Tea for Two

Teaism

There are a lot of us in the suburbs of DC who only go into the city for something fancy or posh or trendy or, well, expensive. Given rush hour traffic, the price of parking, and the availability of good food outside the district, going downtown has become an event. And so places like Teaism get overlooked because, let's face it, we're not sitting on 66 for five and a half hours just to get a bento box.

But if you're in Dupont (or Penn Quarter, or Lafayette), and looking for something "refreshing," skip the waitress at Chef Geoff's scallop recommendations and head to Teaism. In the style of indie coffee/tea houses, Teaism bucks the trend by, well, serving good food. There's definitely an Indo/Asian vibe here (beware of fusion!), but you can't be a good indie tea house without a certain superiority complex.

The bento boxes are served cold and delicious. The salmon is a particular favorite, in a teriyaki with rice (and delicious japanese rice toppings), edamame, and a cucumber-ginger salad (which is cucumber and ginger and nothing else. I don't know what the word 'salad' adds to this.) It reminded me of my favorite Japanese breakfast - cold salmon flaked up in rice - so maybe I'm biased. But really, if my unabashed judgment turned you off, you would've stopped reading this blog months ago.

If you're feeling more adventerous, there's plenty of curry to go around. And if you're feeling less so, there are gourmet sandwiches (Portobello & Goat Cheese, Buffalo Burger), salads, and some more usual mediterranean fare.

Teaism is unquestionably a place for tea, but it's also a great little bite when you're not feeling up to paying a second rent check for the same menu at The Source. It may not be an event, but it doesn't always have to be.

-M.