Through Lauren Raziano, Asst. Sports Writer / Web Writer
Opened last summer on Riverdale Avenue, Pearl Dynastea offers Taiwanese bubble tea and an array of freshly steamed buns and pastries.
Darren Zhang, Deputy Director of Pearl Dynastea, spoke to The Quadrangle about the company.
“We opened last summer and have been here for about seven or eight months,” Zhang said.
Currently, Pearl Dynastea offers more than 40 drink options on a handwritten blackboard menu, including fresh fruit slushies, ice cream milkshakes and fruit teas. Their most popular drink is the brown sugar latte with boba.
“My favorite is number 14, taro milk tea. The top-selling drink is brown sugar pearl tea latte, which is what we sell the most,” Zhang said.
Zhang added that Pearl Dynastea also offers a range of food options.
“Our food items range from steamed buns, we have pork buns, pumpkin buns, chicken buns,” Zhang said. “We also have pastries, we have our cheese brownie mix which is my favorite. We also have vanilla rose and other miscellaneous pastries which we change weekly.”
At the counter they also offer homemade knitted boba plushes, with a small plush that runs up to $8 and a large one at $15. Additionally, the store offers free stickers that include colorful pictures of boba drinks and texts like “I love boba”, “Did someone say BOBA?” and “more boba please.”
“We like to have a relaxed vibe here, and we try to be as friendly as possible, a family environment.” Zhang said. “The customers are great and they are very kind.”
Sterling Grant, a freshman communications student, is a frequent customer of Pearl Dynasty.
“Went there the other day, and I go a lot, even though the walk looks like that hill, it’s worth it,” Grant said. “I think I went there on the third day I arrived at Manhattan College. So, I’m just kind of like the person who’s like, ‘Okay, let’s get boba’.
Grant was very excited that a boba shop was located so close to the Manhattan College campus.
“I really like [Pearl Dynastea] so close because like where I live, the nearest boba is 30 minutes away by car.” said Grant. “So having a boba place 10 to 15 minutes walk away isn’t that bad. Also the vibes are really good and the staff is really nice and it’s like you want boba go for it.
Grant’s favorite command is anything with Mango.
“My usual order is the mango milk tea, and I get the normal tapioca boba with it. Sometimes if I don’t smell like milk I get mango green tea, I’m a really big mango fan.
Freshman English student Phillip Austin also loves Pearl Dynastea’s location.
“It’s incredibly convenient to have things within walking distance like Pearl Dynastea when you don’t really have time to get all the way to town,” Austin wrote in an email to the Quadrangle.
Austin appreciates the atmosphere at Pearl Dynastea and likes to go there after a long day of classes.
“The overall vibe of the place is really good and the workers are always nice, they’re always the cutest little stickers that come free with your orders.” Austin wrote. “The service is very fast too, not to mention the price is really affordable and the walk is pleasant. Honestly, going there is one of my favorite things to do after a stressful day at school.
Like Grant, Austin also enjoys the mango boba option.
“I’m pretty basic so far, I’ve tried a few things now, but I always end up going back to strawberry milk tea. The mango green tea with bubbly boba is also very good. Austin wrote.
Finally, Austin said Pearl Dynastea is worth a look when you’re with a friend.
“It’s the perfect setup for bonding with friends,” Austin wrote. “If you talk, you don’t even notice the step.”
Pearl Dynastea can be found on Seamless, Grubhub or at their location at 3702 Riverdale Ave, Bronx, NY 10463.