Review Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (Highly Recommended)
Address: No. 30號, Siwei St, West District, Taichung City, Taiwan 403Google Map Link: https://maps.app.goo.gl/jtSRcKRt9A8VrMZf9
(Please refer to the Timings provided in the Google Map Link for the Operating Hours.)
珍珠奶茶 Signature Bubble Tea (Cold, Medium, No Ice, No Sugar) = TWD170
功夫面 Kungfu Noodles = TWD100
金萱巴西蘑菇鸡汤 Brazilian Mushroom Chicken Soup with Jin-Xuan Oolong Tea = TWD165
Service Charge = TWD40
Here is the Full Menu of the Eatery/Restaurant.Prices are Accurate as of the Date of the Post.
This is how Significant this Beverage is in Asia. 🧋 Now you can imagine drinking this at (One of) the Very Place where the Beverage is actually Created! 😄 To some, it is going to probably feel like literally stepping into Paradise I'd reckon! ♥️
A Unique Taiwanese Creation, 2 Places lay claim to be the Original Inventor. 🤔 Hanlin Tea Room 翰林茶馆 in Tainan 台南 and this place that I'm introducing. The Legendary 春水堂 in Taichung. ⭐ This Particular Location I'm reviewing is not just another Branch, but is supposedly the Actual ORIGINAL Location where Bubble Tea was First Created. ♥️ I won't go into deeper details of their History as you can easily Google it out.
If Singaporeans are already willing to Queue 4 HOURS for China (Malaysian?) Brand Chagee, 🕓 Just imagine if one of the Actual 开山老祖 春水堂 ever arrives at our Shores? 靠腰啦, 还得了! 😅 I won't be surprised if Singaporeans will 夸张 until Proudly Queue Overnight 三天三夜 for it! 🌃 😅
Outside of the Eatery
This is not just a Simple Small Little Dinky Bubble Tea Shop in a Shopping Mall. 😅 It is a Full Service Dine-In Restaurant providing Actual Meals. 🍽️
Located in a Fairly Non-Descript and Quiet Neighbourhood, it sticks out because of how Uniquely Grand and Majestic the Entrance looks compared to the Other Buildings Nearby. 😳 Just look at my Video to see what I mean. 🎥
Located in a Fairly Non-Descript and Quiet Neighbourhood, it sticks out because of how Uniquely Grand and Majestic the Entrance looks compared to the Other Buildings Nearby. 😳 Just look at my Video to see what I mean. 🎥
As you step into the Restaurant on the First Floor, you will notice that it has an Unusual Narrow Layout. Nicely Renovated and Decorated in a Classic Chinese Restaurant Style, they use Atas Looking Chinese Wooden Furnitures. 👍 The Whole Place is Airconditioned and Comfortable. ❄️
Protip: There is actually a Basement to this Place and I only found out after I finished my Meal! 😅 You will need to climb a Staircase down, there are No Elevators. Hahaha I can't believe I visited this place 2 times and never knew of this Basement Area! 😅
Protip: There is actually a Basement to this Place and I only found out after I finished my Meal! 😅 You will need to climb a Staircase down, there are No Elevators. Hahaha I can't believe I visited this place 2 times and never knew of this Basement Area! 😅
As Most Customers are directed to their 1st Floor Area, this Basement Section is More Empty and Quieter. 🤔 I feel this Basement Area is Very Much More Spacious and even more Atas Furnished. 😳 It actually looks like some Ancient Imperial Chinese Scholar's Private Tea Room. 😅
Check out my Attached Video to see what I mean. If you don't mind going down some Staircase, I highly recommend to request to be seated at this Basement. I wish I knew about it before I came here! 😅
Check out my Attached Video to see what I mean. If you don't mind going down some Staircase, I highly recommend to request to be seated at this Basement. I wish I knew about it before I came here! 😅
The Staffs are Very Polite, Professional and Friendly as you'd expect from a Atas Level Chinese Restaurant like this. 👍 I liked that this place was so Atas, that when I requested for an Additional Spoon, it even came Wrapped Up. 😅 I love this Atas Attention to Detail. ♥️
