627582 Sat Jun 13 10:43:28 -0700 2009 1 2 Los Angeles Area 0 4769655 I'm on the westside. Would love to find a teahouse with both terrific oolong and genmaicha - any recommendations? In an ideal world, the brand they use would also be known and could be purchased there. If not a teahouse, at least a couple good restaurants not too far away (besides the below) where one could get tea and snacks maybe early evening or on a weekend afternoon. Key words would be tasty and toasted. I had terrific genmaicha at a sushi place on Abbot Kinney in Venice named Shima - gorgeously toasted rice, a yummy flavor with depth, not super-green. http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/625785 And yesterday I went to a South Bay Japanese noodle shop, Kotohira, that had just the most beautiful iced oolong - toasty, light, fresh flavor - not overly fruity, might've been roasted a bit, I'd think. Thread on Kotohira, etc.: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/626658#4768623 I saw a few threads on oolong around Chowhound already, including this one on making iced oolong: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/404707#2600549 And there's this one going about genmaicha and its ilk: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/625785 I did buy some Yamamotoyama matcha genmaicha at Mitsuwa, which isn't bad, but doesn't reach the heights of whatever it was I had. Also tried Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf's Genmaicha (decent, but likewise). For oolong I've only had Twinings before at home. I get the feeling it would be better to go tasting some tea so I'll know what the variety/brands are that have been so amazing to me, rather than hit-and-miss purchasing, even of higher-end teas, for eons. I did see there's something called Haru Japanese Teahouse up in Encino, so any thoughts on that one welcome too. Sat Jun 13 10:43:28 -0700 2009 40486 Cinnamon 1 4770383 Mori Sushi on Pico serves a very nice genmaicha. If you ask for tea with your meal, you get sencha, but at the end of the meal, they bring you genmaicha (I'm not sure if they would bring the genmaicha with the meal itself, but you could ask). Tea is served in beautiful handmade teacups. Mori is pretty pricy to go to just for genmaicha, except if you go for lunch. They have a bento box lunch special that is delicious and a great value. I haven't been, but other people on this Board recommend the Funnel Mill tea/coffee house in Santa Monica: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/567114 I just checked online and Funnel Mill's genmaicha is $49.50 for 100 grams (3 oz.). It better be good at that price. http://www.funnelmill.com/tea/index.php#green Sat Jun 13 17:05:45 -0700 2009 4769655 27951 omotosando