Dining Pick of the Week: Tea Time Cafe

Tea Time Cafe

5590 Painted Mirage Road, 702-522-8998

Sometimes you don’t just want a good boba tea smoothie, you need one. If you live in the north stretch of the valley, meeting that need doesn’t have to involve a trek to Chinatown. Get your fix at Tea Time Cafe, a cozy little place off the Ann Road exit of U.S. Highway 95. The bright green counter-service spot is a place you can play board games, hang out and get a variety of teas accented by the traditional boba, or why not branch out and try aloe vera, lychee fruit, egg pudding or jelly bubbles that pop with fruit flavors? Not up for a smoothie or tea? Try the frozen hot chocolate or a blended fruit slush. In addition to drinks, Tea Time offers dessert dishes such as sweet brick toast and French macarons in flavors such as chocolate, mango, lemon cream, green tea and salted caramel. Or for those seeking the savory, there’s Parmesan seaweed garlic fries, Spam musubi and fried potstickers. Up for a unique dish? Try the yakisoba fries. The crinkle-cut fries are drizzled with yakisoba sauce and Japanese mayonnaise and sprinkled with furikake, a garnish of dried seaweed and fish flakes. Other popular dishes are the salmon or tuna rice balls and the takoyaki octopus dumplings. The restaurant also offers lunch specials ranging in price from $7.95 to $9.95 that pair tea or smoothies with sushi from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tea Time Cafe is open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday. For more information, visit facebook.com/teatimecafelv.