| THE HI-LO |
Hiccups, a Vietnamese eatery with a wide array of boba drinks, will hold a grand opening Saturday with free drinks and a chance to win a PlayStation 5 at their new location near Cal State Long Beach.
Tucked between Ike’s Sandwiches and East Coast Bagel, the new spot in the Bixby Village Plaza serves up pho, pad thai and dozens of unique drink choices.
Starting at 9 a.m. Saturday, the first 50 people in line get a free coffee or milk tea. Everyone after that will receive a free coffee or milk tea with a purchase over $10 and all attendees can enter for a chance to win a PlayStation 5.
Hiccups first opened locally at the Traffic Circle a decade ago. A few years later, they moved to East Willow Street just south of Long Beach Airport.
It got its name because, “When you eat a lot of food and drink a lot of boba tea, you get the hiccups,” Store manager Andy Hoang said.
The Bixby Village Plaza store opened at the end of May in the space that previously housed Pho & Crawfish.
Hoang said Hiccups has had its eye on the location near CSULB for nearly 10 years.
The grand opening event came about because when they did the soft opening the sign from the previous tenant was still in front of the shop, Hoang said.
Unique to Hiccups is the House Coffee, a less bold variation on the better-known Vietnamese Coffee.
There’s also the Strawberry Twist – a blend of mango-strawberry green tea with strawberry bits and mango jelly – along with blended drinks like the Fruity Booty, a strawberry, mango and peach flavored slushy with strawberry bits.
More classic options include Thai Milk Tea, Taro Milk Tea and Jasmine Milk Tea.
You can order a regular drink for $5.95 or a large drink for $6.45.
The fan-favorite garlic noodles are served plain for $13.50, with veggies for $18.20 or with three varieties of protein ranging from $18.65 to $19.95.
Appetizers include popcorn chicken ($10.80), crispy tofu bites ($8.05) and cajun fries ($6.40) among others.
Hoang has been a store manager with Hiccups for the past six years and used to run the location on East Willow Street near the airport.
Originally from Vietnam, his family moved to Orange County when he was three years old.
Prior to working in the food industry, he spent eight years doing nails with his brother in Wisconsin.
“You have to be very patient doing that work,” Hoang said.
That past hospitality experience helps him ensure customers leave satisfied every day, he said.
Hiccups, 5751 East Pacific Coast Hwy., is open every day from 9 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.

– THE HI-LO

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