New Kid on The Block

A new tea shop opened in Adelaide yesterday.

I know most of the international tea community will assume that meant that a limo pulled up at TDSSTL* to collect Lady Devotea and I – whisking us off to cut a ribbon at a swanky tea affair, but that’s not what happened.

In fact, I found out about it on Twitter the night before – just like an ordinary person might, can you believe it, so I had to move my day around a bit. Luckily, one of my students had been lax, so I gave him a short lecture and gained some time.

I headed toward the new T2 store on Rundle Street.

It was an odd opening – no specials, no fanfare. It’s a bit like they plan to be solely dependant on passing trade.

In order to make this whole thing more relevant to you, Dear Reader, I suggest you imagine it’s the restaurant district in your home town, and substitute any retail-only merchant that sells teas and accoutrements. I believe “Teavana” in the States might be a good example.

I’m pretty familiar with T2 stores in Melbourne and Sydney. Often, I buy a little box of tea from them for use in a hotel room. Also, they sell these nifty tea travel containers I’ve amassed a few of.

I bought some tea, but given in a two hour period I bought loose leaf tea from three different places and purchased three cups to drink, that’s probably not a surprise to anyone.

Now, as people so love a review, let’s get that bit over with:

The highlights:

• Plenty of Teas
• Francesca, who served me without ever saying “What’s wrong with you?” did a great job
• Wonderful Teapots etc
• A great tasting selection of chai on the tasting table. There was a liquorice-based one I particularly liked, but the name escapes me.