I was suposed to finish the day with my evening groceries when I felt the summer heat and humidity is dragging me. Apparently, the weather has taken its toll through my gallivanting earlier in trying to kill time from here to there on a Sunday. It was reliving to spot this tea house from afar for refreshment before finally hitting my supposedly main chore for the day: do my groceries.
I got closer and noted through the glass door and wall that there are seats available inside. I got in and asked until what time are they open. The crew said "Sometimes ten o'clock. Sometimes, ten thirty." It was just pas eight in the evening. Still early for the closing time.
I looked at the menu and ask what is Classic made of. The crew said it is plain tea. Then I spotted matcha down the list. I heard about matcha tea some time ago.They say it is good but I haven't tried so this is my chance.
I ordered small cup of matcha tea and the crew asked which flavor, sweet or bitter version?
Oh well yes, authentic matcha is of the bitter type.
"How bitter is the bitter one?" I asked.
"Not really bitter. Not as bitter as the bitter gourd."
He handed out a container with the sweet matcha powder and asked me to smell. Cool, I can taste the sweetness through smelling. š It smelled so sweet. I asked if the crystal-like powder is not sugar mixed with matcha and he said no.
Then he handed out the container with the bitter matcha powder. It smells so little of bitterness. "It's nothing to be scared about the bitterness," I thought. So I ordered for the bitter one.
"That's good. It is indeed better to have the authentic version," the crew said.
That was actually a very good customer service. He let me have ideas between the two options before preparing my tea. I wish all establishments have people like him.
I sat down and waited for my tea. Then the crew asked again, "how much level of sugar would you want it with?"
"Wow, may sugar level ka pang nalalaman ha!" I explaimed to the crew and laughed.
Wow, you know about sugar level ha!"
He laughed back and reiterated his question. I said 50% but I wondered how much is 100% in the first place.
While he continued preparing my tea, I went through the options again and commented about the Japanese teas.
"It looks like you are venturing into Japanese teas."
"For diversity," he said.
"But matcha is not Japanese. It is Chinese tea, right?" I asked.
"Taiwanese," he said.
"Yeah, that's Chinese origin. Isn't it?"
He did not answer further.
"How do you pronounce the name of your tea house?" I asked.
"Briel," he said.
"Ah, with the capitalized letters in the middle, I thought it means something else," I said.
"One like on Facebook, please." He moved on.
This guy is cool! He knows customer service and business.
When my tea was ready, I stared at the cup seal smiling at me.
"I am not a paper cup." I read aloud.
"Yeah, right. You're not a paper cup. The problem is, you're a plastic cup that contributes to plastic waste!" I answered myself back, aloud too.
The crew laughed along with another customer who arrived while I was waiting.
Okay, I am excited for my matcha tea. Let's give it a try!
Ah, it is still sweet! The 50% sugar level tasted 100% to me. I can taste the very very slight bitterness on my taste buds but the tea is not bitter at all in general. In spite of the absence of bitterness, the matcha tea tasted so good. I can clearly taste the creamy milk and this tells me that the milktea is indeed a milk tea. Others would usually have more sugar which dominates the taste and is not good.
I guess I should have ordered for zero sugar then I would have tasted the real matcha flavor. That is what I will do next time because I plan to revisit the place. The dining area is very limited but they have very good customer service, more options to choose from (I gotta try their Okinawa best seller!) and most of all, they close late so I have better chances of catching up specially when I pull my friends along for a drink. With the price of P65.00 (US $1.23) for small cup, the tea is really worth the price. I may even go for the large one next time. š
And by the way, yes, I looked for the tea house on Facebook and gave it a thumb up! Which reminds me... maybe I'll invite them on Steem next time.
Briel Infinity Milktea House
San Antonio Avenue
San Antonio Valley 1
ParaƱaque City
Metro Manila
Philippines
Restaurant Information
Briel Infinity Milktea House
San Antonio Ave, San Antonio, ParaƱaque, 1700 Metro Manila, Philippines
Tea-ing and cooling down on a Sunday night with Briel Infinity milktea
This post participated in the Tasteem contest Beverages with friends
