice with pulp or without. The drink left us slightly confused and what shocked us even more was the lack of intense sugar in the paste that you’d usually expect. The final consensus is that it’s a drink you would need to try yourself and we could see it being a divisive drink with a spectrum of those who love it and hate it. We added honey boba to try out what is bound to be one of their most popular toppings with the addictive chewy bouncy texture. We found that their boba was slightly smaller than that of other boba shops and was cooked to an immaculate consistency that was not too soft and not too hard either.
Handcrafted Brown Sugar Milk
The brown sugar milk tea was a standout among the drinks, with a slightly brown sugar flavor making it on the sweeter side. The overall flavor resembled that of condensed milk and the drink itself felt comforting and light, not heavy at all, as some other milk teas might be. Refreshing and balanced, this drink is definitely going to be one of our go-tos when visiting Milksha.
There are plenty of boba shops in Westwood, from Sharetea, Junbi, Just Boba Tea House and — not to mention — the many more in Sawtelle. Despite the chatter on whether Westwood needs another boba tea shop, we should really be asking — how does Milksha shine?
Compared to Sharetea, which uses majority powders for flavorings and creamer powder for milk, Milksha’s draw is their use of fresh milk in all of their drinks with flavors being fresh such as their mango and taro paste. As for menu options, Milksha has a concentrated selection which is great for those who can be a tad indecisive and like to choose from just a few consistent options rather than being overwhelmed by the menu. Location-wise, they’re in Westwood Village, making them a convenient stop for students and the community nearby to grab a quick drink as they pass by, compared to the drive to Sawtelle. As the line dies down and the dust settles after their successful grand opening, Milksha has the potential to be the next “it” boba fix in Westwood.
