I feel as if there’s a kind of stigma towards anything that’s not located within Vancouver. Even a drive out to Burnaby or Coquitlam already seems like a bit of a stretch, but one that extends all the way to the daunting reaches of Surrey just seems almost completely out of the question. Unfortunately, this wasn’t the case one evening where I was coerced into going the distance with WonTon, Baby Doll and Baby Flo on a roadtrip of sorts. Baby Doll managed to convince us to pay a visit to Pearl Fever in Guildford, her hood – she rolls hard, yo. I know I may sound like I’m knocking on Surrey and all it has to offer, but I did live in the area in years past and frequented Pearl Fever for a few months for their bubble teas simply because of its relative proximity to my house.

The inside features seating for a few groups of people. It does get busy in those afternoon after-school hours, so plan your visit accordingly. I’ll have to admit that despite the location being a popular hang-out for high school kids in the region, the complex that it’s located in can be a little sketchy at times. Pay particular attention to the crowd standing outside of the Tim Horton’s and always try to park in a spot that’s clearly visible from the windows of Pearl Fever. Okay, I suppose that I’m exaggerating a bit, but never forget to lock your doors. Kidding.

Baby Flo opted for a red bean smoothie with pearls. I generally get their oreo crush smoothie, and although ground with real oreos and quite tasty, the clumps of icy slush you end up with is almost as bed as getting the last few drags of that Timmy’s ice cap. I can only imagine that a similar situation would apply to the red bean incarination of this drink.

Baby Doll ordered a honey green tea with pearls. This really doesn’t deviate from any other bubble tea place except for the fact that the amount of honey they use results in a very, very sweet beverage.

On the other hand, my passion black tea with pearl was quite sour. While the black tea does act to counterbalance the passionfruit syrup added in, I initially found myself wincing with every sip. From what I remember, adding pearls or other add-ons is an additional cost of 50 cents, although this may have changed by now. These all-important pearls are generally well-done here: typically, you’ll get chewy, well-flavoured pieces of tapioca to chew on.

Overall, Pearl Fever is your average bubble tea joint. They have some packs of playing cards if you want to entertain yourself further; Baby Doll says that’s just how they spend their time in that neck of the woods. Although a bit more processed and sometimes a bit too sweet, it’s not absolutely horrible. They do have locations in UBC and Coquitlam, which does say something about their level of business, I suppose. It may not be exceptional, but at least you’ll have something to do in Surrey after 8pm if you’re not in a gang. Kidding. Don’t forget to get a straw that matches your drink!

Conclusion: Andy ate a fair amount.

Pearl Fever Tea House (Surrey)
#65B – 10330 152 St.
Surrey, BC
(604) 588-2192