Odd One Out, the bold Taiwan-inspired bubble tea brand, is shaking up the boba tea scene with its inventive take on both classic and new flavors. After launching its first U.S. location in 2022 on West Olympic Boulevard, the brand has rapidly expanded, opening its second shop on Santa Monica’s bustling Third Street Promenade, with a third location set to open in Pasadena later this year.
Founded by Ron Chan, former CEO of Food Panda Taiwan, and Patrick Sun, Odd One Out was born from a desire to break free from the cookie-cutter mold of traditional boba tea shops. “We named our brand Odd One Out because we wanted to redefine what bubble tea could be,” Chan shared. “We needed to make drinks that stand out in a crowded market.”
Odd One Out’s creativity stems from a unique origin story that began during the pandemic in Taiwan. With nightlife venues shuttered, Chan collaborated with top bartenders, mixologists, and pastry chefs to craft a truly unique beverage experience. “We even ran a competition with MasterChef to bring in the best talent for creating our first drinks,” Chan recalled. This partnership, alongside their collaboration with the renowned Lo & Behold Group—operators of the three-Michelin-starred restaurant Odette—helped shape Odd One Out’s high-end, premium boba concept.
At the heart of Odd One Out is a commitment to quality ingredients, with a particular emphasis on sourcing small-batch oolong teas from Taiwan. “Most boba shops in America use the cheapest tea, masked with sugar,” Chan explained. “But we focus on premium, small-batch teas that offer natural, vibrant flavors.” This focus on quality extends to everything from the teas themselves to the handcrafted sugars and organic milk or plant-based alternatives that go into every drink.
Each drink is meticulously crafted, with flavors like Juniper Bliss, blending juniper berries with dried mango for a refreshing, complex taste, and Watermelon Jade Cream Foam, which combines fresh watermelon, oolong tea, and basil leaves for a unique flavor profile. The Blue Matcha, featuring organic milk, lavender syrup, and coconut sugar boba, offers a visually stunning and flavorful twist on a classic favorite.
Odd One Out’s attention to detail doesn’t stop at the ingredients. The Santa Monica location uses tea-pressing machines that simulate traditional Chinese brewing methods, ensuring each cup of tea is as fresh and flavorful as possible. “Our espresso-like machines recreate the art of gongfu cha, delivering different flavors and textures in each pour,” Chan noted.
For first-time visitors, Chan recommends the Champion Milk Tea with Golden Buddha Silk Boba, a drink made with rare red oolong tea that has won back-to-back awards at Taiwan’s annual boba tea competition in 2022 and 2023.
But Odd One Out offers more than just bubble tea. The brand also serves small-batch gelato, made with ingredients sourced from local farmers markets. With rotating flavors like Earl Grey with lavender and mango with grapefruit, the gelato menu changes daily based on what’s fresh and in season.
Santa Monica has embraced Odd One Out with open arms, and the Third Street Promenade location has become a hit with locals. “People tell us they’ve been waiting for us to open, and it’s been incredible to bring this unique boba tea experience to such an iconic location,” Chan said.
With its focus on innovation, craftsmanship, and quality, Odd One Out is poised to continue making waves in the U.S. boba tea market, offering customers a fresh, flavorful experience unlike any other.
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