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| - Green Grotto is a house-hold name in my part of Scarborough. As it's in the same plaza as Go for Tea, this establishment is its direct competitor. Green Grotto has changed interior designs and menus over the years, but it has kept its "natural" theme. The high-top tables with their faux marble top are nice, and this branch is great for large groups. They have outlets in the floor for public use, so it's very student-friendly.
Watered down is the first aspect I would note about the drinks. I have tried various slushes, fruit teas, milk teas, and basically all the works. On the weekend, I recently tried their Fresh Milk Wintermelon Tea with mixed tapioca. As a devout worshiper of Gong Cha's wintermelon milk tea, my goal at any bubble tea joint is to compare their variation of this lovely drink. However, Green Grotto falls flat in all categories: cost, flavour, texture, and service. First, the the drinks tend to be 50 cents or so more expensive than what I've usually seen, particularly in other neighbourhoods (even downtown and north Toronto). Secondly, even at 50 percent sweetness, the concoction tasted more like water mixed with milk than wintermelon. Keep in mind that I usually get 30 percent sugar at Chatime and Gong Cha, so the lack of flavour was like a punch in the face with artificial flavouring, low-quality melon powder, and powdered milk. Texture-wise, the mixed tapioca is a unique feature, one that I think most would enjoy, if the pearls were not mushy and "plastic-like" in taste. Last but not least, the service was poor, even compared to the lack thereof at other bubble tea joints. The server was on her phone half the time and she showed no confidence in her work. She was quiet when catering to us and when she accidentally spilled water on my phone, she barely even squeaked out an apology, sounding almost as if she did not care that she could have water-damaged my new LG Stylo 3 Plus.
If possible, I would not recommend anyone to go to this branch. There are other nearby Green Grottos in Scarborough and North York with higher quality drinks and service. Unless you're a student who lives nearby and needs a quick study area, then please divert away.
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