Mike L.
Yelp
You know, for a number of years now, I've wondered why more places haven't opened up along this stretch of Ocean Ave. Sure, there isn't a ton of stuff around here, but that's also kind of the point - there's so much untapped potential! At the very least, it always made sense for a boba shop to open up here, given how many schools are nearby, as well as SF State and Stonestown. Now that My Cup of Tea has opened up, though, I have to admit - as happy as I am to see a boba shop around here, I'm kind of disappointed as well. Maybe I really am that hard to please...?
Now, despite their name, My Cup of Tea is actually a Cool Tea Bar in disguise (SF has ordinances that can make it harder for chains to open in the city, so some will open under a different name to around them). So, if you've ever been, the somewhat modest menu of milk teas, green teas, and smoothies will look all too familiar. However, unlike the Cool Tea Bar in Chinatown, this one has a rather extensive food menu for a boba shop. In addition to typical boba shop snacks like popcorn chicken, takoyaki, and fries, you can also get a full on meal here, whether it be banh mi, bento boxes, vermicelli noodles, garlic noodles, rice bowls, and even pho!
-- COFFEE MILK TEA - 70% Sweet, Less Ice...$5.50
(https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/my-cup-of-tea-san-francisco-2?select=b6F5AhAOMfZL2FNf-4M92A)
Not the best I've had, but not awful either. It still felt a bit sweet at 70% (50% would've been perfect), but it's not as problematic in coffee milk teas. That said, I do wish this had a stronger coffee flavor to it, as it was actually relatively subtle.
-- OOLONG MILK TEA - 30% Sweet, Less Ice...$5.25
(https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/my-cup-of-tea-san-francisco-2?select=JJRY24CM0grtEZ44yjkFew)
Ehh...this was fine, but I regret not getting jasmine or my usual black milk tea instead. Mostly, I just thought the taste of the oolong tea was kind of generic and scant. It didn't help either that I got 30% sweetness, but that's on me (hence 50% being perfect).
-- GARLIC NOODLES with Grilled Chicken (added)...$10.99 (+$2)
(https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/my-cup-of-tea-san-francisco-2?select=inhyuUM-s9rlkceT26bYbQ)
Initially, this actually looked rather promising and the chicken was pretty decent (juicy with a nice hit of lemongrass to it). However, as Gordon F. noted, the noodles do taste a bit like frosting/cake. Not sure why (there clearly isn't any in this), but I suspect it comes from the cooking oil/butter substitute they use. Ugh.
Regardless of the food and drinks, the best thing about My Cup of Tea has got to be all of the conveniences they have to offer. Between the ample amounts of street parking, tables (this used to be a full on restaurant), and their late hours (open until midnight, which is rare on this side of SF), it's no surprise that there's always a a bunch of folks hanging out here on Friday and Saturday nights. They also have a collection of board games to offer, though people seem to bring in games of their own to play (not sure if they're all part of a larger group or if it's just coincidence).
Based purely on drinks alone, My Cup of Tea/Cool Tea Bar is more of a three and a half star joint that I would've considered rounding up purely for how convenient they are. However, after factoring in their two star (AT BEST) garlic noodles, there's no way I'd give them anything higher than three. Perhaps I'll try their popcorn chicken one day, but otherwise, I'll stick with the drinks if/when I'm looking for a milk tea late at night.