Happy Lemon

I am not a big fan of bubble tea or specialty tea (e.g. gong cha, koi, each a cup etc) and I categorize Happy Lemon in the same vein. In fact I am the most boring customer as I tend to only order milk tea, no pearls, which is no difference from a regular teh peng (iced milk tea in coffee shop).
So when my friend said I must try the rock salt cheese green tea, I was not too keen. But try I did. Twice in fact.
The first order I had was the cocoa rock salt cheese drink. It was interesting but the cocoa drink probably overpowered the rock salt cheese so I did not get much of an impression.
The 2^nd time I ordered the rock salt cheese green tea. It was definitely an acquired taste. Salty, creamy and sweet. You could also taste the shredded cheese in the drink. This was much better as the green tea was a lighter beverage than the cocoa.
The packaging has changed. The drink now comes in a clear plastic cup with a lid. It no longer has the happy lemon logo on it. And there is a promotion of 50% off the 2^nd drink (selected items). Rock salt cheese drinks are already at 20% off. This promotion seemed to be there for quite some time. It makes me wonder if Happy Lemon will soon leave the ION location. So if you are a big fan of Happy Lemon, go get your fix fast.

I used to go to ION just for the sole purpose of getting myself a cup of Happy Lemon. And yes it makes you happy because it definitely gets you on a sugar high. I’ve a sweet tooth so this is one of my favourite drink joints.
What sets it apart from all the other bubble tea stores like koi or gong cha is that it doesn’t specialize only in drinks with pearls or only in tea — Happy lemon have very unique concoctions that may sound a little odd on the menu board but perfectly delightful on the taste buds. Reading the menu is like being in a candy store of exciting beverages.
My favourites are:
cocoa with rock salt & cheese — the rock salt & cheese is just a topping on top of the cocoa drink, and you get the slight hint of saltiness as you sip your cup — you don’t drink with a straw, got to sip it straight from the cup to get that great combination of salty and sweet!
cocoa matcha with brown sugar jelly — this one gets me sugar high but its my absolute fave, the combination of chocolate with green tea is divine and the brown sugar jelly is my most favourite thing on their menu.
cocoa with pudding — you can have this either cold or hot. On a rainy day, I’d order the hot version. The cocoa is not too sweet and the pudding is just delightfully soft and sweet, its a failproof combination!
The unhealthy thing is that unlike bubble tea joints like koi or gong cha, you cannot control the sugar level in these drinks and some of the flavours obviously have very high sugar levels!
Final verdict: Worth risking diabetes for these sweet cups!

Oddly enough, Happy Lemon does indeed make me quite happy.
Whenever I need a perk-​me-​up in the huge mall that is Ion it is not a grave cup of coffee I’d look for, but a cheerful cup of Happy Lemon to sweeten the deal.
Maybe it’s because of its name that my choices have so far only been limited to their Lemon Honey and Lemon Green Tea — probably having subliminally been influenced by its name. I do desire, though, to venture into their ‘rock salt cheese’ range, which I have been told can be very interesting and very flavourful.
What sets this apart from the standard lemonade and iced tea shop is its irresistable buffet of additional toppings, ranging from the standard pearl sagos (small/​large), nata da coco and aloe bits, to the uniquely delightful mesona jelly, kanten and my personal favourite — seaweed jelly. I’ve never wanted anything else in a drink from then on. Try it and you’ll understand why.