When deciding on our next Senior Sips review, we wanted to branch out beyond the typical coffee shop scene. So, we chose Thirst Tea, a boba shop that is fairly close to Brownell Talbot. As everyone ordered different drinks, along with our honorary guests Amelia Bell and Athiei Aguto, the reactions were mixed. Thirst Tea wasn’t everyone’s cup of tea.
Tanya: I go to Thirst Tea almost every day, so I was excited when we chose this place for our Senior Sips. It felt like the perfect place to chat with friends while sipping on my all-time favorite drink. For the past two years, I’ve ordered the same thing without fail: a passion fruit tea with mango popping boba and mango jelly with no ice. And once again, it did not disappoint. The drink was perfect as ever—a tangy, refreshing burst of passion fruit flavor that’s balanced by the sweetness of the mango popping boba. The popping boba adds a fun, juicy surprise with every sip, while the mango jelly gives the drink an extra layer of texture that I love. It’s the kind of drink that instantly boosts your mood and keeps you coming back for more. The ambiance of Thirst Tea is another reason I keep returning. The shop has a cozy, welcoming vibe and the staff are always friendly and efficient, even during busy times. Thirst Tea has become a special part of my routine, and this visit was no exception.
Jana: I have avoided going to Thirst Tea for each senior sips, attempting to prolong the inevitable of having to visit the fast-casual boba corporation. While I personally believe that the quality of Thirst Tea is beaten by other boba restaurants across Omaha, like Kung-Fu Tea and Bubbly, I begrudgingly made my way down Cass street to the restaurant. I decided to divert from my usually fruity tea and get the “Tiger Milk Tea,” a milk-based drink mixed with brown sugar syrup and regular tapioca pearls. While the drink was better than I previously expected, I find it unlikely that I will order it again, or even visit Thirst tea once more. On a ten scale, I’d most likely rate it in the six to seven range. I ordered an onigiri as well, which is a rice ball wrapped in seaweed and stuffed with some sort of filling. I chose the kimchi-stuffed onigiri; I found it a delightful little snack, especially paired with the complimentary spicy mayo. In conclusion, there are so many better boba cafes in Omaha, but Thirst Tea will suffice for many.
Katie: I was in a bad mood that day, so I honestly don’t remember much about the trip. I do remember ordering the Tiger milk tea with extra brown sugar syrup, though. That was the highlight of my day—it was very rich and comforting. The drive there was somewhat chaotic because we added two people to our troupe which was fun but crowded. Thankfully Tanya was not driving so the experience felt altogether safer than our past trips.
William: Thirst Tea is one of my least favorite boba spots in Omaha so once I heard that that’s where we were going I was not thrilled. We got there and I decided to get green apple tea with popping boba and a spam onigiri. After about ten minutes my order was ready, I took it back to my table and started to open my onigiri. As I was opening it the seaweed that was holding the rice together broke and all the rice started to fall out of place. After about a minute of trying to repair the onigiri I was left with a sad pile of rice and spam on my plate. I begrudgingly finished the mangled onigiri and then tried a sip of my boba and did not like what I was tasting. The tea tasted overwhelmingly sweet and bitter. The popping boba however had a pleasant tangy taste that I really enjoyed. Thirst Tea still keeps its spot at the bottom of my favorite boba places in Omaha with it just being outclassed by places like Kung Fu Tea and Bubbly tea.
