New takes on tea - Bay Area tea rooms - Brief Article

Sunset, April, 2001 by Lolly Winston

Sip in style at these unusual teahouses, from Berkeley to Mountain View

"The Americans can send a man into space but they can't make a decent cup of tea," lamented Frank McCourt's Irish mother, Angela, in McCourt's memoir 'Tis. Maybe it's taken a while, but we have gotten better at brewing tea over the years, and now teahouses all over the country--including the Bay Area--offer quality brews along with creative finger foods. Afternoon tea at finer hotels is always a treat, but it's also fun to visit smaller teahouses, which offer their own interpretations of taking tea. Here are a few favorites.

Every Saturday afternoon, bird owners from around the Bay Area gather at the Imperial Tea Court in San Francisco's Chinatown to honor an ancient Chinese cultural tradition: drinking tea and displaying their birds--not to mention their bird cages. More than 200 types of tea are available, from green to black to oolong. Teas are served in the traditional Chinese fashion: in gaiwan (small covered teacups)

Sink into an overstuffed wicker chair in the indoor parlor while sipping a cup of chai, or nibble a bacon-and-cheddar crumpet in the small, rose-filled garden at Chai of Larkspur. The menu at this neighborhood hangout lists scrumptious spreads with suggested tea accompaniments. Teas, tea linens, and tchotchkes are available in the small gift shop.

Lovejoy's Antiques and Tea Room in San Francisco is noteworthy not only for its tea, but also for its outstanding food: Made-to-order sandwiches are much fresher than the usual premade tea fare, and heavenly scones and comfort foods are whipped up by an Irish baker. With its endearing grandma's-garage-sale ambience of antique sofas and chairs and mismatched china, silver, and trivets, this place is utterly without airs.

At NFusion in Berkeley, you get "tea with a twist": creative concoctions made of fruit juice, chocolate, ginseng, honey, and other ingredients, served hot, cold, or as a frothy shake. Try the Jasmine Cream--an overflowing green tea float made with tea, jasmine green tea ice cream, and ginseng.

The owners of Tea Time in Palo Alto take their trade so seriously they offer tea classes, where tea nuts sniff swirl, sip, and learn about brews from around the globe. This is also a nice place to sit and savor tea, served with a la carte tea sandwiches and baked goods.

In Mountain View, where Asian restaurants abound, Lucy's Tea House is a Taiwanese-influenced teahouse serving black, green, and oolong teas alongside sandwiches, rice plates, and desserts like jasmine tea ice cream