Not a restaurant review but I’m going to post about the favourite teas I’ve tried at so far.

*Updated 25th October 2012*

1872 Clipper Tea Pink Rose Buds
I ordered this by chance at Food for Thought in a pot and was surprised at how it turned out! This was entirely rose buds, without tea leaves, so it’s quite different from my recommendation of TWG’s rose de bains. The outcome was a mild tea strong with rose flavour. The sweetness is subtle and natural. It is a pity that they do not sell it commercially, so you probably can only find it from restaurants and the like. I would return to Food for Thought just to have this again!

Gryphon Osmanthus Sencha

I first had it at Kki and fell in love with it. I couldn’t identify what about it that was so good, but now I know! It is the creamy vanilla scent and flavour. This is a very light green tea. I highly recommend it! You can find this at Cold Storage or Isetan Supermarket. I bought it for $13.50 which includes 20 tea bags, making each brew to be $0.70. It was actually only $6.75 during the Isetan private sale last week. Still, it is much cheaper than what cafes are charging!

TWG 1837 Black Tea

For fans of a thicker, more tannic tea, this is a good choice. This is supposedly TWG’s signature blend and is my top favourite.

TWG Bain de Roses

This has got to be the most fragrant rose tea ever. The base is Darjeeling and the roses are from Grasse. This is quite a premium tea and costs more than most other teas from TWG but it’s worth it!

TWG Sweet France Tea

This one’s a green tea and it has some floral infusion like chamomile. Very pleasant, do give it a try.

TWG French Earl Grey

I love Earl Grey and this is one of my favourites. Earl Grey d’Amour is a good choice too, which has additional white blossom flowers.

Canele Velvet Earl Grey

I have no idea what brand of tea Canele uses but I really love their earl grey. I shall try to ask the next time I go there, which I am uncertain about because the standards of their cakes have been dropping.

Twinnings Chamomile, Honey & Vanilla

Chamomile is becoming a fast favourite. Or perhaps, it is the vanilla flavour of this which makes it good. I always order this when I go for manicures at The Kuching Nail Spa, where they serve a cup of tea to every customer.

I’ve also tried TWG’s chamomile and it was good but Lipton’s chamomile was horrible that it ruined my impression that all chamomiles should taste good. Nevertheless, twinnings is inexpensive and probably cost the same as Lipton do try this!

I am no connoisseur at tea brewing but here are just some layman tips I know of:

• When it comes to brewing tea, it is not simply just adding any hot water to a cup and adding the tea bags/ tea leaves. The water should ideally be 70 -80⁰C for green tea, and about less than 100⁰C for black tea. It varies so perhaps check the instructions.
• Using good water is essential too; in Singapore, the water is relatively soft so it’s good but in some countries where the water is hard, it may be a problem, so in that case using bottled water may be good.
• Do not use water that has been boiled before, because the oxygen content in the water is bound to be low and that’s not good for the tea.
• Brew for about 3 – 5 minutes or as instructed, and remove the leaves/ bag from the brew, and serve immediately.
• Do not store tea near each other as they may absorb each other’s smell. Do not store it near strong smells