22928 Mon Feb 10 03:27:14 -0800 2003 16 1 San Francisco Bay Area 0 85919 Having tried Celadon, I decided it was time to try Imperial Tea. Rosewood tables, rosewood panels, large red Chinese lanterns, cages of finches and a wall lined with an impressive collection of tea pots greeted me as I entered on Saturday afternoon. That was all that greeted me. A table of older Chinese men sat in the back. I waited while the woman at the counter helped a customer. Then I waited … and waited. Finally I asked if I was to order at the counter. I was given the menu and I waited some more. Finally when the pleasant server stopped by I asked for suggestions. It took four tries to get ANY suggestions other than read the menu. I asked what the server had as a favorite. She liked them all. I was curious about the green lavender. She never tried it. Not quite the same level of expertise as the Celadon servers. Not that the servers were unpleasant, just unhelpful. I asked about decaffeinated tea and was told that all tea had caffeine (despite later reading at the end of the menu about the herbal teas). I asked about the Pu-erh teas being caffeine free due to aging. The server said that was probably true. The table of Chinese gentlemen was exiting about the time the tourists started to fill the place. I was guessing that Imperial Tea gets a little jaded with tourists, so I thought I would try one more time. I said that I enjoyed a number of their teas at Slanted Door and asked if they had a particular tea that I liked. They said they sell to restaurants that often rename the tea on their menus. Then I was handed a price list of all their teas to see if I could find it. Ok, I gave up and just started to order what looked good. From my Celadon experience I decided to skip the white teas. The tea is served differently at Imperial Tea. It is three dollars per tea for the regular tea and five dollars for the Imperial or high grade teas. The tea you choose is brought out in porcelain covered cups called gaiwan (see picture below). The server shows you how to hold the cup, lets you smell the tea, pours a little water in, another sniff and then fills the cup. She then took off and said to let it steep a minute. A large pot of water is left on the table. You use the top of the cup to gently push the leaves out of the way so you can sip the tea. I really don’t like this as the longer the tea steeps, the more bitter it becomes. Also I found myself needing to spit out tea leaves from time to time. The positive side of this is that you notice flavor changes as you add more water to the cup. Sometimes the third pouring is better than the first. There is also the option of Gong Fu Tea Presentation at eight dollars per tea. Basically this involves straining the tea and if you ask, the server will explain how this all works. Two person minimum. If you click on the presentation link on the Imperial Tea site there are other types of presentations available that require reservations and a minimum number of people. The ultimate presentation is $50 per person, 10 person minimum and includes a light dim sum lunch. For all the talk on the Imperial Tea site about the correct temperature, vessel and steeping times, the most that happened was the server put her hand on the side of the pot of water to see if it was too cold. Maybe it was Saturday, but this was a noisy place. The Chinese men chatted it up loudly and then when the tourists moved in, the noise level raised even higher. Here’s what I tried, some at the shop, some at home. The web site provides more information about each tea and how to brew than you will find in the shop. Imperial Breakfast I tried this at home. When I opened the package, I let out an audible mmmmm. The cat perked up to the sound of the promise of something delicious being served. One of my favorites and at $3.50 per oz, well worth it. The site said it has a whisper of smoke and hints of citrus, but this was the most wonderfully smoky smelling tea. Just thinking about it now makes me go mmmmm.. It has a spectacular amber color. The site suggest serving it with a slice of lemon or sugar with good reason. It is really astringent. I added a little Marshall’s Orange blossom honey and was transported to another dimension. I really think that Marshall’s deeply flavored Wild West Wildflower would probably be an ideal match. I need a cup … now. Orchid Oolong Scented ever so lightly with orchids, this Taiwanese oolong was one of the favorites I tried in the shop. It just got better and better with each infusion of water. Really a subtle, delicate, beautifully fragrant tea. (9.25 oz) Red Peony This Keemum tea is tied together with a silken thread to look like a peony. It was my second favorite in the shop. Lovely slight red tinge and smoky flavor. Another tea that improved with each pouring. The site talks about it blossoming in the cup, but it looked the same dried as brewed to me. I was just so glad to have a tea all tied together so I wouldn’t have to ever so genteelly remove leaves from my mouth. ($10.oz) The site mentions that like black teas, red teas are fermented before being dried. They turn a red color before drying. When the British arrived, they called these teas black, the color they saw after drying. Lapsang Souchong Opening this at home, the smell was of fine leather. Really pleasant. A lightly smoked black tea of Fujian province that the site describes as having “a rich and distinctive maltiness & smooth finish. ($1.75 oz) In the Fujian province this