Bubble Tea Run in Taipei

The moment I booked my flight to Taipei, I knew I had to seek out the first original bubble tea, 
春水堂 Chun Shui Tang. What many blogs and trip planners didn't tell me is that there is a branch of Chun Shui Tang on the ground floor of Hall of Opera at Chiang Kai Shek Memorial Hall. Ironically, this was my first stop of the day and got to see the change of guards at the main hall then proceeded to hunt for a morning snack. Good thing I turned on my roaming and followed Apple Maps. There are no signs that restaurants and a tea house actually exist at the Opera Hall. I patiently waited for the tea house to open at 11:30 am and was the first customer.

Unlike other boba shops, Chun Shui Tang is an actual tea house serving Taiwanese snacks and entrees. I saw some families grabbing lunch, while my mother and I opted to order snacks so we have more tummy space to eat a late lunch at Modern Toilet.

Food blogger mode. Please don't disturb as I sip through my boba tea.
That's the Opera House on the right. The tea house is on the ground floor.
While waiting for the tea shop to open.
The tea house. Simple yet inviting.
Taiwanese snack
My mum's pick for a morning snack. Healthy lettuce with minced pork.
THE Original Bubble Milk Tea. Perfectly blended. 
Iced but not too sweet.
Yummy fish balls paired well with my milk tea.
Ten Ren is another well-known tea brand from Taiwan. When I passed by a Ten Ren boba shop, I immediately popped in to try an oolong milk tea. Since my mum and I were walking around the whole day (ie. no bathroom at my beckon), my mum told me not to get milk tea. I ended up ordering one anyway, but it actually didn't make my tummy upset. Thank goodness! 

Small seating at Ten Ren to get you in the mood.
Ten Ren's oolong milk tea.
Another boba tea shop that I didn't get to try - Long Tea Fan at Ximending.
Taiwan is known for oolong tea, whereas South Africa is known for rooibos. Thanks to my local friend, Lucy, who brought me tea shopping for the first time! I was amazed at the barrels of loose leaf tea from Vietnam, China, and of course Taiwan that can be purchased by kilos. I'm no tea connoisseur, but it was quite obvious that the most expensive ones had a stronger smell.  

Taiwanes tea
Take your loose leaf tea pick. 
So overwhelming to see so much tea! 
What I learned from this trip is that an authentic Taiwanese milk tea is really not sweet. In American soil, it is equivalent to 50% sugar.

For more on my Taiwanese misadventures, keep calm and read on.


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