Volcano Tea House, shoehorned into a row of shops alongside the Aurora H Mart, started out as a delightfully cheery place to quench your thirst for Taiwanese milk teas and fruity concoctions.

You've just popped into this neighborhood cafe for a jolt of joe when you notice something in the glass-front pastry case. It's big, it's puffy, it's golden-brown from the oven. A strange place to ...