Cha-an is the cutest little tea shop! I can't recall where I found the recommendation for this place, but it was one of the places on my first trip to NYC that I had on my list to try. Located on the second floor of 230 E 9th street in NYC, Cha-an is a cozy establishment with a warm atmosphere that makes you feel miles and miles away from the hustle and bustle of the city's streets. It's a quiet retreat where you can sip on any one of their large assortment of teas and grab a quick snack or dessert before diving back into the sea of people hurrying down the sidewalks.
Greeted by a set of long, decently "steep" stairs, for a lack of a better term, and a set of short Noren in the entrance- I had no idea what to actually expect about the shop inside. But, I was brought back to my trip to Japan when we went to a second floor ramen shop in the basement of a grocery store, so that was definitely promising! As soon as I opened the door I was fully transported to my time in Japan. The light fixtures, the wood, the warm earthy (yet sweet) smell of the shop itself, and the inviting atmosphere made me feel at ease already.
My feet ached and I didn't realize until I sat down, just how loud my stomach had been rumbling away. How long had it been doing that while I was occupied with picture taking and (for once) not paying attention to my hunger. I saw at the bar where I could watch the comings and goings of the kitchen while also not taking up a whole table for just little ol' me. After picking a tea, I was between two and wound up wishing I had chosen the other, fruitier one at first I decided on the Hanami Parfait,
which was absolute perfection. Visiting the shop in May meant I was just in time for the Spring season treats, which in Japan's case means an explosion of cherry blossom flavored goodies. The word "hanami" in Japanese translated to flower viewing, a popular activity that (you guessed it) involves taking the time to view some beautiful cherry blossom blooms and maybe even have a picnic. How does that pertain to my beautiful parfait? Well I sure didn't look at it for too long, but it was jam-packed with strawberries and cherry blossom flavors. Hidden at the bottom of the glass was strawberry jelly with a strawberry coulis, nestled under a bed of sakura (cherry blossom) ice cream which was garnished with a sakura tuile, or thin wafer cookie. And, yes, that is a real cherry blossom backed lovingly into that tuile. The parfait finished off its gorgeous looks with fresh strawberries, whipped cream, and a kebab of 3 different flavored mochi. It was absolutely bursting with flavor. The cherry blossom was delicate against the strong, familiar hits of the strawberry and the mochi might have been nice to end on...but I ate them first.
Now I was glad I had the non-fruity tea. It was a great palette-cleanser and the slight bitterness made it so that I could keep going back for the sweet stuff. If the tea had been too sweet/fruit forward, it may have affected my enjoyment of this parfait!
As I sat and sipped my tea, I glanced over the menu again, not certain I was actually going to get something else. Until I came across something called the Sakura Drop Cake. This vegan and gluten free dessert, if you're into that, was made to look like cherry blossom petals have gotten caught in a raindrop on a leaf and if that isn't artistic as hell, I don't know what is. I ordered it. It was worth it just to see this thing on my plate, it was just gorgeous. They serve it with the leaf all folded up, so you have to open it to reveal the raindrop within. You then sprinkle on the kinako (roasted soy bean flour), pour the brown sugar syrup over the drop, and dig in! I will be honest, this was not my...
cup of tea but I thought it was just too cool, so I'm glad I tried it. I didn't know what to expect flavor-wise, but it was quite bland after that Hanami Parfait. The mix of the kinako powder, brown sugar syrup, saltiness from the pickled sakura petals, and subtle floral notes (also from the sakura petals) just wasn't my favorite. It was both too many flavors and bland at the same time. So strange. I would like to try it again without first having a different, sweeter dessert beforehand.
I took my time enjoying the tea and desserts, since I was in at a rather slow time in the middle of a week day, and was glad to slow down for a bit after running to and from the sights of the big apple. I was able to draw a little bit in my sketchbook while I sipped, soaking in the calmness and comfort of the shop. If you're looking for a quiet respite where you can enjoy an array of teas and goodies, I highly recommend this tea shop. Right now, thanks to the pandemic, they are only open for delivery and take out Thursdays-Sundays 1pm-7pm.
You can check out more about them here, https://chaanbonbon.square.site/
Take care, stay safe, and keep healthy!!
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