Enjoying Chinese tea with the master

Kurniawan Hari, ,  The Jakarta Post, ,  Jakarta   |  Sun, 02/08/2009 11:23 AM  |  On the Town

Who can resist an offer to sip a cup of tea? For some, it is the perfect refreshing beverage after a hard day's work that can lift exhaustion and dispel distress. Others choose to drink it in the morning to kick start their day.

First discovered centuries ago by the Chinese, tea has long been known to contain minerals and vitamins beneficial to our health. It refreshes the mind, calms our emotions and even soothes our body.

It is certainly worth a visit to Hotel Mulia's Samudra Shark's Fin Restaurant, where you can enjoy a variety of Chinese teas.

"We invite customers to drink tea as it benefits the health and mind. We serve a variety of Chinese teas. Besides, customers can watch our tea master at work," restaurant manager Kelvin Chow said.

He was referring to Zhenzhen, a 24-year-old tea master who hails from Henan, China, and who now works at Samudra Shark's Fin, one of the finest Chinese restaurants in Jakarta.

Upon entering the restaurant, you are asked whether you would like to sample any of a wide variety of tea. Zhenzhen then promptly brews and serves your choice.

One of the favorites is Ba Bao Cha; a revitalizing beverage consisting of a concoction of Chinese herbs and sugar in a small cup. The herbs used are lo han kuo (longevity fruit), ke zi (cardamom seed), hong zao (Chinese date), bu dao kan (dried grape), cen pi (tangerine) and mo li hua (jasmine tea) plus bing tang (sugar).

While the drink was certainly refreshing, the attention to detail during the preparation was remarkable.

Zhenzhen places a cup - herbs and sugar inside - on the table. Then, using a special teapot with an almost 1-meter-long spout, he pours in the hot water, finishing with a dramatic flourish to lift the spout when the desired level of water is reached.

His skill in preparing tea in such an extraordinary manner has earned him the rank of tea master.

"It takes one-and-a-half-years to study how to prepare tea. I learned it at a particular school in Beijing," Zhenzhen said in Chinese, later translated into English by Kelvin. After graduating, he worked at a number of different restaurants in Beijing for four years before coming to Hotel Mulia in Jakarta.

Of course, preparing tea with such style requires a level of skill that is not easily attained. And even a tea master is not infallible. At one point, Zhenzhen, mid flourish, spilt hot water on his arm, scolding himself.

"The most difficult thing is knowing the right position before pouring the hot water into the cup. We must estimate the volume of water in the cup and make a sudden move to stop the hot water from dipping," Zhenzhen said.

As tea master, Zhenzhen is charged with preparing tea in an attractive manner and also ensuring the restaurant's guests experience the best possible flavors.

Besides the refreshing Ba Bao Cha, Shark's Fin also offers the lovely Hwa Cha (flower tea). Hwa Cha is placed into a glass as a ball of leaves, and slowly blossoms and then disintegrates in hot water.

"We will be offering Chinese tea for the next year. If there is a positive response from our customers, we will extend it. Let's see," Kelvin said.

He said the restaurant also offered customers tea to take home. "Guests can buy our Chinese tea and enjoy it at home. We hope it will reinvigorate their life," he said.

Samudra Shark's Fin

Hotel Mulia Senayan
Jl. Asia Afrika, Senayan
Central Jakarta
Ph: (021) 5753271

Copyright © 2008 The Jakarta Post - PT Bina Media Tenggara. All Rights Reserved.