where can I find tapioca balls to make my own bubble tea?

Anyone know where in Brooklyn (Sunset Park?) that one can purchase the tapioca balls to make their own bubble tea drinks? Maybe those fat straws too.

thanks!!

[Quine]

yes, bubble tea balls are called Tapioca Pearls. And they do swell up considerably when rehydrated. Look in the dried foods area of an asian grocery and the ones about the size of a pea are the ones you want.

[jen kalb]

Are you looking for the smaller pearls or the big dark ones? Ive seen both (dried) in chinese groceries in sunset park. YOu just have to look around through the dried groceries shelves.

[missmasala]

Isn't there a hong kong or pacific supermarket (i get them confused) in sunset park chinatown? I bought tapioca pearls (the large black ones) at one of those places in queens, so I imagine the store in sunset park would have them, too.

Closer to home, I second the rec for hanco's. it's not bad. i like the taro tea.

I had some supremely awful bubble tea in sunset park in a newish place around 8th and 52nd or something like that. too sweet and really nasty.

I just found something that I think is tapioca pearls...they were vietnamese and were multicolored balls, about 30% smaller than the balls look in tea. I found them at M2M, the Japanese market in the East Village, 3rd Ave. and 10th or 11th St.

I see that you haven't had any hits for this. I was able to find them last week, but it was in Manhattan. Someone pointed me to Dynasty on Mulberry, but they didn't have them. There is a store one block north from Dynasty, on the SE corner that sells them. It's a store divided in two- half has dried items, half groceries. They were under three bucks for the two packs I got.

where can one try bubble tea in brooklyn? thanks.....

Cute bubble tea spot on 8th in Brooklyn on the corner of 58th or 59th. Formerly a "St. Alp's" -- Not sure of the name now -- maybe RenTen?

A more casual, slightly scarier bubble tea opportunity on 8th opposite the N train stop, c. 63rd Street. It claims to be a karaoke club. Hilarious menu!! The clientele is pretty exclusively young local people from an Asian background.

And of course the tiny but excellent Mei Ling Good Taste House Bakery on 4th Ave. between 59th and 60th offers bubble tea. Not many places to sit, though. I recommend a bubble tea, a "vegetable" steamed bao (ground pork and vegetables, really) -- and then sit around pretending to wash your laundry at the Mr.Uno laundromat next door.

AND SOMEONE EXPLAIN MEI LING'S COFFEE TO ME! Unlike anywhere else.

They like to refer to them as tapioca pearls. If you can't find them locally, you can order them online for around $2.00/lb.