I used to schlep all the way over to Xidan for my iTea fix, so I was delighted last autumn when they finally opened a branch in the basement of centrally-located Oriental Plaza.

For 5 RMB, you get a large plastic cup of Milk Tea, hot or cold, with a generous helping of tapioca balls. Delightful! Outstanding! And quick...although the queue can sometimes be lengthy, I've never had to wait more than a few minutes for my large plastic cup full of heaven!

There are a variety of beverages or desserts on offer. The menu items are written in both English and Chinese, and there are several large, colourful photos of many of the most popular items or seasonal specials.

In addition to my milk tea addiction, I've fallen in love with menu item H. I'm not sure as to its exact ingredients, but it appears to be shaved ice, smothered in red beans, with condensed milk and a mysterious, slightly nutty-tasting gelatinous blob of some sort. For 20 RMB, it's an absolute bargain, and could easily be shared between two people. (Although I'm not sharing mine with anyone!)

Both branches that I've been to have a small seating area for customers who want to sit and enjoy their purchases.

They also have a loyalty card -- buy 10 items, get 6 RMB off your next purchase!