Afternoon tea at Samovar

Yesterday I went into San Francisco to have tea with my mom and cousin at Samovar Yerba Buena.  It was a beautiful clear-skyed afternoon, and the setting was impeccable.  Located on a terrace in the green and blooming Yerba Buena Gardens, Samovar Tea Lounge has a quaint patio which we sat on.  The city rises up around you, while in your immediate surroundings there is little hustle and bustle.

First, we tasted a Hong Yue Twisted Oolong.  It's a very highly oxidized oolong tea, so much so that it resembles a black tea.  Hong Yue is also known as "Ruby Black" and can be infused several times.  The leaves are long, twisted, and slightly purple.  The brew is sweet, malty and almost syrupy.  On their menu, Samovar also claims there are hints of stone fruit and mandarin.  Hong Yue is from Nantou, Taiwan.

Hong Yue Twisted Oolong

Next we had Maiden's Ecstasy Pu-erh - another robust and dark tea.  It has a classic earthy taste and was able to stay strong through about ten infusions.  We drank it out of a Yixing clay teapot - so quaint!  They are my favorites.

Maiden's Ecstasy Pu-erh in the sunlight.

Here's my cousin Sari with my mom.  Sari got the Tea Soup, which looked delicious.  A mixture of rice, veggies, salmon, and sauces are in her bowl, and then she added the tea in the vessel on the left to complete the soup.