Saint’s Alp Teahouse & Café = Bliss

Dying for bubble tea, I took a break from the Chinatown Newsroom to take a trip Saint’s Alp Teahouse at 2131 South Archer Avenue in Chinatown.

Saint’s Alp began in 1994 in Hong Kong and opened their Chicago location in 2006, hoping to add some “flare” to the traditional teahouse scene, according to their website. When I dropped in I had no idea what to expect. I thought it would be more like an in-and-out coffee shop, so you can imagine my surprise when a friendly teenager greeted me with a smile and said, “Table for one?!”

I did not really want to take time out of my day to sit, but I accepted anyway, and was led to a booth.

As soon as I was seated, I realised how hard it would be to be unhappy in Saint’s Alp. The interior is fresh and clean with poppy warm colours and minimalistic tables with ultra-modern, slick chairs. Lighting is flattering and bright and the shop front affords a lovely view of the Sears Tower and part of Chicago’s skyline.

Saint’s Alp service was the kind you would usually expect at a 5-star restaurant, as the servers were sweet and very attentive without being overbearing. The servers were even – dare I say – adorable! They could not quit smiling and did not shy away when I made small talk.

For the most part the restaurant was quiet, save the music, which sounded like the owners had settled on a soft rock Chinese station…and I loved it!

The drink menu is expansive, but if you are a first-timer, and you love bubble tea, then choose from the selection of 10 “Frothy-Teas with Pearl Tapioca”. I settled for a cold coconut (black tea) milk tea that was delicately sweetened and flavoured with coconut. As I sipped, I picked up notes of almond and was pleased with the creamy consistency.

The black pearl tapioca settles at the bottom and is absolutely delicious. I am sure people who have never experienced bubble tea are now cringing at the sight of big, black balls in otherwise perfectly good milk tea – but fear not! Black pearl tapioca does have an alarmingly gelatinous texture, but once you get over the chewiness of the bland little guys, they are actually a welcome addition.

For the most part, black tapioca pearls have no taste. Tapioca, after all, is a flavourless starch extracted from a root plant. Black tapioca, however, has cassava root and brown sugar in it, which is how it gets its black colour!

While I was inspecting the rest of the menu, I happily (and with wild abandon!) slurped away at my bubble tea, not realising how quickly a regular size disappears! I should have gone with a bigger size!!

For a very light (and cheap) meal, I chose a Taiwanese Hors d’oeuvres sampler which included three generously meaty chicken wings, two deep-fried shrimp balls and a tea egg cut into quarters.

I will admit that I ordered this smorgasbord because I wanted to try a variety of items as I have commitment problems at new places. This meal, as odd as it seems, did not disappoint.

The tea eggs were a bit strange, but addictive. They tasted as if they were boiled and were then soaked in oolong tea to regain some of their moisture.

Breaking into the golden shrimp ball beauties with a pair of chopsticks I found out that the insides were shrimp puffs and not an actual shrimp. This did not make the snack any less appetising, and I destroyed the two shrimpies quicker than you can imagine!

The chicken wings were very meaty and tasted as if they were marinated in a cross between oyster sauce and brushed with a light teriyaki sauce. Unabashedly, I stripped the bones of every scrap of meat and even looked over the bones once finished to see if I had left anything.

There is no shame when it comes to polishing off good food.

And speaking of good food, I should probably tell you that I did indulge in dessert. The menu boasted of having something called “Classic Toast” that came in a variety of flavours (peanut butter,strawberry jam, butter & condensed milk or coconut butter). I decided to try the plain Jane butter and condensed milk toast and found out there was nothing plain about it.

A massive slab of Texas Toast brushed with butter on one side arrived at my table with warm condensed milk poured over the top. This created a stodgy sweet top with a crispy underlayer, and breaking into the bread with a knife, I found that the condensed milk was slowly seeping into the air pockets of the bread…de.lic.ious.

I could have gotten it with peanut butter, but why mess with a good thing? It was better than French toast!

Before leaving, I kept in mind that we are in a tough spot with the economy right now and recorded some of the specials Saint’s Alp has so that all could partake in the good food.

Every day, during lunch time (11-2) they have a $5.99 lunch special that comes with a FREE shark’s fin soup served in a Hong Kong style. For those who are not so keen on eating shark, you can have the soup of the day. Also, Saint’s Alp serves up a special menu around tea time, from 2.30 – 5.30 pm.

The menu can be seen above!

I seriously do not know why I did not go to Saint’s Alp earlier. This really is one of the best tea houses I have been to and I have not even scratched the surface of their tea menu.

If you are stopping in Chinatown, do not miss this place.

Dev xx