Soda and Coca-Cola, coffee and Starbucks, hamburgers and McDonald’s. When you think of a food or beverage item, an associated brand usually comes to mind. But what is the go-to name in boba tea?
Nobody seems to know the answer, leaving a tremendous tea market opportunity for Odd One Out, which opened its central kiosk in late August at 1260 3rd Street Promenade. Boba, or bubble tea, is made by blending tea with milk and fruit, then adding in the tapioca boba "pearls." Originally concocted in 1980s Taiwan, the country is still bubbling with excitement over the product today, leading to Ronald Chan and Patrick Sun opening Odd One Out in 2022.
The duo opened in Taipei, Taiwan before expanding to Los Angeles in 2023 with a Sawtelle spot, noted for its hotspot eateries and Asian cuisine focus. Stating there’s a "big boba tea culture" in LA, the team set their sights on Santa Monica as a true flagship location.
"There’s very few places in the world that’s more iconic than here, and if we’re going to be a lifestyle brand," Chan said of the Promenade. "If we want to put our name here, there’s no better place. It also caters to people from all over the world. Locals, all different ethnicities, people traveling, so they can try it out and [we] get feedback."
The idea gestated during the COVID-19 pandemic, which Chan said was a "tough time for everybody," but himself and Sun were able to make it "a little blessing" via the spirit of competition. With bars and clubs closed down, the two were able to award mixologist’s talents via a MasterChef-like competition for the best boba tea-inspired drinks. Some of the recipes brought to the table have stayed alive on the current menu, including the Juniper Bliss, a Red Oolong tea infused with juniper berries and dry mangoes.
Having the elongated pandemic period to craft its brand, Odd One Out had the intention of going global from day one, setting itself apart with its commitment to top-level ingredients. Chan explained that the store uses tea leaves from small farms in Taiwan, as opposed to competitors who use generic distributors with leaves masked with sugar or creamers. The menu also takes advantage of the Oolong, a diverse tea family with over 100 types, something many American consumers have yet to discover.
Also specializing in organic milks for its boba drinks, the menu is customized in its "Teapresso" machine, looking much like its espresso namesake. One highlight is the Champion Milk Tea, named after its victory in the flavor milk tea category at the 2022 Taiwan Milk Tea Festival.
"When a customer does order a tea drink, then we brew them a fresh tea using our high quality tea leaves, and then we shake them up, and all the teas are unique in terms of the flavor profile and the balancing of the flavors [and] handcrafted syrups," Chan said. "That’s what makes this a little different from the other players."
Setting itself apart from other Odd One Out locations is the Santa Monica-exclusive gelato menu, using unique flavor combinations like Earl Grey Tea and lemongrass and watermelon with fresh basil. For those still on the coffee side of things, the store also carries an organic espresso selection.
Every move Odd One Out has made in its brief history is geared toward what Chan calls a "lifestyle brand," a push to associate the store’s name with the boba tea product. He stated that the Promenade atmosphere with bright orange color and lo-fi music is akin to a brand like Blue Bottle Coffee, where customers "understand" the exact experience they’re paying for.
The Promenade pick is part of a push for the shopping hub, which has added businesses like MINISO, Barnes & Noble and Yogurtland in recent months.
"People here, the residents here, have been amazing [and] the local workers around here have been super supportive … Third Street Santa Monica itself, we know that it’s been hit throughout the COVID period, but I do see that it is recovering," Chan said.
To view the entire Odd One Out menu, visit oootea.world
thomas@smdp.com
