Visit: T2 SoHo

Over the last year or so I'd walk down Prince street in SoHo and notice a jewel box of a store selling tea and teaware. The displays were always colorful and inviting. Every time I passed by I wanted to pop in, but I was always rushing somewhere. T2 is a successful global chain that started off small and grew impressively. They were recently purchased by Unilever and will undoubtedly be expanding even further. I first tried T2 a few years ago when my husband brought back a couple of teas from a business trip to Australia. This was back when they were an Australian chain. I remember we had a breakfast blend that was quite strong and flavorful. T2 is known for inventive blends but they also have a huge inventory of teas and teaware. I was recently invited for a tasting at the SoHo store and was happy to finally find a time for a visit.

The day I visited was chilly and dreary, the sky was thick and grey. One of those days when NYC broods and sulks. It was quite a contrast to walk inside a T2. The store is chock full of colorful, quirky tea displays with interesting items to see at every turn. I had fun looking at teapots and teacups of every size and shape. The vibrant hues reminded me of another popular tea chain, but the design and customer service is a bit different.

If you are curious about a tea you haven't tried, you can taste before you buy. It's one thing to observe and smell a tea, but without tasting it you are basically buying it blindly. I always appreciate the stores that brew up a taste to help you decide what to purchase. I like that the tea is prepared right in front of you in a translucent vessel so you can watch the leaves dance as they steep. I tried the Yunnan golden tips, which is a malty and bright tea with a sweet raisin note. Was it better than Yunnan black teas I've had from my favorite vendors? Not exactly, but it is still a very pleasing cup. I took home their Morning Red blend, which is a zippy blend of keemun and Assam. This tea is smooth with a hint of smoke and honey. I'm very picky with my morning tea, and this one wasn't as bright and bold as I'd like, but for me it's a great mid-morning or afternoon tea pick-me-up.

Yunnan Golden Tips

The T2 store is great for gifts, as the selection is vast and much of the tea comes festive in brightly patterned boxes. The teaware is all designed for T2, and they often add new designs. If you're purchasing a gift, they'll wrap everything up in cheerful paper. The array of colors and products can be a bit overwhelming, but everything is well organized and the staff is quite knowledgeable. There are some nice Mother's Day gift options I was tempted to pick up for my mom, since she's a fan of tea blends. The set called Love, Friendship & Tea comes with a fun cup and saucer, French Earl Grey, and a strainer (which is really too small to actually use). I think my mom would enjoy the experience of opening this pretty package, and I could see her using the tea with the cup and saucer daily. There is also a gift pack called Breakfast In Bed that has two breakfast teas in a trippy box reminiscent of a lava lamp. Having tea in bed sounds like an ideal way to start Mother's Day (hint, hint, Mr. Tea Happiness).

A photo posted by sara shacket (@tea_happiness) on Apr 20, 2016 at 3:24pm PDT

As I mentioned the tea selection is immense, and I was actually interested in trying some of the herbals. I'm not usually an herbal tisane gal, but there are a few with ingredients native to Australia that looked very interesting. I also took home a tisane comprised only of jasmine flowers, which I found intriguing. I've never seen this as a tisane before. I noticed other pure flowers as well, all of which would be fun to use for blending.

I was tempted by a 17-ounce stainless steel flask that looks quite rugged and perfect for my klutzy ways. It has a removable strainer and can be used for both hot and cold teas. You can bring the flask into the store every Friday and they'll fill it up with a tea for free. I certainly wouldn't say no to that.

T2 is a few blocks away from Harney & Sons, and not far from a few places where you can sit down and have afternoon tea. I'm glad to see that there is another tea buying option in the area, especially since Palais des Thés has sadly closed its doors. T2 may be owned by a tea giant, but I really enjoyed my experience in this vibrant store.

I have quite a few more teas to taste and review from T2, so stay tuned. Some may also be making an appearance at the Office Tea Club. Have you tried anything from T2? I'd love to know your feedback on the teas, and the store. Also, let me know if you've noticed any change in the tea quality after the Unilever ownership. I'd be curious to hear your thoughts since I don't have enough experience with them to compare.

Thank you to Jennine and T2 for showing me around the store and for all of the products.

Visit: Miansai Tea Bar

Miansai is a handmade accessories shop known for their nautical rope and hook bracelets. A fashionable friend mentioned they recently opened a shop in SoHo that includes a tea bar up front featuring a large selection from Tea Chai Té. I was unfamiliar with Tea Chai Té, which is a family run company based in Portland. The menu at the Miansai tea bar is quite varied with black, green, and puer blends, along with herbals, yerba mate, and rooibos as well. They also have kombucha on tap or bottle, which also comes from Tea Chai Té. I tried the lavender white tea kombucha which was very delicate compared to most kombuchas I've tried. On a sunny warm day I would definitely have gone for a cup. But considering we are still experiencing arctic weather, I decided on something a bit warmer.

