Another lovely time at Cha-An

I went down to meet Tiff and Eric (who wishes he could marry Superman) for tea at my favorite "restaurant" in NYC...Cha-an Japanese Teahouse. We managed to sit in the warm, cozy little teahouse for three and a half hours telling really ridiculous stories, talking about quarter-life crises and analyzing how much it sucks to be a lawyer making enough to supplement an apartment with a monthly rent of $3,200. Without a doubt, I come to this place at least once a month. This was the second time since last week I took Dan for the elaborate tea set. For only $19, you get a chef-chosen appetizer (usually scallops or shrimp), a soy milk mushroom quiche, tea-smoked salmon, multi-grain rice, a vegetable of the day, a bowl of soup, a hot or cold fresh-brewed tea, and one of their fabulous desserts.

Before Tiff arrived, Eric had ordered Matcha (green tea powder carefully whisked with hot water until frothy peaks form) with sweets, while I had the Jasmine Pearls green tea. I wish I could have taken a photo of the "sweets," which came as two Milk Dud-sized pieces of mochi. And Eric put it perfectly: "Eat it! It's the best mochi I've ever had." After much hesitation on my part since there were only two small pieces and insistence on his part, I accepted and thankfully I did! I hate to say he was right but it was really the most superior mochi I've had to this date! It was tender, chewy, almost satin-y and if mochi could melt in the mouth, this one would be close to doing so. Each piece was generously coated in finely ground peanut powder, which added a nutty, slightly sweet flavor to the bite-sized snacks. Sitting like two peas in a pod, they were served in a leaf with the ends sealed together at the top with a short, thin bamboo pick. This was a prime example of where quality trumped quantity. So it goes without having to say much that his Matcha was equally as impressive with an intense earthy profile and hints of grassy sweetness. And all the while of enjoying these amazing delicacies, we were discussing how we could be "barfing buddies" with the lack of tolerance for alcohol that God has bestowed on both of us.

And then Tiff graced us with her presence. Now, I'm normally someone who finds reasons to laugh about things and am easily amused, but tonight I have to say that my jaws hurt from laughing with and AT these two fun freaks (I say this with affection). About what I cannot write about or better yet I cannot remember all that clearly. So I'll continue to say that I do recall that Eric made another fabulous order by getting the Azuki Toast, which I am TOTALLY going to go back for either this week or the next. Toast you say? How good can it be? Let me tell you it was the most heavenly piece of toast that I've ever ever had. If there's a heaven, it would be on some menu there. So just imagine a generous-sized, fluffy, 2-inch thick slab of Taiwanese butter bread that's lightly toasted. The next layer boasted an addicting azuki bean paste mixture with some whole beans still intact; then a dollop of FRESH, made-at-the-teahouse whipped cream crowned the top. This was no Reddi-Whip or Cool Whip crap...these were lightly beaten peaks of thick, white cream. And Eric, as generous as the size of the piece of toast, cut it up to share. At first bite, the toast offered a nice, crusty consistency but was immediately met with a soft, springy center. The bread's slightly savory butter flavor matched so well with the sweetness of the red bean paste. As if it couldn't get any better, the addicting sweet-savory combination was taken to a new level as the whipped white peaks added a refreshing, creamy character to the whole dessert. I have to say that having come to Cha-An almost 10 times, I have never been disappointed with a dessert here.

The water for my teapot was refilled repeatedly, maybe about 6-7 times and the waitresses never ever made us feel rushed, uncomfortable or in need of us to scoot out of there. They smiled and happily refilled waters, took away used dishes and re-took our orders. While I'm sure it's obvious how much I love the food at Cha-An, the service here is top-notch and a big reason the whole dining experience is so pleasant. It's probably why it's so easy to spend an entire afternoon or evening there enjoying the food, the quaint ambiance and good company if you're lucky to have some. Eric tipped very well; in fact, he treated us to this very fine evening at Cha-An. I only wish we had taken photos of the food here.

Lessons of the day: Eat at Cha-An whenever you can. Good company is a third of an awesome food experience. Dessert can be eaten first (next entry will be the dinner following Cha-An at Pistahan).