Saturday, October 9, 2010

Coffee and Tea, Old and New

I added two new Favorite Places to my list this afternoon.



















Porto Rico Importing Co. can be found at 201 Bleecker Street, and has been around since 1907. Its coffee and tea selection is remarkable.  One is immediately intoxicated by the intense aroma upon entering, and it's hard to leave once you're there.  I bought multiple sachets of loose teas, and sincerely wished I were a coffee drinker given how heavenly the atmosphere was.

A couple hours after Porto Rico, my friends and I were thirsty again, and we stumbled upon a new treasure: Argo Tea Cafe.
















Argo is a chain, and does not have the classic charm of Porto Rico.  But its menu of newfangled tea combinations surprised even me, a long-time tea drinker.  I order a MojiTea, unsure of what to expect.  The counter person asked if I wanted it hot or iced.  Iced.  Sparkling water?  Yes.  The result was unlike anything I've ever experienced: it was both sharp and sweet, and gorgeously effervescent.  I was temporarily speechless after tasting it, as were my two friends who tried it in turn.  I will be back, and will likely try every single item on the tea menu until my curiosity is satisfied.

3 comments:

  1. Mmm. Argo sounds wonderful. Thanks for the recommendation, as there is one right by my office. Sounds like something else great that originally came from the Midwest. :)

    If you like Porto Rico, you have to try McNulty's, just a little bit further west in the West Village.

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  2. There is so much to be said about TEA. I got a teeny amount of an expensive loose Wuyi Oolong and savored it this morning. Light, sweet, and as nuanced as a wine.

    Maybe I'll be up there soon, and we can enjoy a cup of something yummy together...

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  3. It would be great to see you again, Kelly. Let me know when you are next in town!

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