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roji tea lounge rocks downtown
cuseme.blogspot --
Mar 2, 2006 --
Starbucks may have brought a multinational corporate aspect to Armory Square, but Roji Tea Lounge a few blocks east across Salina Street and over on Washington brings an international flair to the alcohol-free make-mine-tea downtown social scene. No coffee here, but the choices of hot and cold drinks and interesting little snacks should take your mind off that next caffeine fix.
Roji introduced Syracuse to bubble tea - a sweetened iced tea with interesting little balls of tapioca that dance at the bottom of your glass until you suck them up with an extra-wide straw and chew them thoughtfully. "Eat your tea?" Well, kinda, but it's good to broaden your horizons every now and then. Speaking of which, you can sample Japanese snacks like rice balls, mochi balls, and adzuki beans spread over cream cheese on a bagel - sounds disgusting but tastes delicious. There's also the old reliable desserts like green tea ice cream and green tea cake.
Enjoy the snacks, but make sure you sample the tea - not the cold sweet bubble teas, but the hot brewed real deal tea. Depending on the type of tea you order, it can come in one of several ways, each with its own presentation, teapot and cup. The proprietress of Roji Tea Lounge, Tomomi, is herself a descendant of those versed in the Japanese Tea Ceremony, and she takes her own tea presentations very seriously.
Best time to go is just after the tea lounge opens and in the early evening - it gets packed later on and is busy many nights. You'll see why once you stop in. It's got an atmosphere that'll make you say, "This doesn't feel like Syracuse," and the raised tatami-mat covered seating area in the front corner of the shop is well worth waiting for. This is a great date place if you want to impress someone - it's eclectic, funky, tasteful and zen-inspired. Not everybody's cup of tea, but it's definitely mine.
Stop or Skip? STOP, and savor - especially cuz two can spend a whole evening here for $20 or less.
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