Although it wasn't Full House and No Long Queue at 10.23am on a Wednesday, there were still quite alot of People at least at 1st Floor. 🤔 As Famous as this Place is for Bubble Tea Connoiseurs, Chances are you will probably not be facing a Massive Long Queue here as compared to 鼎泰豐 新生店 Din Tai Fung (Taipei Xinsheng HQ) that I reviewed previously. Don't take my Word for it though. 😅
How to Order your Food
1) Once you're seated down, you will be given a Paper Menu for you to mark out with a Pencil. 📝
2) When you've chosen and marked out what you wanted, bring it to the Front Counter and Pay first. 💵 The Staff will then give you an Approximate Time when your Dishes will be Ready 🕑 (Approximately 20 Mins for my Case)
3) Go back to your Seat and wait for the Foods to be served up. Although a More Atas Eatery, I did not do my usual test to request for them to serve up everything since she already pre-empted me of a 20mins Wait. 🕑
It took 8 Mins for the Kungfu Noodles, 🍜 surprisingly 12 Mins for the Actual Signature 珍珠奶茶 Bubble Tea, 🧋 and 22 Mins for the Soup. 🍲 In Total, it took 22 Mins for Everything to be Served Up which I thought was Surprisingly Long because it wasn't Full House on a Weekday. 😳 I'd expect the Wait to be alot longer on Weekends. 🤔
🧋 珍珠奶茶 Signature Bubble Tea (Cold, Medium, No Ice, No Sugar) = TWD170
And now we Finally come to the Actual Review.
Appearance and Presentation
When this was served up, just the Presentation itself blew me away. 🤯 You are not going to see some Teenager 小妹妹 on a Part-Time Job working behind a Counter to make this. 😅 It is not some Flimsy and Dinky Cheap Plastic or Paper Cup you get in a Typical Shopping Mall BBT Outlet. 😅 It is Served in a Heavy Solid Glass Mug with their Logo Proudly Emblazoned on it. 🍺
I had expected the Presentation to be Nothing Less than Magnificent and I was Absolutely Not Disappointed at all. 👍 Majestic and Awesome Looking, I haven't even drank this Bubble Tea, and already I feel that this is like some "BBT Final Main Boss" already. 🧋😅 Just the Presentation itself is 霸气十足. It truly befits its Legendary Status as (one of) the ORIGINAL Creator of 珍珠奶茶. ♥️
Colour of the BBT itself is a Familiar Cream Colour, no different from others it is a BBT after all. 🤔 Amount of Tapioca Pearls looks like Alot and they are all settled down at the Bottom Layer of the Mug. ⚫ Served Cold with a Nice Frothy Top. This Frothy Top is why this Drink is called "Bubble Tea". 🫧🧋
How does it actually Taste?
Erm...like a Normal 珍珠奶茶 Bubble Tea actually. 😅 Ok thats the Initial Impression anyway. Now I'm certainly No BBT Connosieur and I don't drink it often so I will try my best to describe this as best as I can. 🤔
Compared to others I've tasted, I feel this one is Slightly More Milky. 🥛 Perhaps I ordered Zero Sugar, I felt the Presence of Milk felt more Intense. 🤔 No Particular Strong Presence of Tea. Despite Zero Sugar, there is still a Nice Natural Sweetness from the Milk. Not Bland at all. 😋
I don't know about you, but sometimes when I do drink BBT, I always feel that there is this "Pre-Mix Powder" sort of taste? 🤔 Not this one. Something about this BBT gave me a More Natural Taste and doesn't taste as Artificial. 👍 But I'll be very honest, if you were to blindfold me and do a Taste Test, I will also probably not know the Difference lah. 😅
What I could taste different though are the Tapioca Pearls. ⚫ I feel these are Noticeably Smaller and have a Much Softer Tender Bite Texture. 😋 They also don't have what I call a "Doughy Center" Much More Smoother Tasting compared to Singapore / Malaysia versions. 😋
