Yuan Cha (Far East Plaza)

💵: $5.60

🤔: First time trying and i am SOLD
The tea itself was strong & fragrant, though I recommend asking for lesser ice or it would be diluted after awhile
QQ balls r 😘👍🏻 so much for a 90 cents topup only!

Yuan Cha is a low-profile spot for authentic Taiwanese teas with healthier topping choices. Burppler Wei Zhi Chiang is "clearly addicted to Yuan Cha already and all I need is an outlet nearer to me”, and Burppler Yan Abdul Wahid definitely agrees, having visited Yuan Cha four days in a row to try most of the stuff on their menu. Highlights include the Alishan Milk Tea and Rainbow QQ pearls.

Photo by Burppler Wei Zhi Chiang

the drink was slightly milky and this was balanced out by the fragrant alisan tea. yuancha really nails the perfect ratio of milk to tea imo, unlike other joints which often taste too milky or diluted. if you’re a fan of tea, you’d definitely like their drinks.

although yuancha doesn’t offer your conventional pearls, i really love the rainbow QQ they have. these are small, soft and super chewy, really enjoyable :-) plus yuancha always offers a generous amount jn your drink!

yuancha has been my favourite bubble tea place for the past few years and its quality is still top-notch at relatively affordable prices :) one thing though—it seems they’ve decreased the size of their L cup which is sad :-(

got this at 0% sugar & less ice, which is my go-to!

$4.10 | 9.5/10 🌟

Tieguanyin Milk Tea with Rainbow QQ $4.40.
Tea taste was really pronounced and the drink was not sweet, even though I got 50% sugar. Enjoyed the toppings, unique. Reminded me of tangyuan.

This is a blend of osmanthus and alisan teas ($3.60 for medium) with konjac jelly (+$0.60) at 25% sugar level.

The refreshing lightness of the high-quality alisan melded well with the osmanthus' distinctively floral flavor. The entire drink was a tad too floral for me, as I am not a fan of overly floral flavor. But it was still a fantastic thirst-quencher, perfect in the afternoon heat or for washing down spicy or greasy lunches. The konjac added a playful, chewy mouthfeel and a subtle sweetness to the drink but its lack of flavor meant that I could still taste all the complexities of the drink.

I really enjoyed my first Yuancha experience and could tell it was drink produced with much thought and care. And I like the thought that I am supporting a homegrown brand :)

7.5/10

Went with another new drink at Yuan Cha and we were told they use freshly squeezed lemon juice in this, and thus they pre-warned us on how sour it would be. We still went ahead with 25% sugar when we should have really just listened to the experts and gone for more HAHAHA. The lemon juice kinda overwhelmed the green tea, but the sweetness of the coconut jelly helped to cut the sourness quite a bit. Not my favourite drink here but I may try it again at 50% or 75% in future just to see the difference!