BM's Favorites: TenRen's Tea Time 喫茶新饌

TenRen's Tea Time 喫茶新饌
Date: September 16, 2006 (Saturday)
Address: 111 Times Avenue, Unite 101, Richmond Hill
(Hwy 7 & Bayview)
Phone: (905) 881-8896

there was an introduction about it on the magazine last week.. so, 3 of us went there for dinner..

when we first went into the restaurant, the feeling was great.. there's a side for selling/tasting tea while the other side is the restaurant.. the environment made us feel so comfy..

& their utensils are very 「古色古香」..

according to their menu, the "Welcome Tea 迎賓茶" is a cup of 913 King's tea.. which is 天仁的明星茶.. 真的十分甘香..

there were all kinds of Meal Sets for u to choose:
Taiwan Tea Meal Sets (台式套膳)
Tea Meal Sets (喫茶套膳)
Noodel Tea Meals (麵食套膳)
Delicate tea Meal Sets (精緻套膳)

the Taiwan & Tea Meal Set includes a Main course, Appetizer, Side Dishes, Soup, Dessert & Drink.. with different set of choices for Main course.. while the Delicate Meal Set includes 2 Main courses; & the Noolde Tea Meal includes a Main course, Appetizer, Dessert & Drink only..
while the choices for Appetizer/Side Dishes/Soup/Dessert/Drink will be the same for all Meal Sets..

since the portion of the Meal Set seems kinda big, we ordered 2 Sets + 1 snack..

first came the drinks & the salad (which called 綠茶纖活沙拉).. we had Taro Milk Green Tea (熱香芋奶茶) & Milk Black Tea (金香奶茶).. 好滑好香.. (TenRen is famous in Tea so that's a MUST)..

soups were next.. we had Green Tea Meat Ball Soup (綠茶貢丸湯) & Tea Flavored Wonton Soup(茶香雲吞湯).. at first we thought they would taste the same but they were not.. (maybe not the same soup base?!) & there were 2 Meat Balls & 3 Wontons in the soups.. =P

we chose Alluring Jasmine Tofu (柴香美人豆腐) & Steamed Ten Wu Winter Melon (天霧冬瓜片) as Appetizers.. the Tofu was actually 豉汁豆腐 while the other one was just 蒸冬瓜片..

here came the Main Courses..
Pouchong Fried Spiced Chicken (包種鹽酥雞).. 鬆化.. not too greasy..

& Green Tea Shrimp Shu-Mai (龍井蝦仁燒賣).. both came with a bowl of rice.. i believe the 燒賣 should be one of their signature dishes.. 「用龍井去帶出蝦的鮮甜」as written on the menu.. hmm.. it actually tasted like 小籠包 more..

here's the extra snack we ordered..
Ten Lu Tea Pork Wrap (天廬捲豬肉)..

desserts were Ma-Cha Orange Freeze Cake (綠茶香橙雪酪) & Green Tea Snow Cake (綠茶雪花糕).. the orange flavor of the Freeze Cake was too strong that i couldn't "feel" the green-tea except its color.. the Snow Cake was very soft & good..

our overall impression is..
the restaurant interior looks very nice.. & it's a good place for "high tea".. i believe u can get a pot of tea & enjoy for a longer while..
their price should be about the same as "Go For Tea"..(maybe slightly higher?!)
the food is ok..

they do offer afternoon tea & midnight snack special (2:30-5:30pm & 10pm-1am).. for which u can order tea & with $2 surcharge, u can choose one of the snacks..

& they have a VIP room which can fit ~8-12 ppl.. & also have a outside patio too..