With its creamy drinks and numerous flavors, the newly opened Kurimi in White Hart Lane in Banawa is a delectable addition to Cebu’s milk tea scene.
Kurimi serves premium Taiwanese milk tea with Asian flavors. The name and store’s 2D theme depict its Japanese branding. Kurimi is an assimilated Japanese word for “creamy,” according to Dr. Ian Fruto Teodorico, a certified internist and allergist-pulmonologist. The Japanese do not have a similar word for creamy and could only pronounce it as “kurimi” so it has become an accepted substitute.
“The flavor is spot on, it’s more creamy. Lami gyud siya,” he explained when asked what differentiates the Kurimi Milk Tea Bar drinks from other brands. Teodorico is one of five friends who formed a business venture to bring the brand to Cebu City.
Kurimi milk tea flavors
Aside from its signature flavors, which include the original milk tea that can be added with pearl, coffee jelly, cheesecake or either combinations, it also has the Brown Sugar Series, Cheesecake Series, Cappuccino Series as well as special flavored drinks and fruit teas.
Two interesting flavors in the fruit tea special menu that customers should try are cherry blossom and rose, Teodorico added.
A bestseller in the Signature Milk Tea series is the Kurimi Milk Tea Baby Special, which is further enriched by Oreo Cheesecake and pearl. Those who prefer hot drinks should try Kurimi’s cappuccino, which tastes very different from other brands because it has a distinct tea flavor.
Gelato, food offerings
An added bonus for gelato lovers is that Kurimi also carries the Fiorgelato brand. A pint of premium gelato is priced from P315 to P350. Available flavors include chocolate, vanilla, fragola, cheese, blueberry and many more. The special edition Spumoni combines delicious strawberry, pistacchio, and chocolate gelato in one pint. Neapolitan, Trio Favorito, Ghirardelli are other offerings.
Kurimi also has food to pair with your favorite milk tea drink: choose from the thin crust pizza, chicken pops, and chicken gyoza.
About a month since they opened on June 25, Teodorico said many of their repeat customers are from the medical community. These include doctor friends who supported their business venture and spread the word within their networks and those from Cebu’s music industry who know him because of his singing gigs as vocalist of the band The Power of Three or T_POT.
Spacious outdoor area
The Kurimi brand is franchised under the Milken Corporation and has over 20 branches outside of Cebu. Milken as a business has operated for three decades but the milk tea venture was just started in 2019.
With its spacious outdoor area, Kurimi in Banawa is ideal for those who prefer alfresco dining as a way of keeping safe against COVID-19. The milk tea bar is also accepting deliveries, for now through orders made on its Facebook page.
They are, however, working to make Kurimi products available on foodpanda and Grab, Teodorico added.
