Part 2: Boba
July 19, 2022 By Yvonne Bee
To continue showcasing the various types of Asian businesses and cuisine, boba shops and concepts from Northern and Southern California are taking San Luis Obispo County by storm. Originating from Taiwan, this tea-based drink is typically served with tapioca pearls and has since spread to reach communities abroad.
Sequel Tea
Location: TBA, Check their Instagram (@sequeltea) for their pop-up days and locations.
Justin Chan is the owner of Sequel Tea. Chan, a native Californian who grew up in the Bay Area, graduated from Cal Poly with a degree in biology and a minor in psychology. He initially aimed for medical school, however, the COVID-19 pandemic stalled his interviews and redirected his ambitions to start a business.
“It all started as a fun idea to have,” Chan said.
Throughout college, Chan made boba drinks out of his dorm and apartment for friends and eventually felt the need to create a boba shop in San Luis Obispo.
“Being at Cal Poly for four years with no good boba, unlike the Bay Area [where he grew up], I had to learn how to make it,” Chan said.
Photo Courtesy of Justin Chan.
The foundation of Sequel draws from Justin’s Taiwanese and Chinese heritage. He aspired to share his joys of hospitality through cooking and sharing good food with loved ones.
“I entirely bought into the Cal Poly mantra of Learn by Doing, and seeing where Sequel has grown as quickly as it has, is very humbling,” Chan said.
His inspiration is his childhood’s favorite snacks and flavors, as well as Bay Area boba shops that he frequents. Sequel’s Korean Banana Milk, for example, draws direct inspiration from his childhood banana-flavored milk carton and their new Dragon Fruit Dream has diced purple dragon fruit, which is beloved by many Asian communities, and butterfly pea flower tea. He plans to introduce new drinks with flavors like Black Sesame and other Asian fruits over the next year.
Dragon Fruit Dream $5.89 | Photo Courtesy of Justin Chan.
Photo Courtesy of Justin Chan.
Despite the initial challenges that came with opening a business during the pandemic, Chan said he “would not have wanted it [to be] any other way” because today, Sequel is “one of the best boba spots in San Luis Obispo.”
Sequel is California’s first cold brew boba tea concept that focuses on the aromatics of teas and the tea-making process. Their cold brew tea takes a gentler approach to traditional hot tea brewing. It allows Chan to “maximize the flavor of tea without over brewing the tea leaves.”
Sequel’s drinks use three to four ingredients without a heavy reliance on fructose syrup or milk.
Jasmine Guava $5.49 | Photo Courtesy of Justin Chan.
Photo Courtesy of Justin Chan.
“Unlike many boba shops, we even hand make our own cane sugar syrup from scratch instead of relying on fructose based syrups,” Chan said.”
His goal is to create something that tastes amazing and layer it to be aesthetically appealing and Instagram-worthy. Sequel’s Crème Brûlée or Milk Tea Crème Brûlée, for example, is a customer favorite that uses actual egg yolks and vanilla extract that is separated the night prior to sale, according to Chan.
Crème Brûlée $6.49 | Photo Courtesy of Justin Chan.
Sequel’s menu is changed weekly depending on what the staff would like, the fruit season and what popular drinks the customers are ordering.
In the near future, Chan is looking to acquire a storefront, expand Sequen’s menu and add to the number of pop-up days at Cal Poly.
For more information, check out Sequel’s website at https://www.sequeltea.com/ or their Instagram account (@sequeltea).
MilkT Society
Pismo Beach Location: 590 Dolliver St, Pismo Beach, CA 93449
Coming Soon at San Luis Obispo Foothill Blvd Plaza
Photo Courtesy of Yvonne Bee.
Teresa Choi and Michael, who did not provide his last name, are the owners of MilkT Society, one of the newest boba shops in San Luis Obispo county.
Teresa is a first-generation Korean-American who grew up in the beverage industry, her parents owning a liquor store. Her business partner Michael is Vietnamese and hopes to share his love for Asian-inspired and themed drinks with a broader audience.
MilkT Society is a chain boba store that opened in 2020. Michael operates the Southern California locations, including Fresno, Pomona and a soon-to-be-opened shop in Clovis, while Teresa manages the Central Coast locations, including Pismo and soon San Luis Obispo.
Pismo Beach represents just one of Teresa’s goals to expand to the Central Coast. She aspires to share her love for boba drinks and the beautiful variations of Asian culture in cities that don’t have it, especially in predominantly white neighborhoods.
After moving to Pismo for the tranquil atmosphere, Teresa believed that “Pismo needed something like this.”
Hokkaido MilkT with Salted Cheese Foam $6.15 | Photo Courtesy of Yvonne Bee.
MilkT Society’s philosophy is prioritizing customers and taking the time to know them.
“I don’t sell drinks, I sell an experience with our teas and customer service,” Teresa said. “I want people to call out our bobaristas by name.”
Teresa hopes to transform the way people approach boba shops and turn them into a fun work environment that alleviates all stress and a place where people can feel present and happy.
Tiger MilkT $6.20 | Photo Courtesy of Yvonne Bee.
Teresa is the one behind the original boba and milk tea recipes, but over the years, many employees have created their own “secret” menu drinks.
Today, their “secret” menu is the one that is showcased at their Pismo location. Teresa said that their menu is short and simple to follow, but serves everyone’s drink preferences, ranging from traditional milk teas and fruit teas to Pokemon-themed slushes and refreshers.
Teresa said her personal favorites include their popular Crème Brûlée MilkT or their Japanese anime series, Sailor Moon-themed kid’s drink, Moon Elixir.
Garden of Eden, 25% Sweetness $6.20 | Photo Courtesy of Yvonne Bee.
Teresa actively works to serve everyone’s needs by providing various lactose-free options. All of their jellies are coconut-based, and fresh boba is served every hour.
In the future, Teresa hopes to build up MilkT Society and franchise it in cities that aren’t populated by boba drinks. She hopes to personalize each new store along the Central Coast — the Pismo Beach location will feature a karaoke machine and the future San Luis Obispo store will house a pink-themed photo booth.
For more information, check out MilkT Society’s Instagram account (@milktsociety).