tea gallery

my son, his fiancee, and myself were looking forward to visiting the tea gallery on allen street today-

our experience was less than satisfactory- i had heard so many good things about this teashop-but we were very disapponted-

instead of being graciously invited into the tea shop we were treated rather rudely-we wanted to have a cup of tea-this was not offered to us-we were asked f we wanted tea tastng at $24 --we did not want anything for free this was not what we were expectng-Michael Plant and friends always have good things to say about the the tea gallery-

we left and wlll not return-

joanne r. aka jpr54_

Reply to
joannepr
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Joanne, Hup ho, I see my name! Sorry to hear about your unpleasant experience. You know, The Tea Gallery is a tea and teaware shop, not a sit-down-and-drink-tea shop for the most part. Did you make it clear to the person you spoke with that you wanted to come in and drink tea because you had heard about the shop? Perhaps that would have been more productive. Can you be more specific about the rudeness you mention? The situation you describe doesn't sound rude on the face of it. Again, sorry you walked away unhappy. I should add that I have no financial interest in the shop, I'm a custumer. (Joanne's post can be read elsewhere.) Michael

Reply to
Michael Plant

That's interesting. Their website does say it's best to call ahead though:

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1 Never been to the Tea Gallery or NYC - because, ummm, I'm in Fuzhou.

Let me tell you how it is here. Today I happend to pass by Ten Fu Tea, so I went in to take a look. The sales assistants were very courteous. One came up to me right away, and offered me a small paper cup of tea (biluochun). Finished drinking it. Then she came up again for more tea, this time (tieguanyin). Third round, she came up again, and she gave me jasmine tea to try. And this was while I was browsing around the store. And at the same time, there was another sales assistant always at my side, asking me what teas I liked, and showing me around the shop. This second assistant kept asking me to take a seat, and try some tea. Finally, I decided to try green tea (Longjing). We sat down together - and she brewed it just for me - and we all drank it (sales assistants included). Wow, what a spectacular tea. She gave me 3 different Longjings to try - one at 50 yuan per pound, the second at

100 yuan per pound, and just for the heck of it, another at 200 yuan per pound. I probably spent half an hour just sampling tea. She was very patient.

Of course, after explaining how to brew the tea, demonstrating how to brew it, and answering all my questions, she got the sale. And I was very satisfied. That was an awesome experience. Not only that, she gave me some tea snacks and moon cake to sample too, in case I might be interested in purchasing those too. But I liked the tea best. And all of that was free to try.

Teas are highly variable. If you can't sample it in-store before you purchase, then how will you know if you like it or not? In China, anywhere you go, you can sample the tea before you purchase. That's common business practice. And these teas I tried today were all pre- packaged at the tea factory - no fussing with loose leaves. But in- store they kept sample packages open on the shelves for customers to try.

Tea ware was very expensive. Much more expensive that at other places. But I was very satisfied with the tea.

That's what a tea experience should be - not turn people off.

Reply to
niisonge

I think regulars are treated differently than customers. I see some of that at my local tea shoppe. My biggest disappointment based on recommendations in this group Imperial Tea Court Ferry Building San Francisco. Burn me once shame on you, burn me twice shame on me.

Jim

PS What makes a tea sh> my son, his fiancee, and myself were looking forward to visiting the

Reply to
Space Cowboy

I think you have a point there (though of course regulars *are* customers.) I didn't respond to the original post because I'm a regular at the Tea Gallery. I could say that my first experience there, when they didn't know me from Adam, was totally delightful, but that was years ago.

/Lew

Reply to
Lewis Perin

I need an explanation of what exactly is a tea and teaware shop? what type of experiences did u have have? Beside calling ahead of time-what should I expect- everytime u go to the store do u purchase tea-and then leave or do u sit and chat with owner over several cups of tea?

