I love bubble tea. Why the hell is it so expensive though?
Neil and I were in Chinatown, intending to try relatively new Callia Patisserie Restaurant's pork and black egg congee, but found that half of Chinatown was out of electricity, with the hydro guys frantically (ok, as frantic as those Hydro guys get) pulling out wires from the ground.
No congee. But it was a hot day, and I wanted some bubble tea. We headed upstairs to L2 lounge (original name, hey?).
L2 is a get together place for people with "an active online life" - to put it bluntly, losers (though nice ones, I'm sure). The place is dark, looks dingy, and has that characteristic unpleasant smell of an internet cafe. A stereotypical teen boy's haven. There's stations to play your favourite on-line game and I'm sure a pickpocket would come out of that place with loads of iPhones and expensive electronic gadgets. It's full of boys with anime hair and I'm sure the girls there were their sisters because I think they would have exploded otherwise. Ok, I'm being mean. Anyway, I wasn't there for the ambiance (trust me, there really isn't any). Once I got my bubble tea, we shagged ass.
But the tea was great. Bubbles a nice balance between chewy and soft. Actually, I ordered the fresh fruit tea, which is more accurately a smoothie and it was good. I ordered a fresh fruit smoothie with mango, pineapple and peach and it was full of fruit (I saw them do it) but they did disturbingly add some syrup as well. Luckily, it wasn't oversweet. But at $6 a pop, I think it's a tad bit too expensive (I bought a smoothie with bubbles in Chicago for $3.50, come on! Also, $6 brings it into the range of Booster Juice prices without the health benefits) Still, my favourite bubble tea in Montreal so far.
L2 also sells "snacks", mostly of the toast and tea variety. But would you actually want to stay and eat there? Service is appropriately gruff from the anime boys.
L2 Lounge
71a, Rue De La Gauchetière Ouest,
Montreal, Quebec H2Z 1C2
(514) 878-0572
