Tea Plus

Is that top lip feeling a bit naked in the rash of burgeoning Movember moustaches? You might find comfort, then, in the super-foamy signature drink at this little Taiwanese tea and snack shop. Called 'plant milk tea', the drink comes in five flavours and looks like a little pot plant with its top layer of Oreo crumbs sprouting a tiny mint leaf or two. The taro, matcha and chocolate versions make a pretty pastel-coloured trio that complements the little shop's pale green and white decor perfectly.

A cute, handwritten 'how to drink' guide suggests skipping the straw and drinking straight from the glass to get a bit of each of the layers – sweet milky tea, slightly salty creamer, chocolaty crumbs – and embracing the thick white mo left behind by the foam. Of the ones we try, the Milo-like chocolate one makes the most sense, flavour-wise.

There are also plain iced teas, other milky and foamy brews, chunky fruit smoothies and slushies. The blueberry version of the latter is a tall glass of sweet, smooth ice in a comic book shade of dark purple.

If the drinks aren't enough to hit the sugar-high-inducing sweet spot, order some 'crispy buns' (mantou). These tiny, piping-hot, cushions of fried bread come with thick condensed milk for dipping.

The snacks menu has plenty of not-so-sugary fried morsels, too – from takoyaki and wasabi fish balls (chewy fish spheres stuffed with mushroom and wasabi), to prawns peeled and wrapped whole in crisp pastry to look like carrots. There's a range of tamago (Japanese omelette, served here with corn and cheese) and Taiwanese-style egg pancakes zigzagged with soy sauce. The latter are nicely chewy roll-ups of crepe and omelette, with a handful of different fillings to choose from.

Main meals aren't as much fun, but are generous in quantity and low in price. Bowls brimming with beef noodle soup are a popular order, while our serve of fried chicken fillet smothered in glossy, glutinous pepper sauce and mounds of steamed rice, cabbage and corn threatens to spill over the edges of the plate.

Service can be a bit brusque and impersonal, leaving the charm to the handwritten and illustrated menu, but it's forgivable considering how busy they get here. We're one of the first through the door on opening, and within half an hour there's a queue outside and staff are working at top speed to pump out those pretty pastel-coloured teas.

THE LOW-DOWN
DO … get in early, or put your name on the waiting list.
DON'T … forget cash – no cards accepted.
DISH … plant milk tea with thick foam and crushed Oreo topping.
VIBE … petite pastel-coloured tea and snack spot for grown-up kids.