Essencha Teahouse And Fine Teas To Open In Cincinnati: Cincinnati’s first modern tea café to offer premium and exotic teas, lunch, and gourmet treats.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 11, 2006

Essencha Teahouse And Fine Teas To Open In Cincinnati
Cincinnati’s first modern tea café to offer premium and exotic teas, lunch, and gourmet treats

CINCINNATI – Move over, Starbuck’s. There’s a new drink in town.

Tea – reported to have valuable antioxidants, be good for weight loss, and help reduce cholesterol – will arrive stylishly in Cincinnati next week in the sleek, Asian-inspired form of Essencha Teahouse and Fine Teas on Madison Road in Oakley.

“Essencha Teahouse and Fine Teas is an inviting oasis designed for the enjoyment of tea, tea-based drinks and food,” says Tracy Monson, founder and owner of Essencha. “It is ideally located for a leisurely cup, an informal business meeting, or a fun gathering with friends. We consider Essencha to be Cincinnati’s first modern tea café because we won’t just serve high-quality tea at an affordable price – we’ll educate you about it in an entertaining and down-to-earth way.”

In addition to more than 70 varieties of black, green, rooibos, white, oolong, and herbal loose-leaf teas, which can be prepared on-site or packaged for at-home use, the café will also offer fresh seasonal salads and sandwiches as well as gourmet pastries, scones, cookies, and chocolates. “Enlightened” versions of European and Asian afternoon teas will be served each day from 2-4:00 p.m., with each tea featuring three regionally appropriate courses (reservations recommended).

The shop will also serve yerba maté, masala chai, milk teas, iced tea and a signature bubble tea: a fun-spirited drink that is made from fresh-brewed premium Jasmine green or black tea mixed with optional vibrant fruit syrups and poured over tapioca pearls.

Bubble tea, which is shaken and served over ice with small, chewy tapioca balls and a fat straw, has taken Asia by storm and is rapidly growing in popularity in the United States. Essencha will offer several bubble tea flavors, including lychee, honeydew, green apple, coconut, mango, taro, strawberry, and passion fruit. Essencha’s bubble tea (or “Boba”) is authentic and premium tea-based.

Each day, Essencha will feature two hot teas and one or two iced teas (black, green and rooibos) for quick “take-away” service. More than 70 teas are available daily for custom brew by the pot or by the cup. Infusionists act also as “tea sommeliers” to aid in the selection and proper brewing of tea. Tea and tea-related accessories, including teapots, cups, strainers and infusers, will also be available for purchase in the store and online at www.essencha.com.

Tracy and husband Mahmoud Lamriben created the concept to introduce Cincinnatians to premium loose-leaf tea as an accessible, affordable luxury and to promote tea culture and its health benefits. As part of promoting tea culture, Essencha will feature special events to learn about tea culture and the amazing health benefits of tea.

Essencha Teahouse and Fine Teas is located in Oakley at 3212 Madison Rd. (across from Pho Paris) in Cincinnati. Hours of operation are Monday-Friday, 7:30 a.m.-7 p.m.; Saturday, 9:30 a.m.-6 p.m. Tracy and her well-trained staff can be reached at (513) 533-4TEA or (513) 807-4447. Website: www.essencha.com.
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For more information, contact Tracy Monson at (513) 807-4447 or e-mail at Tracy@essencha.com.

Tracy Monson
Essencha Teahouse and Fine Teas
3212 Madison Rd., Cincinnati
(513) 533-4TEA or (513) 807-4447
www.essencha.com