"Come experience the rebirth of tea," reads a card on a sign outside the tiny storefront, between Traditions of Syracuse and Discount Shoe Repair. It opened several months ago.

This is not Queen Elizabeth or Nigella Lawson-type high tea, with silver service, scones, fruit tarts, finger sandwiches and flowery plates.

This is meditative, Eastern-style tea, served in a relaxing setting not much bigger than your living room. There's a couch, tables and chairs enough for about 12 people and five cushions on mats surrounding a low table on an elevated platform (please remove your shoes). Jazz plays in the background.

There's black tea, green tea, red tea, oolong tea, white tea (one of the rarest teas in China) herbal tea, floral tea, iced tea, chai made from scratch (not poured from a box) and served with a small pitcher of sugar syrup and bubble tea, or beverages made with pearl tapioca, and sipped through fat, colorful straws. Prices range from $2.50 to $9.

For snacks, there are banana chips (35 cents), green tea cakes ($3.90), rice balls ($2.30) and a bagel with cream cheese and adzuki beans ($2.40).

The latter is a sweet snack popular with Western business executives in Tokyo. "Give it a try," says the menu.

Maybe next time.

The tea lounge is open 2 to 10 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, 3 p.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday and 3 to 10 p.m. Sunday.

roji's comments:

1. Prices and portions has been changed

2. Please check for our new hours