Namcha Asian Cafe in Southend is proving a big hit for those who love bubble tea and unique Asian snacks.
Based in London Road, the cafe opened in early August this year and customers are loving their take on the bubble tea trend.
They serve up authentic boba teas, fresh tapioca and lots of toppings, plus dimsum, hot buns (made by owner Jon’s mum Leslie), as well as tea and coffee.
I went along to try the popular bubble tea, which has become a trend in recent years, especially with the younger generation, to find out if a hardened tea drinker like me could be converted.
The recipe, which originates from Taiwan, is made by blending tea with milk, fruit and fruit juices, then adding tapioca pearls (edible translucent balls made from the cassava root).
The Namcha team put their own fun twists on the traditional recipe with additions like mixing the tea with milkshake, adding whipped cream and an assortment of toppings.
Namcha is run by business owners Anya Duanjan, 21, and Jon Peng, 20.
Anya’s mum, Dan, owns the Japanese restaurant Ozen’s in Westcliff and Jon was the manager there.
“We were always going to London for bubble tea and wanted to offer something unique in Southend,” said Anya.
“We travel a lot to countries like Thailand for inspiration and to bring back lots of the unique snacks we sell in the cafe.”
The dog friendly cafe is listed on Just Eat and has a strong media presence with plenty of views on TikTok for their creations.Making the bubble tea is quite an intricate process and fascinating to watch. The tea is already brewed and then Anya adds the tapioca pearls, brown sugar and ice, before the thick layer of cream on top.
As an avid tea fan I wasn’t expecting to like the sweetened, iced version, but to my surprise I was taken by the complex mix of fruity sweetness with the overriding taste of tea. I loved trying to catch the tapioca pearls with the straw and they added an interesting element to the drink.
Visit wwnamcha.co.uk and on Instagram @ Officialnamcha for updates and further details.
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