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smile. In the casual, inclusive lounge, normal guests with no tea
knowledge and experienced tea consumers are equal, leaving
no psychological burden. Across the street stands the cafe Cer-
emorning Random Play. The staff there are regular visitors and
increasingly say no to tea in other stores.
Just like coffee, tea is a daily drink. Zha wishes youngsters
to give more chance to tea, feeling its unique charm different
from coffee, especially the deepening flavor brought by fleeting
time. For new style tea drinks, Zha is optimistic, believing they
bring a new channel to make tea familiar to youngsters. The
special drinks with good look and taste are popular among young
Welcome by Tea
customers in CHA TALK. Taking cues from seasonal fruit, the
special drinks use the fresh waxberry as ingredients, and will
Our first meeting with Zha Wen was like a treat from an
use peach and watermelon for next season. When waxberry
old friend. She naturally sent us the new menu, which clearly
first became available in market, the high price of 60 RMB per
marked the drinks with “no threshold”, “old pal” or “rare en-
kilo didn’t stop the 2 owners. To present the best flavor, they
counter”. The “no threshold” type features a taste easy to accept,
never hesitate over high cost.
while the “old pal” has a stronger flavor suitable for regular tea
Apart from deliberate void in the space, there are also
lovers. As for the “rare encounter”, it is a special taste that you
some decorations of “equipment”, which are taken by KK, Zha’s
may not be able to try next time. If you don’t favor hot tea,
close friend, from abroad. With Zha’s advice, KK quit her job
seasonal special and cold brews are also available. For locals, tea
because of her love for crafted stuff. The crafted equipment on
is a normal part of leisure. Growing up in southern Hangzhou,
the short table are from Japan, each of which were uniquely
where a great temple bell echoes at dusk, she naturally developed
made by different craftsmen. Zha quite likes the traditional cups
an interest in tea with no special learning, just as if it were a
and plates on the tall table. Once addicted to equipment, she
cultural gene engraved in her. The Longjing tea leaves in the
Photo / Chen Hao collected wooden ornaments at university and has been in love
store is from her own tea gardens in Shifeng. Others are con- Credit / Zha XiaoWen CHA TALK with tea stuff since 2008, with a special addition in porcelain
tributed by her friends around China. Though she has never
patterns. Now, she started her philosophy of simplicity. As she
joined the tea community or tried to look for tea supplies, she
said, “The precondition for subtraction is that you have expe-
has been visited by many tea insiders from other regions and
rienced addition, multiplication and division.” Sitting next to
made good friends. topped with milk foam and decorated with a big juicy waxber-
the glass wall, you can see a white, simple stair linking the lounge
Zha has her own requirement and attitude for choosing ry. Taking a gulp, we felt the fresh juice and tea flooding through
and the quiet, private tea rooms on the second floor. Reservation
tea. Drawing an equal sign between a man and his tea, she sets the milk and colliding with taste buds. Shifting to a straw, we
is necessary, and uninformed visit cannot be accepted even
up long-term partnerships with those like-minded. Such warm got a mixed punch of tea jelly and ice.
when the rooms are available. As the owners wish, the private
friendship may also tinge the flavor of her tea. Following her Container and water are 2 keys for tea. Containers made
rooms add a sense of ceremony and the link of stairs may in-
recommendation, we ordered Milky Jinxuan, Longjing Cold of different materials can fit different types of tea. For example,
crease the respect of visitors.
Brew and Waxberry Tea, patiently waiting for the owner’s white porcelain can keep the fragrance, while thin glass can
The tea room is quite empty, with only a straw mat and a
magic on the 3 different drinks. The Milky Jinxuan follows the present original characteristics. As tea is very “picky” with
wooden table. Everyone can cozily sit down on the ground. Once
tradition. Zha flushed the tea cup and pot with boiled water, water (hard water cannot brew “soft” tea), Zha tends to use
reserved, the owners will prepare fresh fruit and unique tea,
poured the first 3 brews in a porcelain pot and then a crystal-like bottled water with steady quality. On sunny days, she may also
and clean up the room to make a matching environment. When
glass, presenting a smooth water stream. Swirling in the glass, draw mountain springs at Upper Tianzhu and Li’an Temple near
the yellow tea enveloped warm sweetness on the tongue, with Jiuxi. During our tea break, the real boss BOBO, Zha’s cute
a unique aroma of milk and flower created by the slightly-fer- doggy, ran around us to say hi to every new guest before running
mented Oolong. Holding the warm cup in hand, we feel the to Yan Yan, the other owner. Yan Yan was working on her The design blended
warmth flowing upwards. The Longjing Cold Brew had been dessert. As Zha joked, “She never feels her life is full enough.”
prepared and refrigerated in advance. Put in a simple, thin glass We were lucky to try the freshly-baked cake, and just one bite modernity and tradition, just
container with dense droplets on the body, it fit the summer confirmed for us the dedicate quality.
expectation for coolness. The light yellowish green tea looked in line with the combination
like a cool pond, highlighting the sweetness of Longjing in the Link Tradition and Modernity
cold touch and infusing us with ease. Even the ice was made of tea lounge and private
from the Longjing tea water, a little warmth from the owner In the two-floor space, the lounge at the first floor “sets
who wants to keep the flavor even after the ice melts. no threshold”, offering a cozy, free and simple zone for young tea rooms.
The Waxberry Drink had a striking color. The crushed visitors, allowing everyone to take a relaxing break over a cup
ice of waxberry and Longjing were put on Longjing tea jelly, of tea. “After all, we are youngsters.” said Zha, with a bright
Photo / Chen Hao
Credit / Zha XiaoWen CHA TALK
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