Finally, a Suitable HeyTea Alternative With ... a Storytelling Machine?
Hate waiting in line at HeyTea? Us too, so we opted instead to forego the crowds and head to Beihuan in Sanlitun Soho in order to satiate our milk tea cravings.
READ: 6 of Beijing's Delivered Bubble Milk Teas Rated
Situated on the complex's ground floor, the store catches the sunshine thanks to its huge windows. Even better, while you have to wait forever to be served at Taikooli's HeyTea, all you have to do is step up to the quieter counter at Beihuan, where one of five waiters will promptly be of assistance. Only two tables were occupied during our visit, and there were about five delivery guys waiting anxiously. Another thing that caught our eye was the huge Chinese characters decal on the door, exclaiming confidently: 好喝 (haohe, "good drink").
Options include special cheese, milk, fruit, and regular tea options, ranging in price from RMB 20-30, as well as the usual choice of how much sugar you want (30, 50, 80, or 100 percent). Tempted by the positive vibes it promised, we ordered the signature Zhushi Jieyi (RMB 24), which literally means "everything goes well." It's a black sticky rice cheese tea that is sure to please patrons with its cold and creamy cheese topping and a thick layer of sticky rice that is reminiscent of the bouncy purple rice porridge you can get from breakfast hawkers. The Lapsang souchong cheese tea, however, was a letdown for being way too sweet, which dominated the black tea flavor despite us having asked for half sugar.
That Lapsang souchong cheese tea wasn't the only letdown at Beihuan. Our early optimism about avoiding the throngs of patrons at HeyTea faded during the inexplicable 20-minute wait for our tea at this much sleepier shop. As we waited for our order, we noticed that there was a storytelling machine at the corner of the store. Decidedly too Christmassy for summer, it looks like a blue mailbox that dispenses a short story upon pressing the button on its navel. However, it appeared to only actually know one story, about a girl who had a crush on someone who liked to run. It certainly wasn't the most gripping of narratives, but at least it helped us kill time and is good for on the run Chinese practice. The venue also encourages people to share their stories with others by scanning the QR code. Though Beihuan definitely has some character, only time will tell what story awaits this tea shop given that the market is already more than saturated.
Beihuan
Daily 10am-9pm. 1-12, Bldg 1, Sanlitun Soho, Gongti Beilu, Chaoyang District (8590 0668)
杯欢制茶：朝阳区工人体育场北路三里屯SOHO 1号商场1-12
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Photos: Tracy Wang, Dianping
