Zhongli SOGO drink stop | 熟十單位 Thoughtea Blend: a drink shop held back by hot pot? A blind taste of the excellent Ruyu Jinxiang before sauerkraut fish
Today we went out officially to celebrate my “romance scammer” husband’s birthday and treat him to his once-a-year free feast personally approved by his wife.
But before we officially stepped into Zhongli SOGO to face off with sauerkraut fish, my permanently active foodie radar pulled me straight toward a newly opened drink shop at the intersection downstairs.
The storefront has a stylish literary feel, and the name is memorable too: 熟十單位, or Thoughtea Blend.
I was only passing by, but they happened to be offering samples of Ruyu Jinxiang at the door. Normally, when I see free samples, my social-anxiety mode switches on automatically: blank stare, faster steps, pretending I am rushing off to save the world.
But it was simply too hot that day, and maybe my body already knew I was about to eat strongly flavored sauerkraut fish. I honestly accepted the tiny cup and even let my husband have a sip.
I did not expect one sip to completely win me over.
🥛 Ruyu Jinxiang: tea and milk in just the right balance
Ruyu Jinxiang is a fresh-milk tea with a very noticeable milky aroma, but not the kind of heaviness that makes your mouth protest after two sips.
The tea base seems to be Jinxuan—full disclosure, I am not a professional tea taster; I simply started making a reasonable guess from the “Jin” in the name. In any case, it has a light tea fragrance and that gentle milky character associated with Jinxuan.
What surprised me most was that the sample had no sugar, yet it was still smooth and not astringent at all.
I am very sensitive to tea astringency, so I dread those drinks where “the tea is so strong it feels like punishment for sins from a past life.” This one had none of that problem.
The tea and fresh milk blend comfortably, like two evenly matched people falling in love inside the cup: neither steals the show and neither drags the other down.
After the first sip there is a natural sweetness—mellow, clean and not cloying. It is the kind of polished fresh-milk tea you can finish without your mouth feeling burdened.
After the sample I immediately decided to queue for a full cup and take it into the department store as emergency hydration for the sauerkraut fish ahead.
🔍 Turns out it has quite a background: no wonder it knows drinks
While waiting, I idly Googled 熟十單位 Thoughtea Blend. One search was enough to answer the question in my head.
It turns out 熟十單位 Thoughtea Blend is an independent hand-shaken drink brand launched by Fuqi and Fusan, two well-known hot-pot restaurants in Zhongli, Taoyuan.
Local Zhongli food lovers probably know that Fuqi and Fusan have long carried a funny nickname: drink shops that happen to be held back by hot pot.
Plenty of people go there for hot pot but end up remembering neither the meat platter nor the broth most clearly. What sticks is that the drinks can be refilled again and again, until you almost forget you came for hot pot rather than an all-you-can-drink hand-shaken tea session.
So when 熟十單位 Thoughtea Blend arrived with such steady drink quality and seasoning, it was not surprising at all. It has hot-pot-world drink-shop genes behind it—basically a kid who grew up in the drink scene.
💬 Afterword: it was my husband’s birthday, but I was the real winner
Marriage is like that.
Before marriage he replied to messages like a customer-service specialist; after marriage, when I say I want a big meal, his response speed has been reduced to canned replies. But since it was his birthday and I was in a good mood, I generously allowed him a few sips of this ridiculously good Ruyu Jinxiang.
Next time you are around the Zhongli SOGO area—whether shopping, eating sauerkraut fish, having hot pot, or simply looking for a fresh-milk tea that is not overly sweet but still feels refined—熟十單位 Thoughtea Blend is an easy stop to add.
Especially if you prefer unsweetened drinks, give Ruyu Jinxiang a try.
This is not a drink that tries hard to charm you on the first sip. It is quietly smooth, quietly delicious, and then suddenly you look down and think: wait, how did I already drink half the cup?
