Archive for the ‘tea rooms’ Category

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Searching for Tea in Berlin


2012
03.12

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Posted in German, tea obsessive, tea rooms, tea seller, tea shops | 13 Comments »

holding my breath till I find good tea

Not sure how to break this to you, but I’ll pull the proverbial band-aid away: I found a really nice tea shop/tearoom in Berlin. If you’ve been following my travels, you know that my prospects were not looking good. My last post was written as politely as I could manage, but I doubt I’d recommend anyone go there. Perhaps only if you were to buy tea and take it home with you.

Tee Tea Thé in the early evening

I should say that I did find Tee Tea Thé (Goltzstraße 2, 10781 Berlin 030/21752240) in Berlin-Schöneberg the first evening I arrived. They sell a variety of tea brands including Ronnefeldt and Pure Tea, even Celestial Seasonings, as well as a handful of others.

the shelves at Tee Tea Thé

When I stayed in a nice hotel in Stuttgart, I thought a bit about Ronnefeldt Tee when I wrote In defence of a brand of teabags. Up until then, I’d only had the tea-bagged version, but here was row after row of this loose-leaf tea on offer.

Most German tea companies that’ve been around for more than a century are located in harbour cities such as Hamburg or Bremen. The fact that Ronnefeldt was founded in 1823 in Frankfurt am Main (far away from the coast) is both curious and impressive to me, and this brand appears to be the tea that many good hotels worldwide choose to serve. I’ve asked it before: How did that come about?

I’d certainly like to get to know this tea brand even better. Frankfurt’s not so far away. Maybe the next time I’m there, I’ll arrange to visit Ronnefeldt’s headquarters.


Was even more curious about Pure Tea. This was also a brand I’d heard of, but not yet tried. I like the concept of all pure, unadulturated tea, so I got a package of their White Downy Oolong Longkou. I brewed it as Gong Fu as I could in a conventional glass pot, but I can’t wait to get home and try it in my Gaiwan. Huge light brown and green leaves with plenty of white tips, this Oolong has a both vegetal notes, as well as a taste of honey.

Tee Tea Thé isn’t only a tea shop, though. It’s a proper tearoom, as well. Plenty of reading material strewn about and people either chatting or studying diligently. If I lived near here, I could see this place becoming my second living room.

Teehandelshaus Benjowski



If rare tea is your thing, you really should consider going to the northern side of Berlin. It’s a bit odd for me to recommend Teehandelshaus Benjowski (Danziger Straße 3, 10435 Berlin 030/4403 ext. 7571), since when I went to visit the shop, they’d already closed for the weekend.




Nevertheless, I’d heard so many good things. If one can tell anything from peering in the window right after closing time, I can assure you that they have an astonishing collection of Yixing teapots. Everyone I talked to about this shop said the selection of tea was similarly impressive. 

Berliner Teesalon
But the experience that saved my tea search in the German capital was the Berliner Teesalon (Invalidenstraße 160, 10115 Berlin 030/2804 ext. 0660). The people running this shop clearly know what they’re doing. It’s not only a tea shop with quite an unbelievable selection of loose-leaf tea, but there are tables and plush chairs where you can sit  and really savour your time drinking tea. It’s an incredibly inviting atmosphere, and had I not shown up there half an hour before closing time, I’m positive I could’ve sat there the better part of an afternoon.
There’s all of the typical tea you’d expect: a few nice Keemuns, quite a selection of both Chinese and Japanese green tea. Yunnans, Darjeelings, Ceylons and Assams…I could go on, but instead I’ll link to their website here, and you can go look for yourself. It’s quite a list.
the salon of Berliner Teesalon
It was when I started chatting with the young woman running the shop that I found out about the good stuff. I’m often looking for a good way to get deeper into Pu-erh, so imagine my delight when I happened upon their Pu-erh cabinet. Gorgeous stuff in there.
the bar at Berliner Teesalon

Partially because I wouldn’t shut up about my Taiwanese Oolong obsession, she also showed me some Lagertee (stored tea) that I desperately wanted to try. There was also talk of Oolongs grown in Thailand - this is something I’d like to learn more about. I’ve certainly heard/read about Thai Oolongs, but not yet tried any.

