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Love in a cup...
Feb. 23rd, 2006 03:31 pmYesterday I went to Shaktea on Main to do a profile for the Vancouver Courier. Shaktea is a new tea house, which was recommended highly by Hot Lunch . I thought the story would only take me an hour, but I ended up staying there for two.
First, I sampled a Chocolate Mint Rooibos tea, which tasted like dessert. I then tried a wonderfully sweet rose tea, and was served a pot of Market Spice, which was a spicy chai like blend. The women who own the tea house serve the tea in small pots, and it sits on a tea light warmer, so you can sip it slowly and savour it. The tea house is quite nice; very unpretentious and homey. The walls are yellow and there's a wonderfully comfy couch and world music playing. The owners are two women who have been friends for a long time. They brought me a variety of teas to smell, and I ended up smelling a wide variety of scented beverages. Both women are learning how to serve Traditional Chinese tea from a Gung Fu Tea master.
I asked Tanya, one of the owners, if she'd ever had Mongolian salty tea. It's a very different taste, but I really liked it. She had never sampled it, but was quite intrigued and brought out a tea brick to show me. After this, she decided to practice the traditional tea serving and so we had pu'er, which is a smoky and strong tea that smells and tastes like a strong oolong. She prepared it in a way, using a cup and pouring using both hands. I really enjoyed my experience, and I'm definitely going to go back.
I guess I'm also going to start drinking Rooibos, as it's apparently quite good for eczema. I also want to sample the chocolates they sell, as the owners work with a chocolatier and have created an Earl Grey chocolate and a Green Tea chocolate.
I highly recommend this place and encourage everyone to try it if you're a fan of tea. It's on Main Street, across the street from the Liberty Bakery and the Barefoot Contessa.
First, I sampled a Chocolate Mint Rooibos tea, which tasted like dessert. I then tried a wonderfully sweet rose tea, and was served a pot of Market Spice, which was a spicy chai like blend. The women who own the tea house serve the tea in small pots, and it sits on a tea light warmer, so you can sip it slowly and savour it. The tea house is quite nice; very unpretentious and homey. The walls are yellow and there's a wonderfully comfy couch and world music playing. The owners are two women who have been friends for a long time. They brought me a variety of teas to smell, and I ended up smelling a wide variety of scented beverages. Both women are learning how to serve Traditional Chinese tea from a Gung Fu Tea master.
I asked Tanya, one of the owners, if she'd ever had Mongolian salty tea. It's a very different taste, but I really liked it. She had never sampled it, but was quite intrigued and brought out a tea brick to show me. After this, she decided to practice the traditional tea serving and so we had pu'er, which is a smoky and strong tea that smells and tastes like a strong oolong. She prepared it in a way, using a cup and pouring using both hands. I really enjoyed my experience, and I'm definitely going to go back.
I guess I'm also going to start drinking Rooibos, as it's apparently quite good for eczema. I also want to sample the chocolates they sell, as the owners work with a chocolatier and have created an Earl Grey chocolate and a Green Tea chocolate.
I highly recommend this place and encourage everyone to try it if you're a fan of tea. It's on Main Street, across the street from the Liberty Bakery and the Barefoot Contessa.
