Getting word of Nohm-Cha, a new Taiwanese tea house near the U.S. Consulate, intrigued me. So-called bubble tea and tapioca tea have reared their heads around Guadalajara.
But the notion of a Taiwanese tea shop is novel and Nohm-Cha’s understated yet sophisticated Web site was also attractive, enticing me with novel brews — “Golden Wind Tea,” “Dragon Tea with Roses.” I was also pleased by the business hours: 11 a.m. — my kind of place — to 10 p.m.
Upon a visit, Nohm-Cha further intrigues with its spare, bright interior, created by huge windows, neutral coloring, stools with scooped wooden seats to nicely accommodate the derriere and a few strategically located bonsai style plant arrangements.
The staff’s wide smiles only sweeten the vibes. Perhaps the only negatives are the disposable plastic cups, although a staffer explained that at least they eschew drinking straws, adding that the lids of the cups were specially designed so that one half can be flipped back and latched, enabling the tea lover to properly savor the teas, many of which are served cold. (Some come prepared hot or cold.)
After surveying the menu of various types of tea (red, oolong, green, etc., all labeled as to acidity and caffeine level), many prepared with fruit (mango, orange, grapefruit twist and maracuya, which I sincerely doubt has any roots in Asia) and a few prepared with milk (the most fanciful of which is named Oreo Brulee), I chose cold Matcha. I am a matcha (green tea) lover but have always looked askance at mixing it with milk. However, even though the price seemed a bit steep at 58 pesos, it did not disappoint.
This drink is made with green tea that is actually green — the same expensive powder used in traditional Japanese tea houses where everyone sits on tatami mats and watches kimono-clad ladies use bamboo whisks to prepare the frothy drink, which is then sipped hot from small vessels. At Nohm-Cha, the body of the drink is indeed a rich green, but it is lightened a bit by milk and topped with an optional frothy cream that I was glad I opted for. I detected no green tea flavor — the powder sinks — until I got near the bottom, so I can’t say it was authentically Japanese, but it was still tasty.
A staffer surprised me by saying Nohm-Cha’s owners are Mexican. The shop, situated in a pleasantly green spot on recently improved Lopez Cotilla, with cyclists and two lanes of light car and bus traffic whizzing by, has been open just a few months. It remains to be seen how Nohm-Cha will do in this area of high restaurant turnover, but someday soon we will know if Mexicans come to love this hybrid Asian spot.
Nohm-Cha, Lopez Cotilla, corner of Emerson. Strictly speaking, the address is Emerson 151. Open Tuesday to Sunday 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Closed Monday. See www.nohm-cha.com/sabores.