What’s a Deerioca? – The Alley

I might say, I’m going to The Alley today, and you’ll think “that’s highly suspicious and dangerous, you shouldn’t do that”, and normally you’d be right, but that’s not the case when it’s the boba shop! I remembered when they first opened one near me sometime around the pandemic, and I wanted to try it since I’ve seen the aesthetic drinks and pictures around. The first time I went, I was pleasantly surprised at quality of drinks and boba, though the price is a little…

The Alley is famous for their brown sugar milk drinks, brown sugar boba (which they call Deerioca to feel special), and also their No. 9 Milk Tea. Weirdly enough, their signature milk tea is supposed to be blueberry flavored…I like blueberries themselves, but blueberry flavored things are a little odd to me, and in a milk tea? No thanks, at least for now. Their menu is pretty varied (and like other chains, differ slightly internationally!), with a little bit of each kind of drink you’d typically find. Lots of interesting options too.

I guess their milk teas are good, but nothing super duper special. You’re really going for the pretty good brown sugar boba flavor, and their signature milk drinks. I’m not into cheese foam, or teas on their own, or their fruit drinks at the moment, but the options do sound interesting. They do come out with new drinks somewhat regularly and depending on the season, so there’s that too.

Chain? Yes. I’ve been to Irvine Spectrum location, one in Shinjuku, and one in Sapporo in Japan.

Drinks Tried: Brown Sugar Deerioca Creme Brulee Milk (What a mouthful! ha), Matcha Brown Sugar Deerioca Milk (#2/Japan Version, #3), The Alley Assam Milk Tea (#2/Japan Version), Jasmine Green Milk Tea (#2/Japan Version, #3), Cocoa Brown Sugar Deerioca Milk, “Bonsai” Garden Milk Tea, TieGuanYin Milk Tea, Peach Oolong Milk Tea, Maple TieGuanYin Milk Tea, Matcha Milk, Kiwi Slush, Tropical Fruits Slush, Milk Tea with Pear Black Tea, Ghost Party, Xmas Wreath Brulee Milk Tea, Chocolate Tea,

Boba: They offer both regular and brown sugar. The normal boba has a good chew, but does significantly lack flavor. The brown sugar has a really good taste, as it’s very toasty and sweet. Both are on the slightly smaller side for “normal” boba.

Price: A little on the steeper side, but I guess you’re paying for name and quality and experience. The boba is good, and their teas are pretty good too.

Size: There’s a regular, which is that mini cup with a rounded bottom, and a large, which could really pass as a regular at some other joints.

Interior: Both of the ones I’ve been to are a bit small on the inside, but have a nice interior and it’s pretty aesthetic.

Wait: It really depends. Sometimes there’s no line, and I’ve been when the line is super long. Other times it’s not that long, and in the American locations, you can order online which is really helpful.

Sell Food? Yes. They have dried fruit and cookies, and also the famous salted egg and fish skin chips. Japan sells snacks too.

Reward System? Yes, in America you accumulate points on Toast. In Japan you can collect points on their app.