Mo Mo Tea offers the flavors of Taiwan on South University
Mo Mo Tea is set up to be a student hangout. A big magazine rack sits in the middle of the bright green and orange space, which has a contemporary, open feel.
The highlight here is the numerous kinds of teas. There are roughly two dozen in each category: milk, flavored and hot Formosa. These are all rich and quite tasty, though we barely scratched the surface of the different varieties. My favorites were the chocolate peppermint and the almond, which nicely accented the milk in the black tea — so sweet they tasted like dessert drinks. Black-bean tea was also good. For a fruity taste, the mango milk tea nicely fit the bill.
I may be one of the sole naysayers, but I don’t understand the appeal of the tapioca “bubbles,” which jammed the straw so no liquid could get through. They were chewy and flavorless and didn’t add much to the tea.
The food here is authentic and unusual, quite different than the traditional spicy Taiwanese noodle dishes that I’m accustomed to.We ordered the shaved ice as a dessert, but it was the first up in our order. A refreshing, slightly sweet treat ideal for a hot summer day, it comes with a choice of three toppings. I would veto the honeydew, which looked like green slime atop the ice and had the consistency of melted gummy bears. The almond tofu was flavorless and didn’t work well in this dish, but I enjoyed the coffee-bean topping.
As for entrees, there are just a few. The popcorn chicken was too dry and could have used some sauce, though I enjoyed the interesting complement of green beans, corn and rice, along with absolutely delicious minced pork, which was subtly sprinkled in the dish. Steamed veggie dumplings were nicely cooked, though we waited quite a while for them. The biggest miss was the rather odd Taiwanese egg pancake, which was like a small omelette stuffed into a bland-tasting shell.
The best dish we selected was, interestingly enough, the most Americanized, a sandwich made of turkey, egg, cucumbers and mayo, served on toast. I was doubtful about this food combination, but it was delicious.
Pastries here, served bite-sized, are definitely worth trying. I especially liked the gooey rocky road brownie and the lemon-frosted muffin. I’d skip the bland-tasting tofu pudding. Servers here are quite chipper, happy to help you navigate the lengthy tea menu if you’re new to the concept. And everything is reasonably priced. If you’re up for trying something different at a great value, Mo Mo Tea is a nice fit.
Mo Mo Tea 1213 South University Ave. Ann Arbor 734-213-3300 Mo Mo Tea web site Hours: Monday-Thursday, 10:30 a.m.-midnight. Friday and Saturday, 10:30 a.m.-2 a.m. Sunday, 11 a.m.-midnight a.m. Plastic: Visa, Mastercard, Discover, American Express. Liquor: No. Prices: Inexpensive. Snacks are in the $3 range; entrees are no more than $8.25 Value: Very good. Noise level: Quiet. Wheelchair access: Yes.
Photos by Angela Cesere | AnnArbor.com. Top: University of Michigan students Jiheay Yu (right) and David Krass try out Lychee Green Tea with bubbles and Pinapple Tea (respectively) at Mo Mo Tea in Ann Arbor. Right: University of Michigan students Semechah Lui (right) and Yancy Lo try out Taro Milk Tea and Wheat Germ Milk Tea (respectively) at Mo Mo Tea.
Comments
Angelina
Mon, Jan 21, 2013 : 11:49 p.m.
I personally agree with Chrysta Cherrie. MO MO Tea has the really good boba milk tea in town and I think MO MO Tea also cut the price down recently, and I love their services so much. Their employees are so much nicer than another place cross the street. By the way, if we are talking about the marketing issues between them, lets talk about the startbucks and royal express coffee shops. I think the most important thing is to support the businesses which try to bring the best food and service to people. :)
AAgirl
Fri, Sep 25, 2009 : 7:35 a.m.
Chrysta - I agree. Bubble Island's teas are sweeter. I just thought that MoMo's bubble teas were chalky tasting (maybe not mixed well?). Their mix-in list is extensive, however, I found that most of them were bland and did not add to the drink. Billy - I totally agree with you. Given that Bubble Island is a small, locally owned business and not a huge chain, it could definitely hurt their business and in turn, a local family. Perhaps this is another reason why I don't care to support them.
Billy
Fri, Sep 25, 2009 : 6:18 a.m.
Because opening up a business that serves the EXACT same thing as another business...20 feet away...isn't biting into someones market? I'm sorry but it's business behavior like this that ends up being the downfall of capitalism. Competition is one thing, insulting and unethical business practices are another. It's one thing if the areas business model can support 2 of the exact same business, but I highly doubt this is the case. If they've damaged the earnings of bubble island so much that they profit margin has tanked, it could be enough to drive them out of business. They're already paying an exorbitant amount in rent, damaging their profits(even in the slightest) could be the first step in putting them under.
Chrysta Cherrie
Thu, Sep 24, 2009 : 2:57 p.m.
Interesting, your experience is a lot different from mine. I've sampled all of the bubble tea around town over the past several years, and Mo Mo is my favorite. In my experience (admittedly I'm obsessed with this place, having been there almost two dozen times since August), theirs is the most tea-tasting (as opposed to sugar water-tasting) and the cold tea is the most chilled I've had, making for a really refreshing experience; plus they offer more tea flavors and more mix-ins (whatever you want to call the boba/various jellies/pudding/etc). If you try Mo Mo again, you might want to order it with less/no ice, as maybe the watery taste was due to the ice melting.
AAgirl
Thu, Sep 24, 2009 : 2:28 p.m.
Mo Mo Tea is sooo gross and watery. Go across the street to Bubble Island. It's cheaper, faster, and most importantly, BETTER!