NEDERLAND — Bubble tea, also known as Boba tea, is a popular Taiwanese tea-based drink that mixes milk, sugar and ice. The most important ingredient being the little pearlescent bubbles that top and settle at the bottom of the already strange concoction.

Bubble tea comes in all colors, flavors and combinations from fruit to coffee flavors topped with a range of chewy tapioca to fruit jelly. Kung Fu Tea, an expanding bubble tea franchise, is bringing their unique Asian flair to Southeast Texas with a new location at 2828 Highway 365 in Nederland.

Bailey Tran, upcoming store manager, said she is excited to be bringing this distinctive flavor to Mid-County residents.

“Kung Fu Tea is going to be a drink place for milk tea, which originated from Taiwan,” she said. “It will also include a wide variety of Asian-inspired drinks like Matcha and Taro.

“We will have slushes, passion fruit slush, flavored lemonade, green teas, a milk cap, which is a dairy based topping that is sweet and salty. We also have a drink called the WOW series, which has a special bubble that is thicker, sinks down to the bottom and makes the drink look very aesthetic to the eye.”

Tran said each drink will be customizable. Customers can pick their sugar, ice and topping level.

“You have the option to pick Boba, tapioca or any topping,” she said. “The most popular topping is tapioca and bubbles, but they have options such as coconut jelly and coffee popping bubbles.”

Kung Fu Tea has stores all over the world, but the nearest location for Southeast Texas is in Houston. Tran said they wanted to bring that market closer to home.

Tran said the trend is mainly geared towards teenagers to adults in their mid-thirties but the shop will provide beverages for all ages.

“Anybody can enjoy a drink,” she said. “If you are inspired or have a drawing towards Asian flavors and something unique, we are the place. There is something for all ages. There are drinks without caffeine for the kids and stronger drinks for the older crowd. We really want it to be a place where high school, college students and people can meet up, do homework, study and just hang out.”

The estimated opening is October. Tran said they are in the process of renovating the space, which was previously a business suite.

Brandon Tran, Bailey’s brother and co-store manager, is ready for Kung Fu Tea to open and begin running the business.

“I like how it tastes,” he said. “I enjoy tea in general, and milk tea is like an extra treat if you’re looking for something sweet. I’m excited to bring Boba tea to the Golden Triangle area and introduce it to our city. It will be nice for everyone to have a little taste.”