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Dream
About Tea Brews
Just Your Cup
of Tea
By Victoria Scott
The newest addition to Evanston's beverage scene is a faraway
place in the heart of downtown.
Owners Daquan Yao (left) and Hong Wu (far right)
talk with customer Naftali Garber while he savors a cup of tea at
their Dream About Tea shop.
Dream about Tea, 1011 Davis St., exudes the ageless serenity of a
Chinese tea house in an area dominated by a
to-go-double-shot-no-foam mentality. With its emphasis on relaxing,
lingering and savoring, the shop's attitude is more spa than
cafe.
Customer Bob Novaghar, a Northwestern graduate and dental
student, stops by whenever he is in town. He calls Dream about Tea
"a fantastic spot," and distinguishes tea, "something people have
drunk for millennia," from coffee, "a wham-bam, 20th century
money-maker." Tea, he says, "has soul."
Daquan Yao and Hong Wu, the shop's husband and wife owners,
immigrated from China five years ago. Full of admiration for
efficiencies like the way the City plows its streets after a
snowfall, the couple looked in vain for "a quiet place to drink
tea," says Ms. Wu. While pursuing masters degrees in business
administration from North Park College - they graduated in December
- they directed much of their research to re-creating such a Chinese
tradition. They looked to Evanston, where they attend church,
because of its students, an open-minded and friendly population an
aura of safety.
But the tea room concept baffled their classmates. "No coffee?"
they fretted.
" The best way to differentiate yourself is to be unique,"
explains Ms. Wu in her best M.B.A. voice, adding "but it's risky."
So far their risk has paid off, she says. Since opening on Jan.
22, the shop has exceeded their expectations. "There are more tea
drinkers here than we thought," she says.
The couple chose to differentiate themselves by attending to
ambience and service as well as to the art of brewing tea. They
lavished attention on atmosphere. Bathed in gentle Chinese music and
beguiled by intimate nooks, visitors are invited to leave the world
behind. The owners welcome everyone; regulars, by name. They regard
their customers as co-creators. "They help build the peaceful
ambience," says Ms. Wu.
But the drink itself is the centerpiece of the Dream about Tea
experience. The uninitiated can begin with what Ms. Wu calls "tea
counseling." Some come with requests: "I want something that will
give me energy." Others take their cue from Mr. Yao, who works
behind the counter. "Are you okay with caffeine?" he queries.
A
dialogue, often enhanced with sniffs from multiple glass canisters,
continues until the choice has narrowed from 65 teas to just the
right one, says Ms. Wu: "Different people like different [tea] to
match their personality."
The owners, who have toured Asia, Australia and New Zealand, see
themselves as cultural ambassadors in their tea room. They expect to
share the science and lore of the 2,000- to 4,000-year-old drink
that originated in China and spread to the rest of the world.
All tea shares the Latin name, Camellia sinensis, she explains.
Processing and fermentation differentiate green (unfermented) from
oolong (partially fermented) from black (completely fermented)
teas.
Each variety fares best under particular brewing conditions
- water temperature, time, brewing vessel and number of infusions.
For those who buy bulk teas, the website, http://www.dreamabouttea.com/, has extensive
information about varieties with such colorful names as Monkey Pick,
Iron Goddess of Mercy and White Peony.
For instance Dragon Well, China's favorite green, flourishes when
steeped at 180 degrees for two minutes. Like other green teas, it
can be infused a number of times. So price, along with health
benefits like antioxidants and even fluoride, is another reason to
take tea.
Naftali Garber, 17, is a frequent customer. He and his uncle
often bicycle north from Chicago to spend some quality time
together. For him, tea - and this newfound destination - are
life-enhancing. "When we can relax and have a cup of tea," he says,
"life is good."
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last updated 6 May
2004 | 
