Moonleaf Tea Shop: Affordabilitea at Its Finest

Tuesday, December 06, 2011
After featuring Happy Lemon, I'm back with yet another review of a cold tea beverage store. This time though, entering the battle arena of the continuously growing (and actually exploding) market for milk tea and other cold tea drinks is Moonleaf Tea Shop.

I have read quite a few reviews and blog features about this particular tea house. So when I came across one along E. Rodriguez Sr. Ave. a few days ago, even if I was already in a hurry and just commuting my way in and out of Quezon City, I gave in to the tempting green and white leaf logo bannered on Seneca Plaza's building facade.


This particular branch of Moonleaf Tea Shop is probably at its soft opening period when I visited as it only started to welcome its customers last November 27. Although the place still looked a little new, lacking the flair and cozy ambiance of beverage houses' year-old branches, I was still warmly greeted by the colorful freedom cork boards posted onto their whole right wall. I also liked how the place maintained a sleek and modern minimalist style with its white and apple green color scheme.

However, I found myself a little lost in a sea of uniformed students. Most of the branch's customers that time were high school students, and a few college people. I know I just graduated from university and doesn't seem to be too different from these customers, but wearing casual in a crowd full of white collared polos made me felt a little out of place -- much like going to a party wearing a playboy bunny costume when everyone else is dressed in formal wear.

I still made my way to the counter though. Exiting the vicinity with an SLR on my hand will make me look more awkward and weird anyway.

Good thing the crew manning the counter were all smiles. They made me felt at home even if I looked lost in the particular store. They also striked for a pose when I pointed my kit lens to their direction.


After all the drama this solo trip gave me, I was ready to make a purchase. I already have an order in mind as I have read a lot about this particular best seller. I was surprised though at how affordable their drinks were! P45 to P55 for plain tea, P60 to P75 for plain and special milk teas, and P50 to P75 for fruit tea and tea with yakult concoctions. So even if I had to watch my calorie intake to give room for Christmas feast-ivities, I gave in and ordered 2 drinks from their menu.

See complete and readable menu here.

I got the Wintermelon Milk Tea (P75), and Passion Fruit Black Tea (P55) with Nata add-on (P10). It was a little surprising that they only had 1 standard size for cold drinks, but good thing their cup size was already the big serving of other beverage stores, or even bigger than some. Since I was quite in a hurry, I had them to go.


When I got home, I gave my mom and little sister a sip of each. Bad move though. They're not really fond of milk tea and cold tea drinks. My dad was curious so he asked to sample the Passion Fruit Black Tea with Nata. And he loved it! I actually poured him a standard glass of this tea and he really seemed to enjoy sipping through the sweet yet a little tangy cold tea, and munching on the nata bits. I also enjoyed the fruit-flavored black tea. Not as clean tasting of a tea as Gong Cha's or Chatime's, but it was good and as refreshing to drink.

I also enjoyed their Wintermelon Milk Tea. It was rich in flavor and sweet. Not as good as Gong Cha's, but for the price I say it's a good buy!

THE VERDICT

With the growing Philippine patronage for milk tea and other tea beverages, it will not be long before weak brands will be thrown out of the competition and get eaten by major players. Although Moonleaf is not raiding the local malls unlike other big competitors in the milk tea battle arena, it has been steadily growing a following for its quality drinks offered in a lower price range.

Being a milk tea or even tea-in-general lover, Moonleaf had satisfied my tea drinks craving. And although their branches are not really near my place, I would definitely pay their stores a visit when I get to come across one soon.

Taste - 4/5
Ambiance - 3.5/5
Service - 4/5
Price - 5/5
Overall Value - 4/5


Moonleaf, E. Rodriguez
Unit LG2, Lower Ground Flr.,
Seneca Plaza, E. Rodriguez Sr. Ave.,
New Manila, Quezon City
Official Website
Facebook Page

29 comments:

  1. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  2. No doubt those students were there because it is affordable. when ko kaya matry ang milk tea. wala kasi dito niyan. hehe!

