Thoughts & Reflections

Category: Shops

A Visit to Puerh Brooklyn

Coffeeshops are ubiquitous in New York so it’s always a nice surprise to come across a tea shop somewhere in the midst of the city. There is a little cafe that specializes in matcha in my neighborhood but what I’d much prefer is a place that offers a bit more variety.

I learned recently about a tea shop called Puerh that I think opened not too long ago. Browsing their website, I was not disappointed to find that they do indeed sell various types of the namesake tea. My family drinks pu-erh tea all the time, though not as much as when I was younger. My parents used to brew a pot for breakfast and it’s pretty much the standard when one sits down for dim sum in a Chinese restaurant.

I finally had a chance to visit it last weekend with a friend. Even though Puerh Brooklyn isn’t terribly far for me to walk to from home, it’s located on a street that I don’t frequent that often. All I really needed was an excuse to travel in that direction and with a friend visiting the neighborhood, I had my reason.

The shop isn’t very big but it’s filled with a lot of lovely teaware. Along one wall is a tea counter where one can browse the loose tea and tea cakes the shop sells. There is also a little takeaway area to order hot or iced teas as well as small bites such as cookies and chocolate.

There is another shop in the basement of the space that sells clothes, jewelry and some other sundries but the nice part about it the large airy space where it tea tastings and classes are held from time to time. The floor was covered with cushions and mats and there was definitely a stove and a pot set aside there. I’d love to revisit for a tea tasting if possible.

It’s hard for me to visit a tea store and not buy anything. I ordered an iced hibiscus tea (tasty) and then browse some of the pu-erh cakes available for purchase. In the end, I bought a small cake of pu-erh and chrysanthemums (another Chinese favorite). When I showed it to my mother, she advised me to keep it in a dark place for now and like wine, it will be better with age.

I can’t wait to break that tea cake open in the future and see how the flavors have improved.

June 13, 2016
Patisserie Burrow

If one walks to the very back of the lobby of a somewhat nondescript building in DUMBO, there is a reward waiting at the end of corridor. Tucked into the space is Patisserie Burrow. It’s about the size of a jewel box; very tiny but with such delicate and delicious treats.

I’ve had my eye on visiting for a very long time but logistically, it was near impossible until my week off. Burrow was only opened on the weekdays (it just started to open on Saturdays this past weekend) and there was no way I could have gone unless I had a day off. And it’s even better to go with a friend, as I did the day after my birthday.

I love how there are so many tasty delights stacked on the shelves while a few miniature pastries are encased in a small marble and glass counter. When my friend and I arrived, there were slices of cheesecake, a pistachio mousse cake, fig tart and a cupcake topped with a macaron shelf that looked very much like a mushroom found in fantasy realms. We had a hard time choosing what to order but in the end settled on a slice of apple pie (it was so, so very thin!) and the fig tart. The inside of the shop was very stuffy so I also got an iced green tea to help cool down while my friend ordered a coffee. Needless to say, everything was delicious.

And I just couldn’t leave without buying a few things to go. In this case, it was a small sampling of the cookies; they all looked so good. From the many varieties, I chose a chocolate-thumb cookie, a jam sandwich, three nut-based cookies (almonds; hazelnuts; and one with mixed nuts) and a palmier. And they tasted just as good as they appeared.

October 27, 2014
MatchaBar

With so many coffee establishments in New York, a new tea place is most certainly welcome for non-coffee drinkers like me. The latest tea shop just happened to open in my neighborhood last week so I went to check it out over the weekend.

Specializing in the type of tea as its name implies, MatchaBar is all about matcha. They sell prepackaged tins of if as well as offering matcha-based drinks to go. And for non-tea drinkers who were dragged in by tea-loving friends, coffee is also on the menu. The space itself is pretty nice; there is seating in the front by the window and a large communal table in the back. I also love the very appopriate leafy print that adorns the wall.

And so what to try from the menu? It was a warm day so I ended up ordering one of their specialty drinks: the iced watermelon and matcha. It seemed to be one of the more popular items the day I went. When I received my drink, the watermelon and matcha were separated in colorful layers that all turned to green once I mixed it up. It was tasty and definitely refreshing, not at all bitter.

They serve hot matcha-based drinks too, which I may try as the temperatures drop in these coming months. Some baked goods were also available as well for those that need something to go along with their drinks; since I went in the afternoon, there wasn’t much variety left but I think I did see some scones and muffins.

September 26, 2014
Ample Hills Creamery

I’ve been spending a lot more time in my home borough these days. When I was in the Boerum Hill/Prospect Heights vicinity recently, I finally decided to pay a visit to Ample Hills Creamery. What appeared to be a quick walk on a map ended up much longer thanks to streets that turned in different directions but in the end, I finally got there.

