Updated: 21st Dec 2014; This restaurant is closed according to Urbanspoon.com.
With the boys away on sleep over, Suanne and I took it easy for dinner. We had a very late dinner and thought that we go check out a Bubble Tea place because we had never really been to one other than Go Go Tea Cafe. Actually that Go Go Tea trip does not really count because it was over lunch time.
We went to the Flo Tea Room located at the south end of Granville Street in Vancouver. We did not know what to expect. We were quite apprehensive that this place will be teeming with Asian youngters hanging out for the night … i.e. it would be loud and noisy.
We found it kind of odd that the Flo Tea Room is located on a row of three bubble tea houses, including a Bubble World Tea House outlet. Since this visit, we are beginning to notice that the Bubble World Tea House has lots of locations around Metro Vancouver.
But it was not at all like what we expected. Why, it was exactly like any Chinese Cafes. Although we did not see any kids around (after all it was 9PM when we were there), there were a lot of people our age or even older. So, we’re OK.
Flo has quite a large menu for their drinks. See pix above … Suanne was perusing the drinks menu which came in in the form of a plastic folder. We were not very familiar with the drinks menu and was stumped by the range of drinks called Calpis. What is that anyway?
I got one of their new drinks. It’s simply called Flo Flurry which is a mix of chocolate slush with grass jelly and topped with Oreo crumbs. $4.95. As I drank this I was wondering how many calories there are here.
Suanne’s Fire On Ice drink was colorful. There are actually 4 layers of flavor — lychee, peach, mango and strawberry. We took some time wondering how best to drink this … do we keep the straw all the way down so that we can drink each layer at a time? Or do we just mix it up and ruin all the nice color?
It’s a fun drink, that’s what it is. Suanne finds this way too sweet for her but I thought otherwise. This glass is $4.95 but to our surprise we found out when the bill came that it is just $2 when we ordered it along with a food dish.
Although I like it, I just get serious brain freeze drinking slush. It happens no matter if I take the drink fast or slower. And the pain lasts for almost one minute each time. I had to take it real slow.
He he he … Suanne insists that I put up this picture above because she said people are complaining that I do not have many pictures of me on the site. And she has to select one that is the most unflattering.
Flo is very much a Taiwanese restaurant. After all, Taiwan is the home of the Bubble Tea craze. So, we ordered a “mini meal” to share between the two of us. We had the Szechuan Beef with Rice Noodle in Soup. This one is $6.99 and had lots of beef flank cubes.
It was actually very good particularly the soup. It was really spicy.
The bill just came up to just under $15 before tips. We actually like this place and would perhaps start checking out such types of Bubble Tea cafes in the near future. Does anyone of you have any suggestions?
I know that our boys will like the drinks and food like the ones here in Flo. Suanne and I was thinking that Arkensen and Nanzaro would likely hangout at these places when they get older. Talking about hanging out, they also have free wifi here too.
BUSINESS HOUR
Sunday to Thursday: 11:00 AM to 1:00 AM
Friday and Saturday: 11:00 AM to 2:00 AM
chowtimes.wordpress.com 
Flo is not a Taiwanese restaurant. All the chefs and waitresses are Cantonese. It is the HK perception of what is Taiwanese.
Actually, they weren’t that great when they first opened. It was later that the food got better! They make really good HK Curry.
I first tried Flo when it opened back a couple years ago. For some reason, the food didn’t strike my friend and I as wow so we didn’t go back there regularly. It’s nice that it’s closer than our usual haunts, like E-Canteen, Pearl Castle, and Well Tea though. I’ll have to go and try again.
Ed – I’ve been looking for a good baked seafood on rice. I’ll give it a try soon. 🙂
Flo is actually one of my favorite bubble tea places to grab a bite. They make a real good baked seafood rice and noodles/rice with fried chicken nuggets.
hi suanne,
u look great 🙂
happy valentine’s day!
Hi Ben & Suanne, just thought I suggest one of my favorite BBT type place: Corner 23, located on the corner of Cambie and 23rd. If you are there, you must try the pork hock, as the restaurant’s Chinese name is names after the pork hock. It’s apparently famous in TW. Also I suggest the oyster pancake, as it’s my favorite.
Anyways, if you wanna check out some photo of this place: http://secretgarden.shawwebspace.ca/blog/post/good_bubble_tea__great_food/
Hope you enjoy this place!
I was in Taiwan about 2 months ago and oddly enough there weren’t a lot of bubble tea places around. I was there for nearly a week and I think I might have seen only 1 bubble tea place per day. Think maybe it’s not so trendy there anymore.
I really like reading your posts about the many restaurants you visit. Being in AL is tough…tough for an Asian at least. Heh, heh, I just drool over all the pictures you post.
The drinks that both of you ordered sound tasty, especially the Fire On Ice.
I hate it when I have typos in what I type!!! Argh. That’s “REVOLUTIONARY”, not the typo I have previously. 😉
Actually, what Flo did was have a menu that included BOTH Taiwanese cafe items *and* HK-style cafe menu items. Revolutuinary, yes? I believe they’re the only place that does that. (Of course, I’m not sure about this. But usually there are Taiwan cafes, and HK cafes.)
Calpis is a Japanese drink. Sort of tangy and sweet. So for the calpis drinks, they use calpis as a base and add different falvors. You can go to T&T or any Asian supermarket and grab a bottle of it and try it for yourself. =)
I really like Pearl Castle as well.
Their hotpots are excellent and their other dishes (Fried Rice, deep fried squid, taiwanese sausages, etc.) are pretty good too.
Another one I visit often is #1 Beef Noodle House in Burnaby (http://eatsnaprepeat.ca/2007/05/01/1-beef-noodle-house-mini-spicy-beef-hotpot/). They have pretty good Taiwanese noodles.
As for Flo, I’m a fan as well. I was also surprised that they are less of a BBT place and more of a HK Cafe.
flo and pearl castle are our fave restaurants/cafe for quick lunch on week days and family lunches/dinners on weekends. you’ll never go wrong with almost any meal at both cafes. im partial with beef noodle soup at pearl castle though. they are not spicy but i think you can ask them to add some chili or whatnots.
my daughter loves chicken nuggets at both cafes. she also loves stir fry beef noodles at flo. you’re boys would surely love them too. the fried rice (various types) at flo is a favorite too. my wife likes the kimchi rice at pearl castle.
im a regular reader of your blog and always look forward to your new posts. we also live and richmond and somehow has been to most of the restaurants you feature. keep it rolling…
I love Bubble World! I find that they have the best tasting Mango Slush out of all the bubble tea places…but then…Ben, after reading the above, you’re probably not that interested. Suanne might like it though!
Other places of interest that I frequent include Well Tea and Pearl Castle. Pearl Castle’s Soy Milk Hotpot and the regular Milk Hotpot are both my choices everytime. As for Well Tea, I recently tried their Beef Sukiyaki Hotpot and that was wonderful as well.
But as you may already know, those two particular places teem with youngsters but I’ve also seen mom’s and pop’s there too with their family!