Food was great, service was quick, pleasant and efficient. My only gripe, but it's the way of times.,is that it was a tad expensive for what I got. But, I will return!

I have been to Taichi twice and while the food is yummy, I like the vibe even more. I don't know whether it is the squishmellows or the teddy pandas, or the post-it bar area, but Taichi has a chill vibe. I ordered a spicy miso veggie ramen which I enjoyed. The service was great, just like my first time. Next time , I will try a non-ramen dish.

Stopped by to grab bubble tea on the go, however, they had A very nice set up inside. Had a lot of board game options, nice place to hang out and spend time. Bubble tea was really good. Staff were really kind and helpful. They also have a lot of options as well for the bubble tea. Very reasonably priced for the quality and ambience they have to offer.

Such a cute place and large portions! The food is really good, and the variety is outstanding. I love all the neat touches (like the outlets) and will return.

I'm a huge fan of eel, and was excited to see eel as an option for the rice bowl. It came with some scallions, pickled ginger, and pickled radish. The inside of the restaurant was adorable, with tons of stuffed toys, and random decorations throughout. Service was top notch, with a choice of a computer ordering station to the left, as soon as you enter, and the typical counter experience all the way in the back. The selection of ramen and bubble teas was amazing, and I can't wait to come back.

My go to spot every-time I crave boba. Has really good Lychee Fruit Tea with Lychee Jelly. Their other drinks are good too but I think their fruit teas are better. The portions for Poke is small but the variety of items it comes with makes up for it. It's really good!!

My first taste of a smoothie was last summer in Toronto. I was happy to see this smoothie-bubble tea-ramon noodle shop almost next door to the pet supply store that I frequent. While shopping, SO and I decided to give it a try. This venue is bright and cheerie with stuffed pandas and stuffed smoothie containers lining shelves. You order and pay via cc via tablet. Prices are reasonable for this day and age. Parking is reasonable in private lot that services this strip mall. There are a number of choices for the smoothies with options of regular sugar, low or no sugar. I chose low sugar and found it was more than enough. Keep in mind that all smoothies are laden with sugar! SO got a Ramen dish with shrimp. It was (per SO) pretty good. Said he'd order it again. This was a fun place to visit. I wish I could justify buying the pandas or the cups. If you dine alone, there was a counter where you can write your thoughts and post on a small wall. Go, enjoy. You'll be glad you did.

Food: 3.5/5 (bubble tea and ramen only, sushi and rice bowls TBD) Ambience: 5/5 Service: no opinion, used the self serve kiosk Taichi is absolutely an adorable place to hang out in. They have got the best ambiance and really put their heart into decorating & thinking about what a good hangout spot is for college kids. There are booths and tables with outlets and that have a semi private wall in between. Board games, a cute sticky note wall for people to draw on, etc. They've also got all my weaknesses covered - bubble tea, ramen, sushi burritos/bowls, and rice bowls - all for a good price (at least nowadays). I only tried their taro bubble tea and tonkatsu ramen, and it was just OK. The charsiu was chewy and the bubble tea was nothing too special, but plan to comeback with high hopes for their other items. I'd say for the convenience, price and easy going cute cafe ambiance, this place is worth a visit to create your own opinion.

What is going on?! Another noodle shop has opened up in Albany County within a matter of months! I'm encouraged that business owners are counting on thriving enthusiasm for Asian Fusion in this region. That includes a demand for bubble teas, a product that originated in Taiwan. I was shopping at the mall and I literally stumbled onto Taichi Bubble Tea, Ramen and Poke located at University Plaza on Western Avenue. The staff told me they'd been open for just a week. If the name sounds familiar, this is a Rochester NY based-chain which opened its first local store in Latham. Apparently, it's been doing so well that they decided to open another. Taichi is written in Chinese the same way as the martial arts system. It translates as "great, supreme and grand," so it's also a good name/ pun for a business. I already had lunch but I'd never turn down an opportunity for matcha milk tea with boba, which are dark tapioca "pearls." The two young men behind the counter were nice, helpful but perhaps a tad shy. Since the store is located so close to SUNY Albany, there's a good chance they attend the college. They patiently waded through my questions about the tea. I love boba but I asked them not to give me too much, because boba doesn't digest quickly. So my small tea wound up being made to order. It was great. The space is bright, clean and completely renovated. It seems geared for students. There's plenty of seating space and Post-it notes to leave messages on a board. There were already hundreds of messages posted. Clearly the business has been busy over the past week. For those interested in merch, there are panda and food-themed plush toys with smiling faces. As for food, Japanese ramen and Hawaiian poke have been staples in many student diets for decades, so this place should do well. I plan to come back sometime to try the food. There's also a huge selection of bubble teas. So I'll be back for more.