The tea bar is in the front of the light and airy store, so you can't miss it. There are miniature copper mugs holding each tea for you to smell, before choosing your brew. You can also sample the kombucha. I chose the ginger puer, since the spice would be very warming on this chilly day. A large cup of tea is $4.00 before tax, which seemed reasonable given the quality. While my tea was brewing I took a look around the store which is filled with tempting hand-crafted accessories. As much as I'd love to take home a hook bracelet, my wallet steered me back to the tea bar just in time for my cup to be ready. There is a small bench if you decide to sit and sip, and the store does have a relaxing atmosphere. But you are in the middle of SoHo so I'd recommend window shopping as you enjoy your tea.

Little cups to smell the leaves

The ginger puerh  has the satisfying earthy, mushroomy flavor that reminds me of old polished dark wood. It has an aged, but sturdy feeling. To me it also smells like an old Chinese herb shop that has secrets to reveal. The ginger tingles and compliments the musty puer flavor. Definitely a nice cup.

There are many options for tea in the area, the most popular being Harney & Sons less than a block away. But if you're looking for a quick cup in a stylish atmosphere definitely give the Miansai Tea Bar a chance.

An example of the oh-so tempting accessories

Miansai Tea Bar: 33 Crosby St. NY, NY- Recommended for a quick cup

Spotlight: Happy Earth Tea

I've met so many wonderful tea enthusiasts through blogging. Everyone is friendly, interesting, and of course passionate about tea. With a full time job and two children it is difficult to keep up with correspondence, but I value all the people I've met around the world who love tea as much as I do! One of these individuals is Niraj Lama from Happy Earth Tea. Niraj is a native of Darjeeling, who has found himself living in Rochester NY. Tea has always been part of his life. After a few email exchanges we discovered many similarities in our children, and of course discussed our love for tea.

Spotlight: The Tea Merchant

The Tea Merchant is a new online tea company offering a range of teas and teaware with a focus on organic and fair trade. I recently reviewed their green kukicha, and I have a few more coming soon.

I met founder Joey Landford at the NY Coffee and Tea Festival. I was intrigued by their teas and his new Kickstarter for an innovative tea tumbler. He is friendly and offered to answer a few questions, so we had a cheerful email exchange.

TH: How did you discover tea, and when did you start drinking it?
JL: I started drinking tea back in college but I never could really get into it, as I was too busy going to school full time and working full time to pay for school to take the time to enjoy tea. It was not until I moved to Japan that I started to really appreciate tea more. Drinking tea everyday with every meal became commonplace and I started to explore tea much more when I lived there. 

TH: Why start a tea business? How long ago did you start, and why?
JL: I started The Tea Merchant about 9 months ago. I started it because I could not find work after being laid off. So I decided to take all my savings and create my own job that I would love. The result was The Tea Merchant, and this led to me designing my tumbler. Its been an enjoyable, stressful, fulfilling experience so far.

TH: What is your favorite part of running a tea business?
JL: My favorite part about my job is quality control and experimentation. I get to drink tea all day to make sure its up to par. Trying new blends and enjoying new flavors is always fun. But it is a lot of work especially for a small company like mine where I am the only employee

TH: What makes The Tea Merchant different from other tea stores?
JL: The Tea Merchant is different in that I focus more on Organic and Fair Trade teas. You’ll also find that my teas are more subtle and not overpowering like other companies. Balance is key in teas and my blends all will focus on particular flavors or style while not losing the fact they are still tea. Take my Silk Dragon for example it is a vanilla Oolong with marigolds that even if you take the vanilla out of the blend the oolong can still stand on its own. This means every steep offers a different, tasty experience.

TH: Where do you source your teas?
JL: My teas are sourced from all over, China, Japan, and India primarily. I look for Organic and Fair Trade estates when possible but I won’t sacrifice quality to achieve this. This always makes blending more difficult but it’s a fun challenge and I think the final product is better for it.

TH: Tell me a little bit more about your tea tumbler kickstarter. Why did you decide to create one, and how long did the process take?
JL: Well this tumbler is something I think the tea industry can really benefit from. It makes drinking loose leaf tea easy, and I found this was a major barrier for my very busy friends. Even if you’re not busy it’s still an easy solution for while at work or at home and it can even work with coffee! Being able to fully control steep times without having to remove the infuser is something we all can enjoy. I’m using the Kickstarter to help me get this product into production. Kickstarter will allow me to give awesome rewards and discounted tumblers to the people who like it. It’s a win win, as I get into production faster and people receive the product sooner and cheaper.

A big thanks to Joey for answering all of my questions! If you have any other questions for him, leave them in the comments. A review of the Silk Dragon Oolong Joey mentions above will be coming soon, along with a few others!