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  3. @michi: If you don't have milk tea stores there yet, maybe you can try grocery store milk teas for the mean time.. :) Lipton and C2 have milk tea products.. Not as good as milk tea stores, but it will give you a slight idea on how it tastes.. :) Or better yet, make DIY milk tea! ;) Just buy a green/black cold tea beverage and add fresh milk (sugar and cream too if you like) ^^

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  4. i am sooo in love with your blog!

    definitely follow-worthy! =)

    i hope you can drop by my humble blog too ;)

    keep the yummy posts coming! ;)

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  5. Prices are very competitive.

    I don't know why but milk tea never really grew on me. :(

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  6. I was supposed to go here today. Darn. I was going to meet up with my friend and try MoonLeaf. I will take this as a sign.

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  7. Aha, you're hooked! Once you start reviewing them you'll just feel this itch to try every milk tea place in town. :D I liked their Wintermelon also.

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  8. @Lynne: Hahahaha.. That's so true! :) I'm off to try Serenitea, Bon Appetea, Cha Dao and Saint's Alp next.. ^^

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  9. Thank you for featuring this particular branch. It's near our place and I've been wanting to go check it out. That Passion Fruit drink looks refreshing, might give it a try when I visit again. I'm about to feature their branch in Maginhawa.
    Thanks again for sharing :)

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  10. Wow, they have cheaper tea! I would have to try that!

    I know you're young, but it doesn't it make you feel old to be in a place where high school and college kids hang out? Hahaha!

    I've never been a fan of coffee but I'm a slave to tea. I'm happy that more tea places are popping up all over the city!

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  11. Like Starbucks and Krispy Kreme, I just can't like Moon Leaf. Why? Maybe because gone are those days that I hang in cafes and blab with friends. Haha.

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  12. wow, I really love the ambiance...very neat! tapos mura pa yung tea...hehehe! uso na talaga ang tea sa pinas ano? when I was there lipton lang ang uso...lol!

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  13. I dunno why I cannot like milk tea. :(

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  14. Dami ko naririnig na good feedback about moonleaf..try namin to one time :)

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  15. not a big fan of milk tea pero ngayon nagccrave na din ako!
    where's the best milk tea na recommended mo?

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  16. @Chyng: So far Gong Cha ang pinaka-fave ko when it comes to milk tea drinks.. :) Love their House Special Milk Wintermelon Tea!

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  17. After reading this, I'm now craving for Serenitea's Okinawa. :p
    That, or Azta's free milk tea. LOL

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  18. I've heard a lot of good things about Moonleaf. I hope I can try it soon...

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  19. Been wanting to try Moonleaf for myself too!

    ♥♥ Megann of STYLE SURGERY

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  20. Been wanting to try this out. Meron daw sa may UST. Sana makadaan ako this sembreak hehe

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  21. Inaaya ako ng friend ko jan dati pa...

    Anlayoo lang... :)

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  22. I love Moonleaf! I always go to their branch in Maginhawa <3 Jasmine yakult for me! Wintermelon is a best seller! You have good taste!

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  23. i tried gong cha's wintermelon tea yesterday & loved it.

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  24. You should have gone to Moonleaf MAGINHAWA. :)

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  25. I am a milk tea addict in the very sense of the word as I have to drink one to 2 cups everyday. With that, I am in constant search of new milk tea offerings since drinking the same brand daily would be nakakasawa haha! Thanks for sharing this! :)

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  26. Moonleaf is one of my favorite milk tea more than serenitea and others. Madalas ako sa Congressional branch at malaki nga talaga pinagbago nila! Dati kasi maliit lang talaga yung branch pero ngayon nag-expand na sila sa mas malaki na location. Parang bahay na yung location malaki na talaga! Tapos hindi lang milk tea. Meron na rin silang sweet studio where you can purchase their delicious cupcakes, cookies and pasta aside from the milk teas. Pede na rin kayong mamili kung gusto niyong hot or cold yung milk tea :) Hope you'll comeback to Moonleaf! :)

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    Replies
    1. By the way my fave is Caramel milk tea! Masarap kahit hot or cold! :)

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