Tea Places: Té Company
This post is long overdue! Tucked away on West 10th Street in NYC’s West Village is a place called Té Company. In the space was formerly occupied by Bonnie Slotnick Cookbooks, tea lovers will find a cozy and intimate tea room. Té Company specializes in Taiwanese oolongs. On my first visit, I couldn’t sit down to stay but I did get a really wonderful cup of Oriental Beauty to go. The owner, Elena, was super sweet and knowledgeable. I really appreciated having even just a to go cup brewed with care. Most other places would have plopped the leaves into a filter and called it a day. One thing that caught my eye was the fall leaves artfully scattered on the floor inside. It was an unexpected touch of whimsy that made me smile as I left.
My second visit was after a stressful day at work. I made it a point to sit down for some quiet time. It was just me, the tea and my Kindle for a blissful reading session. The Frozen Summit Reserve, a medium roast Dong Ding, really hit the spot. A few weeks later I met up with +Jo J, +sara shacket and Joe from +Joseph Wesley Black Tea on the eve of the NYC Coffee & Tea Festival. We eagerly shared sips of Green Sanctuary Violet, an oolong that was made from a purple variety of tea. Elena was great about refilling our pot with water even though we were drinking fairly quickly. She also really nice about not kicking us out right away when we were still sipping at closing time.
The space is very small so it is best to share your tea experience with only one or two others (unless you make reservations ahead of time). I don’t get to visit this wonderful shop nearly as much as I’d like to but it’s always a treat when I do. I haven’t had a chance to try their food yet, especially than famous pineapple linzer, but I’ve heard amazing things about Té Company’s culinary offerings. A lunch there is definitely on my to-do list.
