By Kelly Lan, Courier Staff Writer
The newest boba place in Union City, Blackball Desserts, opened up near 
Logan during the summer, and I was eager to try it out.
On a school minimum day, my friend and I arrived at Blackball around 3:30 pm to find the place understandably empty. From what we saw, there was one person working at the front making drinks, while another was at the back making desserts.
Unlike the usual boba shops, Blackball lacks a large, visible menu. Mounted on the walls instead are TV screens which feature a few of the most popular drinks. Handheld copies of the menu are available for customers to take to their tables.
On one side of the menus are drinks and on the other side are hot and cold desserts–perfect for any weather. While the prices are in line with most other boba shops, the menus lacked descriptions of the items.
As it was our first time there, my friend and I were quite indecisive. Nevertheless, the cashier was very patient, answering all our questions and taking the time to explain the differences between certain snacks and drinks.
Yelp reviewers mention that the desserts are best for sharing, and that items #1 (taro/yam Q) and #12 (aiyu jelly with red bean) are some of the best. As a result, we ordered both items.
After much deliberation, along with the dessert, we ordered the passion fruit green tea and the lychee green tea with boba. The cashier also handed us a beeper after we placed our order, making the shop feel like a high-end restaurant.
As expected, our food quickly arrived on a tray, hot and fresh. My friend and I, being sterotypical asian teengaers, took pictures that were soon posted on Snapchat.
My drink, while slightly smaller than usual, tasted heavenly. It was sweet, but not overwhelmingly so, with the boba still soft and chewy. I also tried my friend’s drink, which, despite being less sweet, contained actual passion fruit which really enhanced the taste.
Next was the dessert. First off, the taro Q and yam Q were slightly underwhelming, as they were simply cubes of taro and yam. The aiyu jelly was fantastically delightful, and reminded me of the jelly desserts my mom used to make at home. Overall, the sweet aiyu and various toppings balanced each other out.
As we were eating, more and more people came to the restaurant, with most of them simply ordering a drink and leaving. Our experience was great, and I left a little sugar high but ultimately happy.