I apologize-i t was not my intent to imply that u were an owner-just a customer- and someone whose opinions i value-

Reply to
joannepr

You should have an enjoyable, pleasant experience, after all, you're the customer, right? In China, lots of stores sell tea only. Some sell only tieguanyin. Some sell only puer. Some sell tea and tea ware. Some stores sell tea ware only. Some do wholesale and retail. Any of these stores will invite you in to drink some tea - may not be good tea, but ok. And the sales people just sit and chat and chat, all the while brewing tea.

I find it odd that in tea stores in Canada - they don't want to talk to you. Their sales people! But they never talk. They just say: "This tea is good. This tea is good." If a store actually wants you to sample, (because each person's preferences are different - and you have to cater to those), then there should be no problem sampling this and that tea, and, during the course of sampling, the sales staff should try to explain various things, and sell you tea.

Oh, but the really 1 good shopping experience I had was in a Chinese shopping mall - and the owner was very helpful - explaining everthing to me - all in Cantonese, which I can speak anyway, so no problem there. And after I bought some tea, she threw in some free stuff, which I asked for, but was willing to buy. So that was kind of nice.

I think the business model for tea stores in North America is very different from that in China. Some stores sell tea and tea ware, and then they have seating space where you can order a cup of tea, like at The Tea Emporium in Toronto. Then there are some that do tea tastings (for the novices that don't know much about tea), and then there are those that actually run tea courses. That's very different from the business model in China.

Reply to
niisonge

Yes, I realize you know that I don't own the shop; that was a standard disclaimer for people whose minds that thought might have crossed. You are right on one count at least: The Tea Gallery does not fit easily into any of the usual business models. It is also possible that the owner was having a difficult day since the behavior you describe is not usual with him. As had been mentioned by others, they do not serve cups of tea or glasses of iced tea; instead they prepare tea in a traditional Chinese way, which requires patience and time. It is for that reason I suspect that Michael offered you a tea session (at the usual fee) rather than a cup of tea. I agree that these things might have been made clearer for you and your guests. Michael

Reply to
Michael Plant

I have been to several tea venues in New York, and they are all less than satisfactory~ Franchia was a total letdown, I went there 3 times and they couldn't brew a green tea right; T Salon & T Emporium, I would be surprise if they are still around! The tearoom upstairs was like a Harry Potter set, and the white tea in the jars might well be older than my granny. Teany was the doom of tea drinkers. As for Tea Gallery, I didn't have a good experience with the place in the beginning, but that was because I went there twice (once in the torrential rain), and found the place closed on weekdays! Then I found out that I have to all ahead to inform them, which I subsequently did, and the time I spent there was wonderful. The Tea Gallery does not profess itself a place that sells ready made tea for you to drink, it does not expressively sell you tea, and there are no serving staff around to show you to the table. If you like looking for a tea place like The Tea Box @ Takashimaya, Wild Lily Tea Room, where it is a commercially established with full set of staff in waiting and tables where you can sit down and drink tea undisturbed, you have probably gotten a wrong impression. There are only about 2 tables in The Tea Gallery, where guests sit around and Michael or Winnie brews tea painstakingly for the guests to sip and sample. You probably have misconceived ideas that The Tea Gallery is a regular teahouse. It isn't. It's like walking into Urasenke Chanoyu Center and ask for a cup of tea because you are thirsty. Kevo

Reply to
Kevo

I haven't had a lot of other Korean wild green teas, but I think Franchia (and Hangawi) do a pretty good job of brewing green tea - they use very cool water, especially for the first and second picked stuff. The taste is light, and more subtle than most of the Chinese green teas I've had.

Usually, when I've been there, they have you brew the tea yourself, so I'm surprised you said they can't brew the tea right - I've mostly seen them give you a ceramic infuser tea cup or a small pot, along with a thermal carafe of water, at the temperature they think is right for that tea, and let you brew everything after the first brew yourself.

w
Reply to
invalid unparseable

I am disappointed with Michael's explanation- I was asking him for his experience when he goes to the tea gallery?

