Teaism (Washington, DC)

I went to the Washington National Cathedral today and on the way back to Dupont Circle I decided to make a detour and stop at Teaism on R street.


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Premise:

I have read of some good Yelp reviews of this Teaism location, so I've wanted check it out since coming to DC. It's apparently good for breakfast and lunch, and it's pretty close to Dupont Circle.

My experience:

As soon as I walked in, I was taken aback. It wasn't quite the atmosphere I expected - instead of sitting down and ordering, customers have to order at the cashier and bring the food to wherever they will be sitting, even if the food is an entree and not just tea. I was a bit disappointed at this because I had expected the place to be more classy than that.

So, I went up to the counter to place my order after perusing the menus. The place is known for its tea and Asian fusion cuisine. Since I wasn't too hungry at 3:30pm, I decided to go for dessert and tea.

I ordered the Keemun Tea ($2.75) and the Hungarian Tea Cake ($4.00)


I wish that they had made the order prettier. Some higher-end cafes would maybe dust their desserts in some powdered sugar with a stencil, presenting the food in a fashionable manner. Anyway, I took the food upstairs...


And there was a cozy corner that is right by a window! I was happy that the setting is serene. However, the noise level wasn't the best for working - it seemed more of a social tea parlor than a "alone time" one.

Rating:
Price range: $

It's a good place for lunch, because the prices are pretty reasonable. I don't know about the taste of the food, though. Yelp says their food is good; I can only try it myself next time I come here. The teas weren't cheap, though - some of them were as much as $12 per 2 ounce bag!

Environment: 4/5 - good

Cozy, close to Dupont Circle, and relatively peaceful. I have to check it out during lunchtime rush hour to see how the traffic goes. Cashiers weren't the most welcoming, but whatever. They can fix up the cushions a bit, though - they are pretty worn. 2nd floor is very cozy; 1st floor seemed more of a cafe setup. Be warned, though: they don't have many seats!

Food: 3.5/5 - above average

I only ordered tea and dessert here,so I wouldn't know how good the rest of their stuff is. The tea was okay - no "wow" factor for me. Tea cake was good, but nothing spetacular. I would like to try their entrees sometime.

Overall: 4/5 - good

I wouldn't come specifically for the food, but I would for some me-time and for some sit-down relaxation. The atmosphere is good, and I would come again.