Another thing I felt was that despite a Huge Mug that is at least 500ml, 🍺 I was surprised that I could smoothly finish it all with Zero Jelak. 😋 I don't know why but when I drink other BBT, I could only take Occasional Smaller Sips bit by bit and take time to Drink because for some reason they will taste Jelak. 😅 I don't know why I don't feel Jelak even when finishing off such a Huge Mug. Delicious! ♥️
🍜 功夫面 Kungfu Noodles = TWD100
I ordered this only because it was Highly Raved among Google Reviewers. 😳 When it was served up, there is a Nice Salty Braised Bak Chor Aroma. 😋 The Dish looks Simple as it consists of Only Noodles, Bak Chor and Taugeh. 🤔
OMG this Bak Chor! ♥️ Made of Minced Pork, Bite Texture is Not Mushy at all. There is a Very Savoury Saltish Braised Taste that immediately fills your Mouth that is also Not Too Salty. 😋 Not your Typical Hawker Centre Bak Chor that you find in an Average BCM, this one here is Solid and Robust Tasting. 👍
Its a Very Good Quality Solid Mix of Soy Sauce, Sesame Oil and Mushroom Pieces 🍄 which gives it a Strong Mushroomy Hit. The Zhup is not alot but taste Meaty Savoury yet Light Enough that it never tries to fight for Attention with the Rest of the Ingredients in this Dish. 😋
Its a Very Good Quality Solid Mix of Soy Sauce, Sesame Oil and Mushroom Pieces 🍄 which gives it a Strong Mushroomy Hit. The Zhup is not alot but taste Meaty Savoury yet Light Enough that it never tries to fight for Attention with the Rest of the Ingredients in this Dish. 😋
The Noodles themselves are Slightly Thickish and Amount is Acceptable and Filling. 🍜 Texture is Soft but not Mushy and they have a 滑滑 Smooth and Slippery Texture that easily slides down my Throat. 😋 This Noodle feels Handmade and is not from some Package. 👍
Protip: I would recommend you to not immediately eat this Noodle when its served up. 🤔 Give it a few Mins to suck up the Soup 吸饱汤汁 before you eat, and you will get a Nicer Softer Smoother Bite. 😋
When every Ingredient is Mixed Together, it tastes Almost Exactly like eating Bak Chor Mee but at a Much Higher Level. 😋 Robust Meaty Savoury and Not Overly Porky, every Component in this Dish Compliments each other nicely and Never Clashes to make it an Epic Level BCM. ♥️ Now I understand why this Dish is so Highly Raved among Google Reviewers. 😄
🍄🍲 金萱巴西蘑菇鸡汤 Brazillian Mushroom Chicken Soup with Jin-Xuan Oolong Tea = TWD165
I had actually wanted to order their 东坡肉 because I remembered it being so Good when I first visited back in 2019. 😋 Unfortunately this item seems to have been removed from their Menu. 😅 So this was the Next Item I ordered because I wanted to test their Soup Quality. 🤔 Also the name sounded quite Unusual as I've never tasted a Brazillian Mushroom before. 🇧🇷🍄
This was the Item that took the Longest to Serve up at 22 Mins 😳 which was Unusual because Usually Soups are already Pre-Prepared and all you probably need is to just Heat it Up. No Idea why it took so long. 🤔
This was the Item that took the Longest to Serve up at 22 Mins 😳 which was Unusual because Usually Soups are already Pre-Prepared and all you probably need is to just Heat it Up. No Idea why it took so long. 🤔
Served in a Ceramic Bowl, when the Lid was Uncovered, there was Immediately a Very Noticeable Aroma of a Very Earthy Rich Mushroom. 🍄😋 I'm guessing this is the Brazillian Mushroom they are referring to.
Within the Bowl, there are:
🍲 Soup Broth
🐔 4 Pieces of Chicken
🍄 3 Pieces of Mushrooms
The Soup itself has a Yellowish Herbly Look with a Slight Layer of Oil and the Taste definitely has a Slight Herbal Touch. 😋 The Herbal is not those Super Gao Gao type but I feel its just Enough.
This is a Savoury, Slightly Saltish, Slightly Herbly Mushroom Chicken Soup. 🍲 Exactly what its name described. This Soup feels like it has been Slow Boiled for Long Hours and doesn't taste Cheaply Made. 👍 Good Soup.
