It can be obnoxious to everyone else, but when you're the ones laughing out loud for a few hours straight, it translates into a good time- for you, at least, as it did on a recent snowy afternoon at Naidre's (502 Henry St., Brooklyn). The Carroll Gardens branch of this cafe is an unassuming but welcoming space, even for a misanthrope like me.
The tea selection wasn't enormous- I could have found more in my refrigerator at home, a few blocks away- but it strayed pleasantly beyond the basic English Breakfast. I had the triple green tea with jasmine ($1.25), which was a blend of what looked like sencha, Dragonwell and jasmine pearls. The water was too hot (repeat after me: water boiling for black; just steaming for green), but the tea was still made with care- the loose leaves were bagged and tied to order, and if I had asked, I'm sure I could have had the bag separate. But I was being annoying enough.
The tea was good, though, and finding any cup of loose leaf for under $2 in this city is notable. The extensive food options were intriguing as well, even though I was still coming down from a crescent-cookie coma and didn't want anything. I did see a disgustingly delicious-looking mac and cheese float by, and the vegetarian reuben sandwich that my friend ordered wasn't too shabby, either. I could only force down a bite, but anything that contains a slab of fried tofu topped with fake bacon is going to ensure another visit.
Remember that part at the end of The Wizard of Oz where Dorothy has her big epiphany about not needing to look further than her very own backyard for her heart's desire? That wasn't just the Seconal talking. Sometimes it really is right there.
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6 comments:
hi,
Thanks for writing about Naidre's in Carroll Gardens, I've worked there awhile, and can tell you it's a gem.
You have a very interesting blog, and I enjoyed this post, but as someone familiar with the tea list at Naidre's, I find it very hard to believe that you have more teas in your fridge than we do at Naidre's.
But you are a tea enthusiast, and perhaps you have a larger fridge than most... Allow me to try and change your mind anyway.
We have about 20 varieties of loose leaf, organic teas. I think I can name them:
1. Earl Grey with Rose Pedals
2. Earl Grey
3. Decaf Earl Grey
4. Vanilla Black tea
5. English Breakfast tea
6. Darjeeling
7. White Tea with Melon
8. Triple Greens with Jasmine
9. Four Biggies/Powerhouse tea
10.Sencha
11.Pumpkin Spice
12.Herbal Chai
13.Yoda Tea (like chai)
14.Ginger Lemon Mint (King Crimson)
15.Ginger Orange Peach
16.Petit Fleur
17.MU-16 (Macrobiotic)
18.Peppermint
19.Chamomile
20.Yerba Mate
We also have 3 always-brewed organic iced teas: english breakfast, mango green, and an herbal apple & raspberry.
And forgive us, our water comes our very hot. You were right, we'd be happy to give you a tied tea bag on the side for you to wait for the water to cool a bit. We even have ice cubes, and I think we're pretty accommodating.
Thank you!
i appreciate the response- and trust me, i was impressed with naidre's selection (and quality).
in terms of the different types, i was referring to the caffeinated teas (greens, oolongs and blacks) i have here at home. naidre's certainly has me beat in terms of overall variety, but i don't buy many herbal teas- i needs me that caffeine.
i do plan on coming back to try some of your other types, and would definitely recommend your cafe to anyone who likes tea. it really puts all the other "tea" places nearby in brooklyn to shame!
thanks for reading, and glad you enjoy the blog.
i've stopped by naidre a couple of times when i'm in the neighborhood (usually on my way to the brooklyn general store) and i did like their tea...
*there's no place like home*
*there's no place like home*
*there's no place like home*
Photea liscious!
this one looks nicer than the one on 7th, which i find to be a bit too grimy, although everyone is very nice there. it's not a place i want to sit in for a while.
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