It is a drink that originated in Taiwan and came to this country by way of Los Angeles. In the last month, the phenomenon has arrived in downtown Saratoga in the shape of Tapioca Express, a chain pearl tea shop with stores all over California and in other states across the country.

And there are signs that younger Saratogans are already taking to it. A typical weeknight finds a bunch of younger people at the store, mostly teenagers hanging out at the shop and enjoying their bubble tea. And they hang out much after most of Saratoga's downtown has gone to sleep.

The shop stays open until 11 p.m. on weeknights and until midnight on weekends. "We have had people coming in and just thanking us for staying open so late," says Jimmy Ho, the store manager.

Bubble tea has always been popular with Asian Americans and with younger people. And Saratoga, with a 30 percent Asian population, is lapping it up.

Binh-Young Tsao, a student at De Anza College, loves his bubble tea and has been to the shop often since it opened. "Besides the teas, I like the fact that they have a few computer terminals where I can surf the Internet for free," he said.

Jonathan Hopson is another De Anza College student who loves to hang out at the shop. He usually brings his laptop and his iPod. "This is much closer to my house. I really did not like bubble tea when I tried it the first time several years ago. But I have grown to like it," said Hopson.

Rohan Mehra, a student at the Harker School, has been to Tapioca Express downtown nine times since the store opened. "I love the tea. My mom likes it, too. I like the store because it looks very modern.

The store is filled with people like Tsao, Hopson and Mehra, all taken with the "coolness" of the place. They might be the advance guard for a new kind of customer in Saratoga downtown.

"I would rarely come downtown before. I would go to Cupertino to hang out," said Mehra.

"We have a lot of repeat customers. We have a scheme where you get one free drink for every 10 drinks you buy, and we have gotten back 40 of those cards already," said Ho.

Tapioca Express also offers free wireless access to those with laptops.

Kristin Davis, executive director of the Saratoga Chamber of Commerce, said that she was excited that young people have a place to visit in downtown Saratoga. "I believe they are doing fabulously," she said. "My daughter Kiley loves the drink. She would drive all over the place to get pearl tea."

"I am also glad that they are adding to the mix of business in the Village and not duplicating what the others are doing. This will bring some much needed vitality to the Village," she said.

Danielle Surdin, the city's economic development coordinator, said that the shop had become popular with the younger community. "I personally believe anytime a new business opens and brings life to the downtown, we all prosper," said Surdin.

Ho agrees that the store is doing well. "We employed a bunch of young people, and they told their friends, and very soon a lot of people in the community were dropping by," he said.

Ho said that since pearl tea seemed to appeal to mainly younger customers, it would draw in kids from Saratoga High School, Saratoga Elementary School and West Valley College.

The store owners plan to have free tasting sessions in the near future to get the uninitiated to try bubble tea.

"Boba or bubble tea is something you would have after a meal. That is the reason we are open so late," said Ho.

Tapioca Express, located at 14441 Big Basin Way, also sells coffee, juice, sodas and snacks.