tea gear at the Berliner Teesalon
Looking back at what I’ve written so far, I don’t think I’ve done justice to Berliner Teesalon‘s Japanese green tea selection. It was notably extensive. There’s also plenty of tea gear if you want to get into Matcha. That in addition to Yixing teapots, as well as more conventional Western teapots and tea cups. If I had a tea shop/tearoom, I hope I’d have such a nice selection. I couldn’t recommend this place more highly.
Finally, after quite a bit of walking over the several days I was in Berlin, I saved the Tadschikische Teehaus  ‎for last (Am Festungsgraben 1, 10117 Berlin 030/2041112). It’s centrally located, but you’d never know it was there unless you were looking for it. You can find it inside the Palais am Festungsgraben right off of Unter den Linden  - just a few hundred metres from the Museum Insel.
in the Tadschikische Teehaus
Until you go up the staircase and locate the room outside the tearoom where everyone’s taken off and left their shoes – until then, you can’t actually believe there’s a place here to drink tea. But there really is. Please persevere in your search. Finding the Tadschikische Teehaus a nice reward. No idea how authentic it is, but to me it looks like what a tea house in Tajikistan might.
sipping at the samovar

Although they have several tables, be prepared to sit on pillows on the floor. The tea is not only served in an assortment of funky teapots,  I had the Lommonossow-Tee (something purportedly from the ‘eastern banks of the Black Sea‘), but you can also order what’s called a Russian Teezeremonie (tea ceremony), which appear to be not only tea served in a samovar, but a selection of delicious things to munch on. Actually, there was a full menu that I didn’t even glance at, but I’m sure I would check it out if I were in Berlin more often.
ahhh…hot, delicious tea
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on The Path of Tea


2011
05.04

Posted in green tea, tea rooms, tea shops | 4 Comments »

In the South (of the United States), the natives drink a very aptly titled concoction called Sweet Tea. It’s iced tea mixed with as much sugar as it can possibly take. Actually, there’s normally more sugar than can actually be dissolved in the tea. You get to the bottom of a glass of Sweet Tea, and there’s a syrupy sludge that is surely a dentist’s nightmare.

I had few illusions that I’d find anything promising when I did a search for tea shops/tea rooms in Houston, Texas. It seemed like an exercise in futility.

Boy, was I wrong.

Almost immediately, I stumbled across The Path of Tea. I knew I had to visit this one. The site is beautiful and informative, but the shop itself is an experience.

The webpage introduces you to Thia McKann and says that she’s the only Certified Tea Master in the State of Texas. That Texas needed more than one tea master, I would’ve sarcastically questioned before seeing this site. It was clear I’d need to keep my snarky comments to myself. I resolved that I definitely needed to see this shop.

The thing I liked most when I arrived was that there was absolutely no tea snobbery. There was an incredibly friendly woman that ushered us deeper into the shop and quickly put us at ease in a way that seems oddly second nature to people from this part of the world. She explained to my mother in very understandable detail what health benefit each type of tea offered. We hadn’t even met the owner/tea master, but we were already in good hands.

I’ve often felt uncomfortable making claims of tea’s health benefits, but I like the very concise list that’s offered on the website here.

There was quite a nice selection of teapots and teacups, and it was instantly evident that this place was not willing to sell a bit of Kitsch, while sneaking in the good stuff. The owner laughed when she recounted how people told her a shop that focused exclusively on tea would never be successful here. She’d insisted on a shop that focused on quality tea and just tea, and the result speaks for itself.

 

 

The best part was the selection of tea that was on offer. There was a display case with little cannisters of loose-leaf tea. Unlike so many places where the tea is jealously guarded behind a counter, this case was out in the middle of the shop where the customer was encouraged to open and look at and sniff at each sample of leaves. Like I said, the whole thing seemed to discourage any sort of tea snobbery.

They’d received a shipment of various Chinese green tea, and the staff was happily pouring cup after cup not only amongst themselves but also with the customers milling around. Our conversation veered wildly away from tea issues and we found ourselves in a lively chat about anything and everything. Exactly the way it should be.

If anyone asks you, there is tea drinking in Texas.

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An oasis on the Eastside


2011
04.29

Posted in tea rooms, tea shops | 3 Comments »

Have been reading about Zhi Tea for a while, and promised myself that when I made it back to Texas, I’d definitely make the trip to see it for myself. Am very glad I did. What a great little shop. When I was a kid, I wasn’t even aware there was an Eastside of Austin. Things certainly change.

Have had a rather stressful few weeks travelling, and this was exactly what I needed. They’ve got plenty of loose-leaf tea for you to take home with you, but are just as happy to brew you up a pot while you’re there.

