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Tea-inspired cocktail bar’s homage to China
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HUASHAN Road is playing host to a new cocktail bar with a difference — serving tea-inspired apéritifs!
From the first moment you step inside Teju Bar, tea aromas hit you and waft through the 40-seat space that is divided into a lounge seat setting for groups and a bar counter.
With Chinese teas becoming something of an increasing fascination for the world’s top chefs and bartenders, Taipei native and Teju Bar manager Mike Zeng is set to dive deep into the subject, paying homage to Chinese tea culture tracing back to the Han Dynasty (206 BC-AD 220).
Mixologist Zeng, with seven years’ experience, knows his spirits and the ingredients that go with it to make up craft cocktails. Don’t come here in a hurry, as it takes time to blend the perfect cocktail. He uses different extracting techniques in six Chinese teas, from green, white, yellow, oolong to black and pu’er, according to the different characteristics.
Different extracting techniques, such as sous vide and distillation, are ensured to extract clean, concentrated flavor and essence out of the original ingredients. They make great cocktail modifiers.
Inspired by the exquisite scent and texture of each tea type, Zeng has created an enticing collection of teatails showing a smooth concoction with the flavor profile of teas.
“Unlike other cocktail bars, I’m keen on creating a story, a thread among my creations,” Zeng said.
“Tea” is the soul behind his well-designed recipes and Zeng believes innovation is how to make something look and taste simple, using new ways of presenting flavors.
I loved the fact Zeng didn’t try to over-decorate the cocktails. He presented them without wasting any garnish or element. The corn silk on top of the Junshan Silver Needle tea and the white pomelo shrub outside the glass of the Jinxuan Oolong were all made to maximize the experience.
The bar food is well-executed Taiwanese food Zeng personally loves to eat.
Braised dishes, deep-fried oysters, salted chicken nuggets, braised pork rice and the grilled pork chop toast from Zeng’s childhood growing up in Taiwan all top the list.
It is an ideal place to come by yourself or with a friend. In the end, what’s better than simply kicking back, having a cocktail and just chilling out?
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