Le Palais des Thés- NYC

Popular Parisian tea house Le Palais des Thés has opened their first US location on the Upper West Side of NYC. They are a well respected tea purveyor, and have been selling tea and teaware for 25 years. Their teas can be found in various stores around the city, but this is the first brick and mortar where you can purchase loose tea by the ounce, gifts, teaware, and have a sample to taste. Until now, I hadn't tried many of their teas so I decided it was time to visit the new store and see what I was missing.

As I approached the store I noticed it was tiny, about the size of a shoebox. But walking in, I realized it was a jewel of a shoebox. Teas line the walls along with colorful canisters, teapots, and other tasteful tea gifts. It's a perfect place to pick up a last minute holiday gift. At the front of the store there is a tea to sample, which is quite welcome during this chilly weather. There was an English Breakfast blend to sample on the day I was there. It was basic, but bold and invigorating. A worthy competitor to my favorite breakfast blends.

There is a dizzying selection of teas from around the world, color coded by region. Teas on display had a small vessel in front with loose tea to smell. I sniffed a few of the blends on display, and I do admit that some of them were tempting. The woman behind the counter was friendly without being pushy, which I always appreciate. A store this size can be intimidating when you first walk in, especially when you're the only customer. But the salesperson was helpful, and easy to talk with.

I was given a couple of samples to take home with me, and I tried the popular The Du Hammam. It is a very pleasant brew that is gently floral and fruity. Not something I usually drink, but I can understand why it is so popular. I have two other tea bags to try, and I look forward to tasting them.

The shop's founder François-Xavier Delmas takes great care in sourcing teas and forming relationships with planters. He has a very interesting blog that is worth checking out http://www.discoveringtea.com/.

I will definitely be back to this little store soon, to try some of their pure teas. I heard a SoHo shop will also be opening soon. There are very few tea shops in Upper West Side area of Manhattan, so I'm sure this location will do quite well.

Le Palais des Thés- 194 Columbus Ave. NY, NY: Recommended. Highlights:large selection of tea for purchase, as well as gifts. Warm, low-key staff.

Empire Coffee & Tea

There are many shops selling tea in this city, but the area of Midtown west is a bit of a wasteland for tea purchasing. There is Radiance (my favorite) if you are in central Midtown, Argo, or even Whole Foods for a little farther north, but not much else if you are looking for a good selection of loose leaf teas. But, if you are willing to venture a little further south west, an old shop with NY attitude awaits.

These days when I think of the southern end of Hell's Kitchen, I think Lincoln Tunnel, and the tush-end of port authority (although, who can really say which is the non-tush end?). Unlike a few blocks farther north, the area still retains a bit of NYC grit, with older storefronts and fumes from the cars waiting to enter the tunnel. It's an area that I usually avoid because it's just a little too far from my office. But if you are willing to explore, there are good stores for meat, fish, and baked goods in the area. It's also the backdrop for Empire Coffee & Tea, a great store that sells a nice variety of loose teas.

The store was supposedly established in the early 1900s (I'm not sure if it's always been at that location), but this is not one of those quaint West Village shops with creaky floors that gently sag into the pavement. No, this is a utilitarian store front, with bags of coffee everywhere and containers of tea in the back. A few teapots and coffee mugs can be found, but you're here for your leaves and beans. There is also a to-go counter where you will find coffee and teas by the cup, and a few benches if you need to sit while you sip.

I was pleasantly surprised by the tea selection here. They have just about every type of tea in little plastic containers. I imagine they have larger storage vessels in the back, where the tea is kept away from air and light. They have some blends as well, and Sexy Tea (black tea, oolong, and apricot black)caught my eye. I was tempted to get some, but I'm not usually a fan of flavored blends. The service here is not what I would consider friendly, but knowledgeable and no-nonsense. Just my style. I was impressed when the salesperson knew the difference between the Yunnan black, the mainland China tea, and the China black tea. After some perusal I decided to get a 1/4 pound of Yunnan Black, since I've been craving that sweet, bold flavor. The container was whisked away, and within seconds the salesperson was ringing me up. 

As I was leaving I noticed the Sexy Tea is sold by the cup, and they have a Sexy Arnold Palmer, too. If I hadn't just finished my own freshly brewed pot, I would have give one a try. Who wouldn't? Although, I'm still not sure why it's considered sexy. It gives me a reason to go back and try an iced version before the weather cools down.

Empire Coffee & Tea may not have the old world charm of a historic West Village store, but it has the old-school New York appeal that is just as important. And Sexy Tea. It's a great place to visit if you are trapped at port authority or Penn Station or if you need a respite from the tourists in Times Square. Or even when you're stuck in traffic waiting to get over to NJ. It's also a great place to walk to if you work in Midtown West.

Empire Coffee & Tea: 568 9th Avenue, NY, NY 10036: Recommended for loose teas to purchase, and a quick cup to go