Coffeeshop Review: Le C's Patisserie and Tea House

Name: Le C's Patisserie and Tea House

Location: 411 State Street, Madison, WI 53703

Ambiance: Casual, Hipster

Cost: $

Best Dish: Signature Milk Tea with 80% sugar and black sugar boba

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I may have a small addiction to bubble tea. I know plenty of people don't like the texture, but I just love the chewy, caramel-like boba with the gentle flavors of the tea. Unfortunately, Madison is a mixed bag when it comes to bubble tea shops. My personal favorite was Jade Mountain out on the East Side, but it's quite a trek when I have a craving on campus. Although I like Taiwan Little Eats as well, I was just looking for more of that caramel flavor - and Le C's delivers.

Le C's just opened out on State Street, right next to Grace Coffee. Even before their grand opening, they were teeming with masked people. They have a delightful array of breads, desserts, and mooncakes. I ordered their signature milk tea (my gauge of a solid tea shop) with garlic cheese bread and a mango mousse. Unfortunately, neither of my food items lasted very long - the bubble tea lasted only marginally longer. Their garlic bread was fresh, delightfully soft and packed with incredible garlic flavor. My friend who accompanied me also loved his mooncake, which he said was flavorful and just the right texture.

The star of the show was the bubble tea. My friend and I both finished our teas in the span of 5 minutes. Their boba were fresh and still warm at the bottom of our drinks, and they added just the right amount of chewiness. The black sugar added a really delicate caramel flavor, and you could see the syrup sliding down the sides of my drink. I got it at 80% sweetness and it was already a little too sweet for me, so I think 100% sweetness might be overkill. My only complaint was that I was unable to modify the milk - which may be a challenge for vegans and those with food allergies. I'm hoping that's just a function of the soft opening, and they add that functionality after the grand opening.

Le C's is a wonderful addition to Madison's campus bubble tea scene. It gives me two options on State Street that I'm happy with, and keeps me from having to go all the way out to the East side every time I want a bubble tea fix. I'll probably just cycle my way through all three.