Tiger88 Banhmi & Boba now open in Des Peres

A new place for boba has bounced into the frame. Tiger88 Banhmi & Boba opened at 12055 Manchester Road in Des Peres last month and, according to shift leader Tyler, it’s already filling a niche. It’s a fun, flashy little spot. There’s some neon, some fun wall art. The tables and chairs (for 15 to 20 people) look teak-ish, mid-century-ish; and the lampshades are bird cages.

But the chief aesthetic is to be found in the drinks – the ube and salted iced coffees, the marble drips, the tiger sugar boba milk with cheese foam. “There’s definitely a visual component,” said Tyler. “These aren't cheap drinks, so you want to give an all-around experience.” Some of these Vietnamese beverages come with tapioca pearls, others have toppings of things like lychee jelly, red bean or flan cake. Everything is sized to be sucked through a straw. “A lot of Americans aren’t used to this kind of thing, but they're seeming to like what they are finding.”

Tiger88 is owned by husband and wife Kenny and Jenny, who also own CeeCee Nail Spa on Dougherty Ferry Road. This is their first foray into the restaurant business. “Everything is authentic and prepped with care,” Tyler said. By that, he means freshness is foremost. The tapioca and creams are made each morning, and all the sandwiches are from scratch. 

They are pretty beautiful too. There are five banh mi to choose from: grilled lemongrass beef, grilled pork, grilled chicken, a cold cut special, and crispy teriyaki tofu. There are also slimmer breadsticks with either fish cake or pate with housemade chili.

Tiger88 measures roughly 1,500 square feet. It is open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday through Thursday; and from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.