On Monday, July 5th, I approached the doors of Bubble Maineia's new store (15 Temple Street, Portland, ME); to my dismay I found them locked.  Confused, I yanked on the door a few times as I re-checked the business hours.  The lights were on, the "open" sign was bright blue and red, and a young kid inside scurried away while on his cell phone.   Perhaps it is unfair to write about Bubble Maineia's new Dessert and Noodle Bar without first tasting the food, but I have no choice since I could not get in.

 

I love bubble tea.  It is a simple pleasure in my life that I indulge in weekly.  Most days I stick to a simple passion fruit black iced tea - with bubbles - and a steamed bun.  Needless to say, I was very excited to learn that a new, larger, more convenient, location was open near the Nickelodeaon Cinema.   Even though the tapioca bubbles are rarely consistent, the sweetness is occasionally overpowering, or that the steamed buns remind me of things I swore I would never eat during my travels, Bubble Maineia is one  more place I try to be a regular.  I also love noodle bars, so the idea of a place bringing together some of my simple pleasures was right up my alley.  If only they unlocked their doors and staffed people willing to work, Bubble Maineia would likely have a raving review and a regular customer.  Bummer.

I discovered bubble tea at this shoppe in Odaiba, Japan.