TenRen Serves College Park as Restaurant, Tea Shop, Bubble-Tea Spot

Soft lighting, low music, a sleek design, and ingredients imported specially from Taiwan are what set Ten Ren's Tea Time Inc. a part from other Chinese food restaurants on U.S. Route 1.

When visitors walk through the door servers greet them with lightly worn menus featuring nearly 70 types of tea, an assortment of smoothies, and authentic Taiwanese dishes.

"What makes us different from other places is we import ingredients from our factories in Taiwan," said Jacqueline Tseng a waitress at the shop.

Ten Ren's is a part of Ten Ren Tea & Genseng Company, Inc., an international tea company founded in Taiwan in 1953 that has grown to into the largest tea company on the island.  The company also has more than 60 shops in the U.S. and Canada.

According to its website, Ten Ren Tea strives to produce the finest possible tea products, present them in traditional Chinese style and use modern technology to process, package and ship its products.

Ten Ren's expanded to its location in College Park in 2002 and since then business has been pretty good, according to Andrew Chen a store manager.

The flat screen TVs tuned in to CNN and bookshelves lined with anime comics give the tea shop a relaxed atmosphere perfect for quiet studying or enjoying a cup of bubble tea with friends.

Although the store does not host events it does allow visitors to decorate small areas for birthday parties and bridal showers on occasion, according to Tseng.

"I'd recommend it as a chill spot to go with friends," said Whitney Ford a customer, "the bubble tea is amazing."

Bubble tea is a sweet drink that originated in Taiwan and spread to the U.S.

At Ten Ren small, dried balls of tapioca starch covered with caramel and maple syrup are cooked for a half-hour in boiling water. Then the soft, chewy balls sit for an hour before being submerged in sugar syrup until needed.

"We brew tea every morning and keep brewing throughout the day to keep it fresh," said Tseng.

The most popular flavors are mango green tea, citron tea, and taro, said Chen who has been working at the shop for nearly 5 years.

The Ten Ren's menu also features a variety of dishes served in traditional Taiwanese style.

Tseng said her favorite appetizer is the chicken nuggets which they make in the fashion of Taiwanese street vendors.

"I like it because it's authentic," said Tseng.

"We have pretty good business compared to other bubble tea shops," she said, "Yami Yami would be one of our biggest competitors but they have less seating space."

The store's location right on Route 1 is another boost to business, according to Tseng who has worked there for 2 years.  

"We do have a few regulars but we have a wide diversity of customers," said Chen.

"We get really busy Thursday, Friday, and Saturday which are the days we stay open longest," he said.

The shop is open Monday through Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., Thursday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 12 a.m., and on Sunday from 12 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Customers who want to take the tea experience home can also purchase whole-leaf tea by the pound as well as tea kettles and porcelain cups which are on display in the store.