This weekend finds me exploring the City by the Bay and of course, all things tea it offers. While the Asian theme of afternoon tea is not my personal decorating style, visiting the Samovar Tea Lounge and reading their menu proved an education. With two locations, Samovar provides your choice of cultural tea experiences and the menu to go along with it. And I do love Asian food.
Chinese 15
Iron Goddess of Mercy Oolong or Maiden’s Ecstasy Pu Erh Tea
Sesame Seared Veggie Potstickers
Hand-cut Tea Noodles w/ Oolong Shrimp or Konyaku
Coconut Red Bean Pudding
“Nothing can have more uses than being. It is the emptiness of a wheel hub that gives the wheel its usefulness. It is because a cup is empty in the middle that it can be filled with tea, and is thus useful” Lao Tzu
Fill your teacup with either of these teas that pair divinely with our traditional Chinese dishes.
In honor of my virtual tour guide, my mother of Teaching Tea fame, I tried my first Puerh, a personal favorite of hers. While still learning about this fascinating multi-infusion tea I find it smooth and rich. My tea could brew and brew and never bitter. At seven dollars a cup, it was a far cry from the typical tea bags offered to the patrons at the hotel where we stayed.