Reply to
joannepr

I am sorry my thoughts "disappoint" you; others had answered your question admirably well, and I felt, and feel, no need to reiterate. Visiting The Tea Gallery is always a delightful experience for me, even at those times when the owners do not have time to sit down and prepare tea. The shop is so full of wonderous teaware and tea, I enjoy just browsing on occasion. (Did you notice the five foot shelf of tea and teaware books? They are out in full view.) In other words, I go with the flow. You can treat tea shops as you like. No more on this topic from me. Michael

Reply to
Michael Plant

you still have not answered my questions---i appreciated answers ppl gave me-and "i don't treat tea shops as i like"--

Reply to
joannepr

Haha~ probably this is a case similar to what Joanne went through! I probably had a poorer experience because I was there with a different expectation for the tea they have to offer...next time I visit NYC, I should go there with more local friends and observe their reactions to the experience of the place. The first time I was there I was with some friends and I ordered a vegetarian platter which was oily, that probably didn't cut well with green tea. The other 2 times I was there I ordered just the same tea, the utensils provided were nice (Korean pottery), but the tea was not well stored, it had a whiff of oxidation starting. The water provided was hot to the touch, and I had to let the water cool off for a while. It must have amused the staff to see this guy constantly dipping his finger into the pot...

I'll give it a 4th try since you have a good experience there!

Kevo

Reply to
Kevo

I bet there is some health code that says it has to be some minimum temperature probably somewhere in 190F+ range.

Jim

Kevo wrote:

...its not the way you do it...if it was you wouldnt be in business...

Reply to
Space Cowboy

Hi Joanne, I think you shouldn't be so soured and hound endlessly for others' opinions. Many other poster have given you their experience at The Tea Gallery, and Michael too (he says it is always a delightful experience), and I don't see the valid point of you still pursuing the topic. If the bad experience peeved you, why not write to Tea Gallery and ask for clarification? Or arrange another trip there to see if the owner of the place is truly brusque and downright rude? No amount of opinions of other posters can match your own first hand experience, second time round.

From the way I read your son's post, it seems that the place was just opening, the place wasn't set up when you walked in. The owner had the right to turn down your request if he was in the midst of opening up the shop. Your son's mention of the place while he browsed around also confirms that that is not a regular teahouse store for people to sit down and drink tea - with or without payment. You may not treat tea shops as you like, but you do have some misconceived and stereotyped ideas of what tea shops and their owners should behave - perhaps not you, but your son certainly does expect to be offered tea whenever he steps into a tea shop in New York City, and who seems to delight in being offered iced tea on "a freaking hot day".

Seriously, give the place another go before you blacklist it - hey, even I am going to give Franchia another go! Call ahead and make a reservation, your next experience might make you change your first impression, or you might just prefer iced tea after all to The Tea Gallery.

kevo

Reply to
Kevo

The first time I went there, I got a pot of their best Korean green. They prepared it in a small porcelain kyusu, and supplied small matching cups. We brewed after that, and they offered us more water as we needed it. the water was appropriately cooled down. The second and third time I visited, they put the leaves into one of those shallow metal strainers that sit in a big pot full of off the boil hot water. When I tried to get them to replicate the earlier presentation, they didn't know what I was talking about. So, time apparently intervened. I'd be happy to hear that they switched back to their earlier more caring approach to their empty-your-wallet green Korean tea. Michael

Reply to
Michael Plant

On my last trip to SF Chinatown I'm eating in a restaurant by myself and I notice the kitchen and service staff sit down around 2:45pm to eat. I'm taking notes on what the chef was eating and who was suppose to waite on who. A large group walks in around 3pm noting how they had the place to themselves. I wondered how they would get served since everyone as sitting and eating. They were told lunch was over at 2:30pm and dinner was open at 5pm. There was a lot of huff,huff and watch this $200 cheque walk out the door. Everybody continued eating and I had the place to myself. It was wonderful.

Jim

PS My local tea sh> >

...I thought theres the door was a typical NY attitude according to West Coast media bias...

Reply to
Space Cowboy

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