tea is cured over smoking pine log fires. The smell was like leather, but the wonderful taste reminded me of being in a pine forest with a tones of a campfire. A favorite and a bargain Prosperity Blend I love hibiscus. I can drink one of those bottles of Knudson hibiscus tea in a sitting . This is a hibiscus-based blend with the most beautiful red color and the tang of hibiscus. Wonderful hot, I will make iced tea with it this summer (whenever that may occur in SF), flavoring it with a touch of Marshall’s Orange Blossom honey. The site says that there is a hint of mint. A garnish of mint leaf would be a great touch. ($3.50 oz) The name comes from the fact that red is the color of good fortune and prosperity. Organic Lavender Green An organic green tea lightly scented with bergamot oil and blended with organic lavender flowers. This had a spicy scent and pleasant character. I never would have guessed there was lavender in it if wasn’t mentioned. I really enjoyed it. ($3.50 oz) Rose Garden This was one of two rose petal flavored teas I tried. It was just wonderful. The fragrance was like the best heirloom garden roses. Just smelling this was like being in a garden. Valentines day is coming and here‘s an idea … wake up your sweetie with a tray with a pot of this wonderful tea, a single rose in a bud vase and maybe some pastel petit fours from Neldham‘s. Or a tart garnished with rose petals from Tartine. A romantic tea. Very comforting. Escape a few minutes to relax with this tea. (5.60 oz) Rose Petal Black Black tea and beautiful rose petals. Very pretty dried. More of a spicy rose fragrance and not as assertive as Rose Garden. (2.45 oz) Jade Fire This Tea is grown in the mountains of eastern China's Anhui province. It had a subtle smokiness that I enjoyed. The site describes it as having leaves that unfurl and look like flowers floating in a golden pool. Right. With all the unfurling and floating, this is one of the teas where I found myself with a mouth full of leaves. I kept thinking, sink to the bottom of the cup, will you. Definitely needs a strainer. (12.50 oz) Imperial Dragon Well I thought I would splurge on one of the more expensive, five dollar a cup Imperial teas. (19.60 oz if you buy it to bring home to brew) The site describes it as “a beautiful champagne-colored golden liquor with a complex flavor rich with sweet, savory and floral notes and a lingering mellow finish. An extremely refined and elegant tea which deserves to be savored and contemplated.” I contemplated that I wasn’t refined enough for it and decided to stick with the three dollar teas. Snow Water This was described so beautifully with a golden flavor and smooth finish that I forked over the five dollars a cup for this. It was too grassy tasting and not exceptionally pretty either. (12.50 oz) Red Envelope Blend This was a low-caffeine spiced herbal blend with dried orange peels, purple lavender flowers, a little red hibiscus and jasmine tea.($3.50 oz). It has a reddish color and is named after the red envelopes exchanged in Chinese families on special occasions. It really looked beautiful dried. Like potpourri. Unfortunately, it tasted like what I would imagine brewed potpourri would taste like. It smelled like cloves and had an strong clove taste. Yuck. The site calls it a stunning blend. Well, I guess it did stun me. Superior Green Oolong One word - Lipton. ($5.60 oz) Actually I thought Lipton green tea bags had a slight edge. Link: http://www.imperialtea.com/ Image: http://www.imperialtea.com/AB1002000Store/images/accessories/teacups/FloweringGardenSM1.jpg Mon Feb 10 03:27:14 -0800 2003 0 Stanley Stephan 1 85922 Stanley, Thank you for your wonderful reports. I was at the Chowhound Imperial Tea tasting (a terrific experience with a group of committed "Hounds") and by accident stumbled upon Celadon while walking on Solano waiting for our Chowhound Sichuan restaurant outing. It was indeed a beautiful and inviting spot, and I definitely mentioned it at the dinner, hoping that someone had been there, but alas, untill your report it was an unknown! I definitely will make an effort to try their teas as well..perhaps another Chowhound outing when we return for Sichuan? Anyone interested? Again thank you for your intriguing and detailed report. Mon Feb 10 04:15:31 -0800 2003 85919 0 derek 2 85938 Derek, did you say Sichuan food and fine teas? I'm in. Might be worth having tea first, before the chilis attack taste buds and smell. Mon Feb 10 13:38:28 -0800 2003 85922 0 Windy 3 85947 Perhaps a Solano Ave. Crawl? They are opening a new Jewish/East Coast Deli, There's pie at Walkers, Chicago Pizza at Zachary's and ofcourse we all want a replay of our last Sichuan experience! And there are other places on Solano about which I have no knowledge (other Chowhounds please chime in with suggestions!) We could start west in Albany at Celadon and then HIKE(!) two minutes to Berkeley, past the old Key Line System historical marker and partake of the delights farther east. Is anyone still working on the return to Sichuan? Perhaps we could coordinate? Mon Feb 10 14:34:30 -0800 2003 85938 0 derek 4 85957 Derek, If the group gets over six, i would call Celadon about tasting plans. It is a large spacious restaurant with many tables, but the special designed tea bar would accomodate six at the most. So they might need some advanced preparations for a larger group. The Solano Avenue crawl is a great idea. I had never been in the area before and was surprised at the restaurant row. My friend