"Without dreams, we live like a salted fish,” said Hong Kong comedian and actor Stephen Chow in his movie Shaolin Soccer. Life without dreams is like a pool of stagnant water, dull and inactive. So we dream, and we dream big.
Yet few manage to translate their big dreams into reality, but not Kristeen Chen. Quitting her decent job at Wall Street English, Chen, armed with her British husband and lifelong friend Jialin Chen, opened her tea house, Tea’se Me, earlier this year. “I play a little trick on the name to make it sprightly,” says Chen with a wicked smile.
In line with her wish, the shop does enliven the tranquil, tree-lined neighborhood of Yuexiu Bei Lu. With a refreshing mint-green rooftop, it’s easy to locate Tea’se Me amidst the surroundings. Behind a French window, the shop is divided into three parts: a homey entrance, with cuddly cushions, a cozy sofa and suites for small gatherings; the middle room, which is decked out as a small library for bookworms; and the rear, which was previously an outdoor garden, fit for a relaxing afternoon and wandering minds.
In addition to common flavors of tea, such as peppermint (RMB18/cup) and Earl Grey (RMB18/cup), Tea’se Me also offers a wide range of other novel tastes imported mainly from the UK. The slightly sour strawberry and raspberry (RMB18/cup) sweeps away sleepiness, while the pomegranate (RMB68/kettle) from Turkey not only tastes refreshing, but is also purportedly good for heart health.
Learning from her deft mother-in-law and with an intense interest in baking, Chen is most proud of her homemade desserts. Unlike streamlined productions, desserts at Tea’se Me have character. The lemon drizzle (RMB6) is served with freshly squeezed lemon juice on top. Hidden below the golden, baked surface is a buttery, fluffy dough scented with citrus. The chewy brownie (RMB10) strikes a perfect balance between cake and cookie. The thin layer of chocolate spread on the surface melts in one’s mouth with a lingering, mellow sweetness.
Desserts are half angel, half devil: they sugarcoat tedious daily life but add extra pounds to the body. At Tea’se Me, however, you can have your cake and eat it too. Chen’s husband is a wing chun master. Do a few kicks with him and the calories from that monstrous brownie will be beaten off in no time.
Price: Approx. RMB50
Who’s going: Anyone craving homemade Western desserts
Good for: Contemplating the meaning of life, page-turners
// Listing.
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