It was a hot afternoon that day and so there was a long line of people waiting to buy their ice cream. When I finally made it to the front of the queue, I quickly browsed the menu and settled for my favorite ice cream flavor, Strawberries & Cream.

Not many places make a good strawberry ice cream that meet my satisfaction but the one at Ample Hills is awesome. One could taste the strawberries in every bite and I think it Ample Hills is now my favorite place to get it if I want locally made ice cream. Barring that, I will still be happy with my second choice, Häagen-Dazs (can’t go wrong with ice cream and lots of frozen strawberry bits blended in).

May 9, 2014
Tea Drunk

What I wanted on Saturday afternoon was a cool and creamy antidote to the increasingly warm weather. I walked over to the Big Gay Ice Cream shop, looked at the long line that formed outside the store and decided I should get something else instead. Just a few doors down was Tea Drunk, a tea shop on my to-visit list. It is tea only (no food) and the tea is served Kung-Fu style if one is dining in, so to speak. There is a really short to-go menu of iced tea on the day I went but I wanted to sit down and rest my tired feet.

I chose the Shui Xian Oolong Tea and sat down at a table; the counter was packed with other tea drinkers so there wasn’t any room to sit up there. I really enjoy the rituals of serving Kung-Fu tea though I haven’t had it in years. It was fun to watch as one of the shop assistants rinsed the pot and the cup before steeping the leaves and pouring the tea into the teeny cup. The tea itself was excellent; I really liked the flavor of it. And the leaves were steeped several times and each time, the flavor changed subtly. Even though it was hot outside, I didn’t mind drinking hot tea as well. The whole experience was pretty relaxing and I would definitely go again and try something else next time.

April 22, 2014
Sweet Treat: Religieuse Griottes Amande

This was one of the desserts I bought on my way out after brunch at Ladurée. I love cherries in desserts so this was a must get item. The religieuse was basically two cream puffs stacked on top of each other with cherries and an almond cream filling. It was very tasty! This is also the first dessert I’ve ever bought at Ladurée.

During my very first London trip, we stopped at the Ladurée store in Harrods Food Hall and I bought a large box of macarons and a croissant. I don’t think they had other pastries at the time though if they did, I opted for something I could easily bring back to the States. That croissant was my breakfast the next day, eaten in my hotel room before we headed to Heathrow for the return trip home. And since then, I’ve always wanted to try their other offerings that we couldn’t get until this SoHo location finally opened.

April 10, 2014
Patisserie Tomoko

It’s really nice to finally have a good dessert place in my neighborhood. There are plenty of cafés and bakeries but none of them stand out like Patisserie Tomoko. I’ve been wanting to visit ever since it opened but it’s a bit of a walk and the weather was warm enough over the weekend to allow for an excursion.

Once inside, the space is divided into two sections with an open kitchen right in the center. There are seats around the counter for dining in to the left and a takeaway area to the right. I took a seat at the back and studied the short menu. It is a dessert prix-fixe: one dessert with petits fours. There is also a premium set which comes with an additional starter. I asked about the starter and decided it wasn’t for me so I ordered the standard set and a pot of tea. Wine pairings are also available and suggestions are listed below each item on the menu.

The dessert that stood out to me was the Pear Mille-feuille with Earl Grey Ice Cream. I cannot say no to pears and Earl Grey though I chose a pot of genmaicha to balance it out. The pastry and ice cream were both delicious and thankfully not too heavy. When my empty plate was removed, a dish of petits fours arrived: matcha shortbread, a banana chocolate macaron, and kumquat financier. The latter was my favorite of the three thanks to the sweet and tart flavor of the kumquat.

At the takeaway counter, there are many more desserts available as well as a few savory items. I bought a pumpkin flan and a lemon tart for my sister and she said both desserts were very good. I’m looking forward to trying some of the other items as well.

February 4, 2014
Bellocq

One of the prettiest tea shops in the city is Bellocq. It’s close enough for me to walk to on a nice day but in the midst of a polar vortex as we are now, I’m more than happy to use mass transit instead. The shop is located on a quiet, industrial street and the storefront is pretty unassuming. But once inside, you can’t help but admire the view.

There are small tins by the window for customers to sniff and examine the different teas available for purchase. Behind the counter are large canisters full of loose leaves ready to be sold by the ounce. And in the back room is a lovely little sitting area with plants everywhere.
On the day I visited, the store was pretty busy with a mix of out-of-town visitors and city residents. Everyone was buying tea so it was while before it my turn but I didn’t mind the wait since I was admiring all the things in the store. Though there were several teas I wanted to try, I showed some restraint and only bought a sample of Golden Pu-Erh. But have no fear, there will be future visits indeed.

January 27, 2014