TRUEDAN 珍煮丹

Location: No. 145號, Daxue Rd, Sanxia District, New Taipei City, 237

Boba Taiwan Grading (BTG): 64.5/100

Number of Stores: 100 (International)

Price of the Boba Tea: 60 TWD

Order: Boba Milk Tea, Regular Sugar Levels, Regular Ice Levels

Overview: TRUEDAN 珍煮丹 is a relatively new boba tea chain founded in 2010 that stretches across 12 countries and 2 continents, with over 100 stores. TRUEDAN's pearl is extremely soft and not as chewy, which is drastically different from the modern, common chewy pearl. Its tea is high quality and sweet, although slightly too watery. Overall TRUEDAN fits the tastes of one who favors mellow and high-quality drinks and stores.

Boba Taiwan Grading Overview:

Quality of the Boba Tea (QBT): 53/80

Quality of the Pearl: 22.9/40

• Chewiness: 4/10 - The pearl is not chewy at all, having around one to two chews before it melts in your mouth. It is not entirely unenjoyable, but certainly not as satisfying.

• Hard/softness: 4/10 - The pearls are extremely soft, and after one chew they squash in the mouth and do not maintain their spherical shape.

• Relative size: 1.5/2.5 - The size of the boba is too small, with five to six pearls in each average slurp from the straw. The straw is of average size and the drink is of average size as well. The smaller-sized pearl is perhaps a trademark part of TRUEDAN's bubble tea.

• Amount of Pearl (relative to Volume of Drink): 2.1/2.5 - A little too much pearl for the drink, contrary to the fact that the pearls are smaller sized than normal.

• Lumpiness: 5/5 - There were no lumps of pearls that made a jam in the straw, which resulted in full points.

• Taste (or sweetness level): 4.3/5 - The pearl's aftertaste and taste are sweet and pleasant, with a doughy scent and a hint of honey.

• Spherical quality and perfection (of pearl): 2/5 - The pearls are extremely soft and therefore are slightly flattened, oblong shapes. They lose their shape quickly after a chew or two.

Quality of Tea: 30.1/40

• Sweetness: 8/10 - The tea was on the sweeter side and quite enjoyable.

• Milkiness: 7/10 - There is slightly too little milk in the tea (with water being prominent)

• Concentration of tea: 6/10 - There is too little tea in the drink.

• Aftertaste: 4.1/5 - The aftertaste of the tea is pleasant and barely traceable.

• Wateriness: 5/10 - There is too much water in the drink. The ice (at regular ice levels) are not cubes as normal, but crunched pieces, allowing the ice to melt faster and bring the water levels higher as a result.

Quality of the Shop (QS): 11.5/20

• Delivery Speed: 2.6/5 - The delivery speed was slow. In the beginning, the server spent time in the back of the store. The overall process of making the drink itself took around a minute. The total waiting time was around three minutes, one minute more than the standard. This results in a 0.4-point deduction.

• Quality of Store: 2.7/5 - The quality of the store was extremely well-kept and large. There was only one server and the space was very large. The tools were modern and clean, with a relatively dark environment but sleek.

• Quality of Service: 3/5 - The service was average, with the waiter being professional and neither rude nor friendly, but calm and collected. When I pointed out that I had ordered a bag and she had forgotten, she apologized professionally and gave me the bag. However, the speed of the delivery and procedure was slow and substandard.

• Quality of Utensils: 3.2/5 - The utensils used were excellent, with the cup being average but the bag classic and well-made. The design of the cup is commendable and good.