Overview
James Street's number one food-focused bookshop, Scrumptious Reads, has never been content with simply selling printed volumes about delicious meals. Adding to their frequent lineup of gourmet events, they’re taking their love of all things tasty a step further with the opening of Sinmei Tea Room.
Owned and run by the lovely lady that gives the space its name, the petite cafe tucked within the tiny store celebrates its titular beverage. It couldn't be in better hands, given that Sinmei Cheung is no stranger to the tea game. The tea artist started her first tea house in London six years ago, then branched out to Hong Kong and Shanghai.
Serving up long cool summer drinks and warm winter beverages is Sinmei's speciality — and serving up matcha, too. The finely ground powdered green tea has been a staple of Japanese tea ceremonies for centuries, and forms the basis of much of Sinmei's classic-meets-fusion food and drink menu.
The tea room's green-tinged selection includes a non-alcoholic matcha mojito, a matcha yin yang with coffee, plus matcha twists on everything from lamingtons and brownies to molten cake and chocolate fondant. Traditional Chinese and herbal teas are also available, as are sandwiches and rice paper rolls; however the magic of matcha is what everyone will be clamouring for.
Find Sinmei Tea Room at Scrumptious Reads, Shop 5 & 6, 19 James St, Fortitude Valley, or visit their Facebook page for more information.
Image: Dollar Photo Club.