Caity Healy | Lifestyle Editor

Sitting off of Monmouth Avenue and Main Street is a small, contemporary styled restaurant: DIY Tea & Beyond. Serving a variety of different teas and snack-sized foods, the eatery makes an ideal location for studying, or just a place to sit back and relax for awhile.

Upon hearing of its opening, I was immediately thrilled; I grew up near Portland, Oregon which was full of tea bars, so I’ve always loved milk teas. Of course, I had to try DIY and see if it could bring me the same enjoyment that I used to get from bubble tea shops around my hometown.

Once you arrive, you walk into a modern looking room designed with large windows, charging stations around the walls, stools, couches, tables — even bean bag chairs. The dark wood used throughout the location contrasts sharply with the natural light flooding the room, creating a pleasant environment. I wanted to try a few different things, so my friend and I ordered the lavender milk tea with tapioca balls, as this was my favorite at home, the passion fruit tea with passion fruit jellies, cuttlefish balls, french fries and egg pudding.

The two teas were amazing; since we ordered them for there, it was served in a cute Mason Jar with light ice. Honestly, I’ve been craving the lavender milk tea everyday since originally ordering it. One thing I did learn the hard way, though, is while it may be tempting, do not drink it too fast as you will end up with an awful stomachache. The passion fruit tea was sweet and satisfying, as well.

As for the food, the cuttlefish balls were delicious. I loved every single bite. The french fries were pretty good, but nothing too special. I had never tried egg pudding before so I wasn’t exactly sure what to expect, but I actually really enjoyed it.

While we were eating, the worker brought us out some rose petal tea to try, and I drank the entire pot. It was sweet, but not too sweet, and every sip was as good as the last. He kept coming back to make sure that we were satisfied; the service was top-notch and you could tell they genuinely cared about their customers.

This restaurant is something I’d definitely recommend to anyone. Perhaps you aren’t familiar with the type of food on the menu, or you don’t like tea — they have options for you. It’s a chance to branch out and try something new, or stick with something you know you’d like. Whatever you choose, I’m almost certain that you will enjoy it.

Contact the author at chealy16@wou.edu

Photo by: Paul F. Davis