Decided to go with the Iron Goddess Oolong (tie guan yin), whose leaves looked like a medium oxidation.


The first infusion’s always a bit weak, but I could already tell this was more highly fermented than I expected. There was a hint of something that reminded me of a Formosa Oolong. But only a hint.

 

 


The second infusion was much more flavourful. Delicious. Very fruity and vegetal. Can feel The Iron Goddess working her magic. A bit darker cup colour and here are the leaves as they continue to expand.

 

 

The leaves don’t look that much different for the third infusion here, but they are quite wild coming out of the infuser. The taste the third time round isn’t quite as strong, but still delicious. Every time I drink this tea, I’m reminded of the video Leafbox Tea Called my attention to. Here it is. There’s definitely still something in these leaves. I’m going for a fourth time.

 

 

 

 

Although the leaves don’t look that much different, I think I like this infusion the best. There’s something incredibly sweet about this time. Much lighter shade in the cup, but incredibly tasty.


They have quite a selection of different teas, and their attractive tins can be found in many places around the city. Here’s a photo of one of the displays (the black teas), and below is where I sat and drank the tea and wrote this post.
Am really excited about the excitement about tea in the States. Of course, I read about it on blogs, and see fellow tea fanatics on twitter, but to be able to visit multiple tea rooms while I’ve been here has been a treat. If you’re in Austin or happen to be visiting, you should definitely cruise over to the Eastside and check out Zhi Tea.

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a tea stumble through Georgetown


2011
04.20

Posted in Bubble Tea, tea rooms, tea shops, tea travel | 2 Comments »

Had several hours in Washington DC, and after making a quick search of tea rooms I found a few places that looked interesting in Georgetown. Actually, it seems like there are quite a few options for afternoon tea in nice hotels in the city, but by that time I’d already be back on my way to the airport. I think I did pretty well under the circumstances. For example, I’ve written here about Bubble Tea but had never had it. Well, once I realised that this little tea/snack shop featured some authentic Bubble Tea, if there is such a thing, I had to try it. Here I am on the left pre-Bubble Tea.

 

The place is called Snap (1062 Thomas Jefferson Street Northwest, Washington D.C. (202) 965-7627) and it’s right around the corner from the historic C O Canal in Georgetown.

 

Let me first say that I didn’t have high hopes for this beverage. I’d even say that I prepared myself to be thoroughly disgusted. The young woman behind the counter was very friendly and eager to explain what the whole phenomenon was about. She said that one of the biggest problems with serving it is that it’s made in such a wide variety of ways that people come in with very specific expectations of how it should taste.

 

There were many different flavours I could’ve chosen, but I went for a simple green tea. It’s iced and served with a healthy portion of milk. Again, this isn’t how I’d normally drink green tea, but I wanted the requisite experience in all of its glory. At the bottom of the glass, or in this case plastic to-go cup, are a layer of tapioca balls. Another variation offers little balls or pearls made of jelly. Many think the name comes from these pearls/balls, but it was explained to me that the bubble in the name actually comes from the froth that results when the drink is violently shaken.

Those of you who came for a teablog have likely already changed the channel. I don’t blame you. But here’s the thing: it wasn’t bad. I wouldn’t go for it everyday, but I can see why prepubescent South Korean girls go nuts about this stuff. In the future, they are welcome to have mine.

So a few streets over, there was a real tea room. It was immediately clear that this was the sort of place made for tea lovers. All the best things that come time to mind when I say Chinese Tea Room are involved here. The place is called Chin Ching Cha, and they know what they’re doing.

The high ceilings and unbelievable selection of tea gear made me want to stay here much longer than my schedule allowed. There were as many Gaiwan and Yixing teapots as you see on many websites. There were some conventional looking packages of tea, but there were also beautiful tea tins with exquisite loose-leaf tea. I was the proverbial kid in a candy shop.

 

 

The only thing I’d complain about is that the prices for actually sitting down and drinking tea were rather steep. After perusing the website, I notice that having a meal there (with tea included) might be more economical. The menu I was offered explicitly said that the prices were for individual servings only, so sharing a pot was not an option. When I questioned the prices and the rigid serving arrangement, I was told that it was a tea house not a restaurant. I’m still trying to decipher what that meant exactly.

If you read this blog even periodically, you know I’m rarely negative, and aside from the prices here is no exception. The room was indeed beautiful. Were I living in the area, I might make an excuse to come here sometimes. An important client. A special occasion. Please don’t take my word for it. Go see it yourself.