had lived there a few years and we did a quick drive up and he pointed out all his favorites (the man is a real hound, but no pc). I'm blanking out as this was my first time in the area and he pointed out so much. All that comes to mind is one place where time stopped in the 1960's (atmosphere, but average food). He did mention there was a killer taco / Mexican place near Celadon. I'll have to ask him. We didn't drive by as it was not directly on Solano. Again, calling all hounds. What are your Solaon favs? Mon Feb 10 15:33:31 -0800 2003 85947 0 Stanley Stephan 5 85972 Offhand: La Fonda (Spanish small plates), Raj Cafe (Indian, across the street from Celadon), Ruen Pair (Thai, on San Pablo Ave). Mon Feb 10 17:51:18 -0800 2003 85957 0 svL 5 86012 If you and Derek would like to set something up and post I am sure that you would have people ready to go. If it is on the weekend I sure I would find time. Weekday are hard for me. Mon Feb 10 20:54:16 -0800 2003 85957 0 Yimster 6 86020 I have to leave this one up to Derek. My diet won't let me do much heavy eating, the reason for checking out tea houses. I have to do something to satisfy my chowhound urges, even if it is just gaining a knowledge of tea. I see myself this week listening to the Cha Tao tea music CD while trying to gain more insight to Longjing. I have to limit my eating at this point to occasional trips to French/Cal places like Bizou or Gregoire where they are heavy on veggies and protein (and small in portion). Have to limit the breads, sweets, sauces, cheeses (sob), wine, (sob) and coffee (boo hoo hoo. It slows the metabolism). In the meantime, I'll just have to satisfy myself with reading all the Chowhound wonderful posts and taking notes for the future. I somehow don't think that walking up and down Solano Avenue and eating is what my doctor had in mind when she said I should walk every day. And that is that Chowhound French Laundry trip to look forward to this summer. Mon Feb 10 21:30:58 -0800 2003 86012 0 Stanley Stephan 1 85963 When we were there last year, they showed us a more extensive list of teas, almost like an inventory list, with prices etc... on a clipboard. It's a great way to do a vertical tasting, going through different grades of the same tea. We also had three hot water pots then, each with a different temperature. BTW, the gai wan style of brewing is best for fragrant teas such as delicate flower teas or many green teas, it helps to hold the ephermeral perfume of some of these teas. re: dragon well -- some varieties have a nutty (somewhat peanutty to me) flavour that I really enjoy. Mon Feb 10 16:57:17 -0800 2003 85919 0 Limster 2 86008 That is interesting about gai wan style being suited to delicate and fragrant teas. It may be the reason I enjoyed the Orchid Oolong so much. I might try a few of the more delicate white teas next time I'm at Imperial tea to see if I develop more of an appreciation for them. Mon Feb 10 20:31:16 -0800 2003 85963 0 Stanley Stephan 2 86481 If that last longjing I gave you to sample was nutty enough for your taste, you might be interested to know that I got it at the Ten Ren on Irving. I thought it was among their better offerings from last spring's harvest. BTW, the staff at that branch of Ten Ren are very friendly. They offer free tastings, and seemed happy to let me try several different teas. As with all Ten Ren's, they carry mostly Taiwanese oolongs, and not that much else. But if you know what you like, you can sometimes find some really nice stuff for a quite reasonable price. Tue Feb 18 05:50:43 -0800 2003 85963 0 chibi 3 86530 Alas, there is no Tianren here in Boston as far as I know.....but there are a few tea places, haven't been to them that much. Been relying on the stash you gave me -- many thanks again. :) Tue Feb 18 19:06:15 -0800 2003 86481 0 Limster 1 85968 OK, does all of this include at least a concert version of "Flower Drum Song"? Mon Feb 10 17:15:35 -0800 2003 85919 0 Myles 2 85996 Well, there is Chinese musak playing. You can buy cd's. I guess I wasn't being as subtle as I thought about the decor. Mon Feb 10 19:32:52 -0800 2003 85968 0 Stanley Stephan 3 86006 actually if you check out their website with its gorgeous flowers and tea porn, you'll find they sell tea music...guess it's a specialty category like massage tapes Link: http://www.imperialtea.com/ Mon Feb 10 20:28:34 -0800 2003 85996 0 Windy 4 86014 Thanks for pointing me to the music link on the site, it was an eye opener. I never would have guessed there was music specifically created for tea. I know I was being flip with the musak comment, but with the level of noise on Saturday, that's what it amounted to. As unhelpful as Imperial Tea was in person, their site is indeed, tea porn. I learned so much more checking there. You can even listen to this music on the site. Unfortunately they don't tell you what sort of media player you need and my Windows Media Player doesn't work on it. Will probably download Real Audio Player later and see if that works. Mon Feb 10 20:59:30 -0800 2003 86006 0 Stanley Stephan 4 86032 For anyone who hasn't already clicked on the Imperial Tea website link in the message above.... go do it now. This is the best tea website on the web, and hasa wealth of information. If you spend time reading and studying the website before you visit the store, you will have no problems with "unhelpful" help. To repeat, this website is THE BEST for someone wanting to learn about serious tea. Tue Feb 11 00:40:17 -0800 2003 86006 0 Paul H