Chinese Tea To-Go

Very intrigued with how we can get a relatively good cup of Chinese tea to-go in the malls, and along the streets. I'm not talking about the local kopitiams of milk tea (奶茶) or the horrifying bubble tea shops. I'm referring to the pared-down contemporary tea kiosks that seem almost mobile, using traditional teapots and methods stemming from traditional brewing techniques to offer you a cup of tea to-go in a paper cup or vacuum-sealed top.

Away from the food-obsessed humans at the night markets and along the outer streets, we stumbled upon many of these shops offering a decent range of Taiwanese teas, namely oolongs and a bit of red tea. Hot or cold, with or without milk and sugar, you decide your preferences. Indian teas are available too, mostly in the forms of black Darjeeling and Assam.

There will be many of these stores we stop by. One of our favorites is located at the basement mall area of an Eslite bookstore. Modern and engaging, the attractive counter and retail space of Taiwanese Tea House 京盛宇. The company seemed to be able meet the needs of today's busy shoppers who would still like a good cup of tea, while subscribing to traditional standards to produce the oomph in the final brew.

We lingered to watch the staff brew tea, and of course bought tea to drink. Thirsty too! We were served by a junior or a trainee. When their seniors realized that she couldn't answer rather specific questions, they stepped in. The senior staff were young too, and it was impressive that they knew their teas and could advise us of which tea to pick based on their initial understanding of our tastebuds. We tried a full bodied Shan Lin Xi oolong (熟香衫林溪乌龙茶). Quite respectable even when drunk from a paper cup. :)