19 January 08
My Meeting with a Samovar
I went to MacWorld on the train yesterday, bigbying all the way down and back. MacWorld itself was odd — partly a function of separating the two exhibit halls even more than normal, but generally a bit underwhelming. I toured the aisles, talked to vendors whose stuff looked interesting and avoided eye contact with those whose stuff didn’t, and in general was glad I was alone so I could be on my own schedule.
The Samovar Tea Lounge opened a second spot just above the Moscone Center, so I planned to eat lunch there. I knew I wanted to try the Samovar, so I opted for the “Russian Chay Platter and Bottomless Samovar Black Tea,” which included baked ricotta wrapped in collards, tarragon-marinated beets, and smoked whitefish and horseradish (I wasn’t expecting much with the whitefish but it was exquisite).
The tea: a blend of lapsang souchong and a breakfast mixture. Went on to the tongue smoky, with a flowery, almost lavender aftertaste. You’d think that the ultra-strong concentrate would stew on top of all that steam, but it didn’t. I had three or four cups. I was wired for the afternoon and much of the evening.
This place is a temptation for tea lovers like me. Any tea room I visit from now on will be held to this standard. Fernanda, I would LOVE to go to this place with you!!
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sounds like a lovely place to have tea..!
Jennifer: it was. It was very multicultural in the kind of tea served — Japanese complete with Japanese food, Chai complete with Indian food, Moroccan mint tea with veggie kebabs and stuffed dates… and of course they had an English cream tea. Way too much tea to try in an afternoon but I’ll just have to go back.
Alison, I’m quietly, secretly reading & enjoying the blog. (I guess I’m outed from secrecy with this comment.)
Did the tea lounge gave actual samovars?
My russian lit class way back when made me interested in samovars, too.
Andrea
Andrea: yes, there were real samovars, but electric not charcoal-fired (they had lots of old ones up on the shelves, though). It was fantastic to see one in action. The tea was intense, as well, and I’m still wondering whether to try and duplicate the taste at home or whether that’s best left for a treat in San Francisco…
Glad you enjoyed your first “meeting” with a Samovar, but how was MacWorld? :)