Many know about my obsession with coffee, but not as many know that I also love my bubble tea. I was really excited to be invited to try CHICHA San Chen on their opening in Singapore.
Why I Love Bubble Tea?
Now in truth, as far as bubble tea goes in Singapore, I stick to my favourites – Koi and Gong Cha. But when I do find a new store, I’ll pop in and try it. I find it interesting how bubble tea can be as specialised as coffee chains. Each chain has its signature teas with their unique flavour profiles. They all put in their specified amounts of bubbles and feature different flavours and speciality drinks. Sure, you can say they are all the same, but they aren’t. I love the novelty of it all.
CHICHA San Chen’s first store in Singapore
CHICHA San Chen is a chain from Taiwan that began in 1998 and now has 200 stores in Taiwan and China with more to come. My invitation was to visit their very first store in Singapore, a flagship that features a complimentary tea appreciation counter to help pass the time while they make each beverage from scratch to your order.
Experiential Bubble Tea
As a bubble tea chain goes, this is not what you would expect. My usual experience with bubble tea is just a counter where you place your order and then pick up your drink. CHICHA San Chen’s flagship outlet is truly experiential. As you approach, you’ll see a pillar featuring their logo and on which is displayed actual real tea leaves, roasted in varying degrees and designed in a motif. You can smell the tea as you walk past the shopfront.
The next thing that will catch your eye is their high tech Teapresso machines named LION. If you’re starting to wonder if I’ve accidentally wandered into a cafe, I assure you, I haven’t. But the similarities were fascinating. CHICHA San Chen has their gorgeous LION Teapresso machines which would rival a beautiful Slayer or La Marzocco espresso machine.
Throughout their store, you’ll notice they use precision Acaia scales, well known in the coffee world as one of the best. On these, they carefully measure your tea to order then place the tea into their Teapresso which carefully brews your tea at the exact temperature needed.
Once this is done, they add in all your toppings and you’re presented with your tea, tied with a twine carrier just like you were being presented a gift – hooray for no plastic carriers or bags!
I must also talk about their tea appreciation counter where you can taste Taiwan grown Lishan Qingxin Oolong tea in five different roast levels. While various levels of roasting are standard with coffee, this was the first time I had seen this done with tea leaves. It was so interesting to see how a light roast, when brewed, came out more green and a dark roast, the more the traditional tea colour.
You can also see the tea experts using a gooseneck kettle. This is a standard in filter coffee brewing as it controls the amount of water as it is poured. Again, at CHICHA San Chen, it’s about the precision so here, it is used to brew tea. I just loved watching the similarities between coffee and tea culture. Can we say Third Wave Tea? Find out more about Third Wave Coffee here.
At CHICHA San Chen you can purchase retail tea leaves from Taiwan, tea gift sets and ingenious Drip Tea Bags to take home.
The Taste Test
I tried their signature black tea base in a mini taster cup and it was lovely. Milky, sweet but with a distinctive tea flavour. I next tried their award winning Dong Ding Oolong tea which received three golden stars by the International Taste and Quality Institute. This was a beautiful tea to which they added fresh milk and their lowest level of sugar ($4.70). Unfortunately I had forgotten to add in bubbles though it was delicious without.
Because I couldn’t leave the outlet without trying their bubbles, made from tapioca and remade every three hours to ensure the texture is kept consistent, I was recommended and tried their Cassia tea and mousse ($5.20). I made sure I asked for bubbles to be added ;).
So when I say I love my bubble tea, I mean that I usually stick to the standard milky brew with bubbles. Trying mousse on tea was a revelation! The mousse itself is slightly salty – think salted caramel. The tea is also well flavoured and when you mix it together, it’s just delicious.
Thanks for the media invite CHICHA San Chen! I look forward to you opening many many more outlets here in Singapore.
For more information visit chichasanchen.com.sg and follow them on Facebook and Instagram @chichasanchen.sg
I was not paid to write this review but I was invited to the CHICHA San Chen media preview and the teas I ordered were free of charge.