Tai Chi Bubble Tea reopens after two-year closure
Nearly two years after closing down to make changes to the parking lot, Tai Chi Bubble Tea finally reopened on Monday under new management. To celebrate, they are offering 15% off everything on the menu until July 15.
Tai Chi is a small chain restaurant with multiple locations in New York, Tennessee, Chicago, Atlanta and Maryland. They serve bubble tea, poke and ramen.
In addition to their consistent menu, they have rotating specials based on the season like the current Zang Zang special, which owner Tim Xia from New York, described as a refreshing, fresh fruit drink.
Xia said this is to keep the menu feeling new and never boring, and to make each store feel like it fits in with the local community.
“We don't want to be like McDonalds, Panera Bread, wherever you know,” Xia said. “We want to be like something for local customers. Our store is unique and they look different. All the stores is not like McDonald's, every McDonald's is the same.”
Isaiah Ruffino, Mount Pleasant, never got the chance to come to Tai Chi when it opened in 2019, but is happy to see a wider variety of food choices in Mount Pleasant.
“I think it's good that they're kind of getting more options in town that are a little bit more affordable, but a little more healthy, that are a little more diverse, because Mount Pleasant could definitely use some more culture.”
Ruffino ordered a poke bowl with custom toppings and a watermelon boba.
“So far the couple of bites I’ve had have been very pleasant, very fresh, very nice,” Ruffino said. “Definitely a good amount for the price.”
Fresh ingredients are an important part of Tai Chi. Xia stressed the ramen broth that is made the same way it is in traditional ramen shops.
“Our ramen is definitely above average,” Xia said. “It's not like those food court ramen, that you could just use powders and stuff, it's the real stuff.”
Chad Hitchcock from Clio, came to Mount Pleasant to visit Ruffino, his partner. He ordered the Shoyu ramen and a peach tea and said he “really likes the food here.”
“In Clio, we only have fast food, so it's nice to come to places like this that have actual variety, not just like McDonald's.”
