Chad's Chai

 

Chad's has been supplying local businesses for years, so it is nice to see them finally get their own spot. While they could have done brisk business on name recognition and the strength of their product alone, they happen to have a very nice atmosphere: bright and airy with plenty of natural light. The staff here are knowledgeable and can help offer recommendations, which is useful if you find yourself overwhelmed by the number of options. From classic teas to chai lattes to seasonal concoctions to even tea flights, there's a lot to choose from here. Packaged teas, tea accessories, and baked goods are also among the offerings.

 

For our first visit, my wife and I went with a Peachy Keen (with basil) iced tea, an iced vanilla chai, and an ube cheesecake roll. The teas were very refreshing on a hot day while the pastry tasted great warmed up. Chai lattes can sometimes be cloyingly sweet, but this one was thankfully not.

 

If you like tea, Chad's Chai is a must if you're in the area. If you don't, Chad's might make a convert out of you.

Ninja Cafe/Kung Fu Tea

 

Co-located at 5815 Samet Drive at the Palladium in High Point, Ninja Café and Kung Fu Tea are the Japanese fast casual and bubble tea franchise (respectively) sides of the same business. The establishment is open from 11 to 9 (9:30 on weekends) daily. An app with a built-in loyalty/rewards program is available, and limited-time tea flavors change regularly.

 

Kung Fu Tea

A rare commodity elsewhere, bubble tea is hard to avoid in High Point. Even so, Kung Fu Tea sets itself apart by offering a nearly overwhelming number of options. You can choose from classic, fruit, and milk teas and customize them (size, hot or cold, sweetness levels, bubble toppings, etc.) to the hilt. Throw in some intriguing seasonal options (strawberry cream, brown sugar, and rosehip pineapple in addition to the requisite pumpkin), and it's hard to NOT find something here. Of course, some trial and error may be involved in arriving at a favorite.

We went with a rosehip pineapple tea during our most recent visit. It was sweeter than expected, but the pineapple's acidity tempered that somewhat, and the tapioca bubbles are quality. The staff here have never been anything but polite, and pricing ($3-4.50 for most of the teas and a bit more for slushes) is fair.

Anyone in search of a refreshing beverage near the Palladium shouldn't sleep on this place.

 

Ninja Cafe

Though it offers a small selection of appetizers (gyoza, tataki, takoyaki), sushi rolls, and even sushi burritos, Nina Cafe's biggest draw, as with the tea side of the house, is its customizability. For $8 or $11 respectively, you can build your own cooked or poke bowl including your choice of rice (sushi or brown), proteins, veggies, toppings (for the poke bowl), and sauces. The portions are filling (a bowl can feed two), and miso is included.

While everything tasted fresh, this isn't the best poke I've had (Greensboro's Poke Bowl offers better execution of a similar concept) though it is fairly satisfying. Be forewarned that custom bowls do take a bit of time to prepare.

If your basis of comparison is your favorite traditional Japanese restaurant, Ninja Cafe will fail to impress. But as a quicker, cheaper, more casual alternative, it acquits itself well.