Ms. Dahlia's Is Home

Ms. Dahlia's Cafe - Bedford-Stuyvesant
449 Nostrand Ave., Brooklyn, NY

A small cafe with green chair pillows and pink ceilings provides a welcome bit of charm and flavor to the Bed-Stuy neighborhood. Ms. Dahlia's is more homey than hipster, more old-school than new-school, and more flavor than charm (though it is quite charming).

One word of caution, though. Ms. Dahlia specializes in biscuits and breakfast; desserts are not the forté. After two disappointing experiences with red velvet cupcake in a jar and Nutella pound cake, I don't think I will wait for a third strike on dessert. Nevertheless, this welcoming food parlor is worth a visit. I put my full backing behind the biscuits. Turkey bacon, heavy biscuits with flakey outsides and warm insides, and eggs any style. Throw on some gravy if you'd like--you'll die of a heart attack with a smile affixed to your face. 

Radiance Tea House & Books Promotes Calm and Wellness

Radiance Tea House & Books - Midtown West
158 West 55th Street, New York, NY 10019

Radiance Tea House & Books channels the refined elegance of a traditional tea house at the foot of tea hills across mainland China. The slender menu book of teas contains a range from Chinese green, jasmine, or pu'er; to wellness teas that list a variety of health benefits; to teas of other origins, such as caramel Rooibos. Sit among the Chinese books--in both Mandarin and English--that you can peruse or buy while you sip tea in one of the few truly quiet spots you can find so close to Times Square. 

On the opposite side of its mini-library there is a small restaurant section. The menu has typical Chinese fare that holds true to origin while catering to Westernized palates--such as egg custards and hot and sour soup. Between the two of us, we ordered one "wellness soup", one green tea soba noodles, and one shrimp wanton noodle soup.

Goji berries, ginger, ginseng, and dates jived brilliantly in this small pot of soup (served with a lid to maintain heat) that packed bold flavor into a sweet, calming brew. No one flavor stood out boastfully, and whether placebo, mental satisfaction, or the true power of the ingredients, this soup managed to turn the tide for my fellow diner who had been feeling unwell.

The green tea noodles, served cold with chilled chopped cucumbers and a lonely bok choy, added substance to the small soup order. For me, I had my own wanton soup, which made the first bitter cold Fall day fade into the distance. The first slurp of soup disappointed me; but after a couple of stirs I awoke the seasonings that had settled at the bottom and could not have been happier with the order. Essentially, this was Grandma's Jewish Chicken Noodle Soup--except Chinese (and with shrimp wantons). Good for the body and the soul. 

We didn't have to get dessert (when do you have to get dessert?), but obviously we decided on a little something sweet to finish the meal. Splitting the mochi sampler was a strategic success--this much ground gluten is not a good idea for one person.

I'm not sure if my next dining experience will be with a friend for dinner or a good book for tea, but either way I look forward to it.

Put On Your Best Dress For Tea At The Lowell

Pembroke Room - The Lowell Hotel - Upper East Side

28 E. 63rd St., New York, NY 10065

Afternoon tea is served between 3pm and 6pm. Reservations recommended.

While still in the single digit years, I insisted upon having tea with my American Girl Doll at Colonial Williamsburg. On my first trip abroad to London I cajoled my father (or rather my mother, whose agenda was the same as mine, cajoled my after) into participating in British High Tea. While in Hong Kong I somehow managed to re-convince my father to partake in afternoon tea, this time in the famous Peninsula Hotel lobby. For my sister's bridal shower, I rounded up the talent of several family friends to throw a spectacularly lavish high tea, complete with crustless finger sandwiches, scones, clotted cream, and an assortment of chocolate-laced desserts. 

I can't put my finger on anything in particular that drives this lifelong interest in tea time. But, then again, why shouldn't I love it? If you don't have another excuse to get gussied up, put on your best dress and head to the Pembroke Room at The Lowell Hotel for a short entrée into elegance and luxury. 

With a pot of chai steeping by my side in a silver kettle, we tackled the three-tiered silver tray of finger sandwiches, tarts, and sweets. Like good girls, we started with our sandwiches before proceeding to "dessert". Once we made it through the cucumber sandwiches and triangular tartines with smoked salmon, it was a mountain of éclairs, berry tarts, iced cakes, and--my favorite--French macarons. 

For nearly three hours my friends and I sipped fine tea from finer china while participating in the age old tradition of social banter (gossip). It was nothing but lovely. 

Find Big Coffee Cups, Canvas Bags, and Creative Foam at 12 Corners

12 Corners - Lower East Side / Chinatown
155 E Broadway, New York, NY 10002

12 Corners is orange walls, indie music, and hanging canvas coffee bags; big mugs, green tea lattes, and heart-shaped foam. Other than the odd open floorspace, I'd say this hits all the marks of a cute, trendy cafe.

At the counter an iPad faces the customer. By logging into your Belly rewards account, you can swipe your QR coded reward card to track and redeem points for drinks, discounts, and treats. This was my first experience with Belly, so I used the iPad to sign up and swipe my first card and purchase a green tea latte.

In American fashion, this latte is an adapted foreign delight decorated with an adorable foam heart. In keeping with Chinese fashion, it's robust, bitter, sugarless green tea. If you'd like to sweeten up your cup, you can add your own sugar. Though I tend to like my teas less sweet than many tea-drinkers I know, even this needed a hefty spoonful of honey. The green matcha is potent and powdery. Below the dark green top coat lies a more mellow milk mix. While smoother, it lacked the flavor and richness of the layer above. The cafe was enjoyable, but I did not love the cup as much as it seemed to love me.