🐔 Quality of the Chicken Pieces
The 4 Pieces of Chicken are Skin-On which explains the Slight Oily Sheen in the Soup. 🤔 Despite the Oil, it doesn't make the Soup Overly Oily.
Consists of some Thigh and some Breast Cuts. Soft and Tender, Moist, Not Dry and Not Overly Chickeny. 👍 Not alot of Chicken Pieces but I feel is still OK. The Meat themselves are soaked well in the Soup Broth and tastes Savoury and Slightly Salty. 😋
🍄 Quality of the Mushrooms
No Idea what is the Actual Name of these Mushrooms, but they indeed look Unique, not something that we can find in our Local Singapore Supermarkets. 🍄🤔
Black in Colour, they are also very Soft Tender and biting into them Releases a Nice Earthy Mushroomy Taste thats also Not Too Overpoweringly Mushroomy. 🍄😋 Quite Atas Tasting, this must be Well Cultivated as it doesn't taste like a Typical Cheapo type of Mushrooms you'd find in a Supermarket. 🍄😅
I also like that there are Quite Lot of Pieces of Goji Berries within that gave the Soup a Nice Natural Sweetness. 👍 This Mushroom Chicken Soup got Standard. 👍 I could taste that there are Actual Effort being put into this, and its not Cheaply and Simply Made. Good Stuff. 👍
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Conclusion and Closing Thoughts
At TWD170 (S$6.90) for this Large Size 500ml+ Mug of 珍珠奶茶 with No Ice, 🧋 I think this is More Expensive than an Average 珍珠奶茶 available in Singapore? 🤔 (At least when referred from Food Delivery Platforms)
Having said that, this is (One of) the ORIGINAL Inventor of Bubble Tea, and the Actual Restaurant itself is Atas Level. 👍 Not some Small Dinky BBT Shop in a Shopping Mall, 😅 so I feel the Slightly Higher Price is Justifiable. 👍 It is a Special Feeling after all to be drinking BBT at (One of) the Actual Original Place where BBT itself is invented. ♥️🧋
Coming from the Viewpoint of someone who don't drink BBT often however, I feel it is better to have Realistic Expectations. 😅 Do not expect to be Completely MindBlown by how this tastes, 🤔 because at the End of the Day, it still has a Familiar Main Taste Profile that you would expect from a Regular 珍珠奶茶. 🧋😅
At TWD100 (S$4.10) is worth the Price for the Kungfu Noodles. 🍜 This tastes like a More Epic Level of Singapore Bak Chor Mee, that is Amusingly slightly more Affordable than Singapore Bak Chor Mee with Today's Prices. 😅 If you like eating BCM, I feel you will also enjoy this. 😋
At TWD165 (S$6.70) for this Bowl of Atas Chicken Soup is Expensive, 🤔 but I feel the Quality is Worth It. The Ingredients tastes Premium, especially the Very Robust Earthy Mushroom. 🍄
As I mentioned, this Soup does not feel Cheaply Made. 👍 From a Culinary Viewpoint, I feel this Dish 吃得出来 there are alot of Care and Effort being put into this. 👍 This is not something you can Replicate Easily at Home.
Back in 2019 when I first came here, I was already impressed with their Dishes especially their Amazing Melt in Mouth 东坡肉. 😋 Although it has since been removed from their Menu, I am very Happy to have found More Dishes that I'm impressed with in both Taste and Culinary Technique. 👍
Everything from the Dishes to the Service Level Impressed me. 👍 This Place truly befits its Legendary Name as (One of) the Original Inventor of Bubble Tea. 🏆 I have Absolutely No Issues giving this Place my Highest Top Score. ⭐
Especially if you are a Bubble Tea Fan, this should definitely be on your Travel Iteinary if you're here in Taichung! 🧋 Hahaha Don't Forget to Request to be seated at their Basement Level!
Especially if you are a Bubble Tea Fan, this should definitely be on your Travel Iteinary if you're here in Taichung! 🧋 Hahaha Don't Forget to Request to be seated at their Basement Level!
Being in the Presence in the Very Place where Bubble Tea is Born is a Special Feeling that you must Definitely Experience at least once especially if you're a Bubble Tea Fan! 🧋😄
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