Happy Customer at Happy Lemon

I've been seeing Happy Lemon in Facebook statuses every now and then and wondered what it was. A new dessert? Perhaps a brand of clothing for teens? A fruit shake kiosk in the mall?

It was only recently that I learned what Happy Lemon is when I chanced upon it in Eastwood Cyber Mall -- lo and behold! It is a drink bar that serves milk tea and other quirky mixes from coffee to fruit flavors. Happy Lemon's mascot is actually a smiling face of boy (although it looks like a girl) with yellow hair in the shape of a lemon. His name is Lemon Boy. How cute!

Happy Lemon is an international brand that first opened five years ago in Hong Kong, but now has over 100 branches all over the world. You will find them in Hong Kong, China, Singapore, Australia, and now the Philippines.

Browsing through their menu, I couldn't decide what to order since it was my first time to try Happy Lemon. Happy Lemon is not just limited to milk tea, they also have other specialty drinks which are divided into collections -- the Lemon Series are all lemon-infused; the Rock Salt and Cheese are a unique combination of rock salt and cheese to tea, coffee and cocoa; the Milk Tea are yummy drinks with a variety of topping you can choose from, not just pearls or sago; the Mousse Spins are ice-blended drinks; Cocoa and Coffee; Specialty Drinks; and Fresh Tea.

Happy Lemon drinks (l-r) Cocoa with Rock Salt & Cheese and Lemon Yakult

A friend, as well as the cashier at the counter, suggested I get the Cocoa with Rock Salt and Cheese since it is the best seller. Hmmm...I've tried chocolate candy with rock salt and it was ok, and I love cheese...but a chocolate drink with cheese and rock salt? This I've got to try.

My drink for the day -- cocoa with cheese and salt mixture on top

Looking at the concoction, the cocoa or chocolate part of the drink is at the bottom of the plastic cup white the cheese and rock salt mixture rests on top, giving the drink a foamy-creamy appearance. I was about to put in a straw to begin drinking but I was told to drink it straight from the cup. What I experienced next was a delightful layering of flavors from salty to sweet. Heaven! Just to see the difference of drinking it with straw, I took a sip hoping to get the same result but all I got was the taste of plain chocolate drink similar to the all-time chocolait drink. So I ditched the straw for good and enjoyed the Cocoa with Rock Salt and Cheese until my cup was empty.

Top view of my drink

I declare I am one happy customer. But since I cannot consume more than one cup of the super yummy drink in just one sitting without jeopardizing my calorie counting, I will definitely come back soon. I just hope that Happy Lemon will soon open a branch somewhere in Makati or Manila since their branches in Greenhills and in Eastwood are far from home.

UPDATE AS OF AUG. 28: Happy Lemon opened today at the Archaeology wing of Powerplant Mall in Rockwell, Makati. :)