teaism at lafayette park, dc

i'm not into hot tea. i know i'm admitting to a less-than-sophisticated side of my otherwise openminded and worldly culinarian self. i'm just not - though i'm the biggest fan of coffee. i just don't understand tea and i think that's why i don't do it. wish i did, perhaps i will someday, but for now i've got all i can handle in this pea-brain before any new info can be filed. there, i admit it.

i went to teaism for lunch on the advice of the person i was meeting. i always thought it would be uber-sophisticated, dark and cozy and quiet.

shhhh, we're drinking tea.

i thought the menu would consist of scones and pastries and tea, some more tea and a side of tea. no sir-eee. it could be called teabucks. the place is deli/diner-esque, not what i thought it would be at all, aside from a shelf with silk-covered boxes of (tea?) and pretty chopsticks and paper for sale. turns out this is a lunchtime get-'em-in-and-out-asap joint. looking for relaxing tea? get your fanny over to the mayflower hotel around 4 instead.

i was late for lunch, in a hurry to get my lunch and get back to my one-hour meter before getting another godforsaken parking ticket in this town. the menu's huge. so, i quickly ordered the salmon bento box - it just popped out at me - before i even had time to review the rest of the menu (i can't tell you what else they offer but it was substantial). also, i couldn't deal with my tea-ignorance at that time (plus, doesn't tea take forever to steep and blah, blah, blah) so i ordered a diet green tea soda, which is probably one step up from the lipton green tea my parents drink by the two-liter.

bento boxes are pretty cute, i must say. they're lacquered boxes with little compartments each holding a respectable and perfect amount of food, all at a 90-degree angle, none of it touching each other (wish these were around when i was a kid who couldn't stand my mashed potatoes touching my corn). left to right included pickled cucumber salad, soy-honey glazed salmon filet (cold), edamame. then on the side was sweet and sticky brown rice with yummy green stuff sprinkled on top. i am pleasantly surprised. everything needed a little salt but it was just the perfect little lunch in a perfect and cute little box.

yes, i think teaism offered the perfect little cubicled lunch - until the clock struck 12 that is. people filed in like ants, the place became over-crowded in a matter of seconds and i could barely get out without knocking a coat off a chair or hitting someone in the head with my over-sized bag. so much for your relaxing tea time.

perhaps i'll try again sometime and actually get some tea so i can relax.