Food writer, Natalie Thomas, visited Bubblebase in Cardiff’s Queens Arcade to try out one of the cities wackiest tea rooms.

As one of those guilty students demanding a brew every time someone flicks the kettle on, I decided that a visit to CardiffÔÇÖs Bubblebase, the home of bubble tea, would be the perfect trip for me to write about. However, arriving at the Bubblebase cafe in QueenÔÇÖs Arcade, I suddenly realised that bubble tea is a far cry from your average English breakfast brew enjoyed with a bourbon biscuit.

Once inside I was instantly confounded by the amount of choice I had: milk tea or fruit tea? What flavour tea? Hot or cold tea? What topping for my tea? One has to be decisive in the world of bubble tea, simply reeling off your usual order of ÔÇÿone sugarÔÇÖ wonÔÇÖt quite cut it. Luckily I was aided by a very friendly, purple clad, bubble tea expert. He guided me through the somewhat perplexing process and, subsequently, my very own bubble tea was born: black tea, milky, flavoured with banana, cold and topped with strawberry popping pobbles. For those of you raising your eyebrows in suspicion at the phrase ÔÇÿpopping pobblesÔÇÖ, they are little balls of jelly (made from natural ingredients) that release a burst of flavour when you chew them.

Although I was a little puzzled by the notion of chewing balls of jelly in a cup of cold banana tea, I thoroughly enjoyed my experience. After all, a drink with pink, floating, jelly polka dots is always going to be a sure fire way to brighten up a dull day. So, if you owe that one person who always meets your demands for a fresh cuppa, a trip to Bubblebase is sure to thank them in the most colourful, flavourful and bubbly way possible.