Cha-An Japanese Tea House

Cha-An is an occasional indulgence for me for afternoon tea. I would usually only get one item each trip, but for blogging's sake, I got two.

My first dessert was the scones. Each plate comes with one earl grey-flavored scone, one chocolate scone, sake-chantilly cream, and blueberry compote. The scones are very different from what you would expect from a regular, English scone. They're not flaky or buttery, but rather moist and crumbly, kind of like a dense cake. I prefer the earl grey scone; the chocolate is just a bit too sweet, while the earl grey is aromatic and has a mild, slightly woody flavor. The sake-chantilly cream is amazing--really light and airy, and just sweet enough to add flavor to the scones. The blueberry compote, on the other hand, is just fine. It has a nice, smooth texture and a warm, sweet flavor, but it's nothing special.

My second "dessert" was the smoked salmon toast. It's a thick toast with smoked salmon and watercress, and the sauce is mayo, mustard seeds, and lemon. It's one of the more expensive items on the menu--$12--but well worth it. The smoked salmon was perfectly fatty, and the bread was fluffy and moist and had an incredible buttery flavor. The dish was also nicely balanced--the sauce added an acidic kick, and the watercress added lightness and crunch.

Overall, Cha-An is not the most necessary place to go eat (you don't have to have dessert or afternoon tea) but it's well worth a trip and the price.

Cha-An Japanese Tea House
230 E 9th St, between 2nd and 3rd Ave.
http://www.chaanteahouse.com/