Bubble Tea to Biang Biang Noodles, Taiwan Maami Comes to Hyderabad

“I was born and brought up in Taiwan until I was 19. After that I studied overseas, lived in Hong Kong, the US and now London. So this menu is really my journey,” she says.

That journey begins with playful drinks menu that reimagines the island’s famous bubble tea culture. Cocktails arrive with popping boba that burst with flavour. Rose, strawberry lychee, mango sesame and citrus-forward combinations appear layered with ingredients like tequila, whisky marmalade, lemon and sparkling soda. The signature drink, Taipei Mist, blends whisky, marmalade and citrus notes into a bright, refreshing cocktail. For those skipping alcohol, there are tea-based mocktails such as passion fruit green tea with sparkling water, alongside green tea infusions sweetened with simple syrup and citrus.

Tea, after all, is central to the story. “Tea is like drinking water to us,” Hu says, adding, “My father can drink fifteen cups a day.” Taiwan’s deep tea heritage, especially its many varieties of oolong, shapes the beverage philosophy at Taiwan Maami. Instead of relying on powdered mixes commonly used in bubble tea, she treats tea much like a mixologist treats spirits. “I use tea to replace alcohol,” she explains. “I look at bubble tea through the philosophy of mixology.”

From there, the appetisers introduce dishes that balance texture and simplicity. Ginger braised tofu sticks arrive thick cut and fragrant, glazed with ginger soy for a savoury finish. Cold soba noodles with mixed vegetables and sesame sauce provide a cooling contrast, while her signature Cong You Bing, the much-loved scallion flatbread, delivers crisp layers and savoury depth.

“This is one of our core dishes back in Chennai,” Hu says of the flatbread. “Someone from Taiwan would definitely order it. It’s a very authentic taste.”

The scallion bread, flaky and aromatic with spring onions, has become a favourite among Taiwanese diners in Chennai, where Taiwan Maami first opened. The restaurant’s presence there, she explains, is no accident. “There’s actually a large Taiwanese population in Chennai because of factories and other manufacturing companies. Many people come to us on weekends because they want a taste of home.”

The non vegetarian menu echoes many of the same foundations but introduces dishes that draw from classical Chinese cooking. One standout is the braised Lion’s Head, a large, tender meatball simmered slowly in a rich broth and served with prawn egg fried rice. The dish carries deep nostalgia for Hu.

“That’s something my grandmother used to cook during Chinese New Year. It’s a very traditional Chinese cuisine,” she says.

Other plates reveal the cross cultural layers that define Taiwanese cooking. Tomato soupy noodles offer warmth and comfort, while Biang Biang noodles, wide hand pulled strands tossed in a fragrant blend of spices and red oil, showcase a technique Hu has personally taught the young chefs preparing the dishes at the pop-up.

“Everyone has their own spice blend,” she explains. “My thirteen spices will be very different from someone else’s. Even the red oil is my own recipe.”

Her approach to cooking, she says, is influenced as much by her background in music as by culinary heritage. A trained Western classical musician, Hu describes food in almost artistic terms.

“When musicians receive a piece of music, we break it apart and then put it together again using our own interpretation. I treat food the same way. I take traditional dishes, understand their elements, and then reinterpret them,” she says.

That philosophy is visible throughout the menu, where classic recipes sit comfortably beside subtle modern twists. A Japanese style katsu curry, for instance, reflects the historical period when Taiwan was under Japanese rule. “Japanese curry is very common to us. Everyone will have their own curry block recipe, like how every Indian household has its own masala.”

Desserts continue the theme of tea and tradition. Tea jelly infused with saffron and Kashmiri cardamom appears with honey and fresh fruit, offering a delicate sweetness that feels light after the richer dishes.

Beyond the food itself, the residency (master classes) also includes a series of chef led workshops where Hu shares techniques behind some of the menu’s most beloved dishes. Guests can learn to make Cong You Bing, hand pulled Biang Biang noodles and the soft, chewy mochi desserts that first made Taiwan Maami popular in India.

The brand’s beginnings were humble. When Hu first arrived in India years ago, she was surprised that bubble tea, a Taiwanese creation from the 1980s, was nowhere to be found. “I remember telling my husband that India needed bubble tea. Back then people told me it wouldn’t work because no one drank iced tea.”

That perception changed dramatically after the pandemic, when younger consumers began exploring global food trends. In 2024, Taiwan Maami opened its first outlet in Chennai, serving bubble tea and mochi. Within months it had found a loyal following.

“We knew we would survive because the product is good. But we didn’t expect to become popular so quickly,” she says.

The second branch, opened in Chennai’s T Nagar area, finally allowed the brand to introduce the home style food she had always wanted to share. The Hyderabad pop up marks another step in that journey, one that Hu describes as both personal and cultural.

“Cooking is always in my DNA. But the places I lived, the people I met, even my Indian husband, all these things slowly shaped the way I cook,” she says.

For diners at RAEN, the result is a menu that feels intimate rather than performative. Bowls of noodles carry family recipes, breads evoke street corners in Taiwan and teas stretch back generations. It is, in Hu’s words, simply food she loves to eat.

“I always choose dishes that I want to feed myself. That’s the most honest place to start,” she signs off. The Taiwanese culinary popup is on till March 8 at The RAEN, The Chef’s Studio at The Leela Hyderabad.