Ian
User's reviews
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Te House of Tea
How did I not discover this place til now? Was taking a back route this weekend, and just a block north of Westheimer, discovered this cute little tea house. After walking in and chatting with the clerk, I found out the place has been open already a year! Speaking of walking in: I was immediately impressed of its calmness. Clean lines, natural colors, curious little corners to sit in. This place speaks of zen (for a spot that was formerly a laundromat, it's a marvelous transformation). The back wall has two large blackboards. I lost count, but the clerk said there's over a hundred teas here, and the owner is always sampling and finding more fine tea for us to try. I've heard a lot about oolongs, so I asked, 'what's popular here?', and was served a Fujian Silk -- a quality oolong that's processed with cream. No wonder it's a favorite: excellent aftertaste, and very calming. They mix their own chai here too, and the owner, from Hong Kong, has her own concoction of Ying Yang, a HK coffee/tea blend. I'll try that on my next visit. They also serve afternoon tea, elegantly presented in fine china, and have an 'asian' tea party, set on tatami mats. There were a few children here when I visited, obviously enjoying pouring and serving their own tea. They were very well behaved, as if the etiquitte of tea was impressing good manners on them. I'll be back!