In my case, it's true. Or it was anyway. After attempting some of blogilates' older exercise videos, I realized that I had placed a significant amount of strain on my wrists, with the reduced range of motion becoming notably evident when playing badminton. An urgent call to the chiropractor landed me with an appointment during supposedly off-peak hours, followed by a trip to the bubble tea shop that's been making waves since their soft and grand openings: The Alley.
In addition to the standard array of milk teas and tea lattes (ie. those crafted with real milk as opposed to milk powder), the menu also includes a special selection of six beverages - all of which are promoted at the cashier in both English and Chinese. While I do find the names innovative, little is said about the exact contents of each beverage in titles.
While waiting in line, I was offered a sample of their Royal No. 9 Milk Tea. According to the plastic glove-clad (thank you for maintaining some degree of hygiene!) staff member, it's the store's top seller and is concocted from an Assam variety roasted with blueberries. The fruity berry aftertaste was decently strong when tasted in the sample, so I opted to try a Regular-sized version. A tad pricier than CoCo but yet to reach Grotto's new tags, the Regular set me back by $5.00 (or slightly over $6.00 after taxes and the inclusion of tapioca). The Large would have rung in at a base price of $5.50.
Their number one isn't so formidable I'd be itching to return anytime soon, but considering that their prices are more or less on par with Grotto, I suppose I'll keep the shop in mind as a hangout option next time I find myself in Richmond Hill.