Remembering Summer: Teased by Teazann

(Pictures from top to bottom: Teazann's delectable pork knuckles, shrimp gambas, calamares, and pumpkin soup.)

As of April 30, our own PAGASA has just declared summer over, with the past few days seeing steady rains, rather than the usual sweltering heat. (An effect of climate change, perhaps?) Nonetheless, even with the quite abrupt end of this year’s summer, we did have our share of the sun.

Of course, even with the unusually fickle weather this summer brought upon us, the heat did climb up a notch. For the latter part of March until well into April, we did experience steady 33s, 34s and 35s in our collective mercury. While that gave many urbanites an excuse to party and hit the beach, some urbanites like The Pedestrian Foodista took it as a chance to comb the local dining circuit, and look for good food and cool concoctions that can beat the heat.

One such establishment in the circuit is Teazann, located at Pasig’s Metrowalk. Teazann prides itself in a selection of green teas, as well as comfort food. Set in a place with very good ambiance, Teazann sure promises to be a welcome respite from the summer heat.

As recommended by our friend, my friends and I first sampled their pumpkin soup. Done from pureed pumpkin, and individually decorated on top, the soup was heaven in a bowl. The velvety, creamy texture of the soup just went easily to the mouth. A dash of fresh pepper from their peppermill added a subtle kick that was a great start to a meal.

We were then served their cold tea. We tried two variants from their selection, pandan and blackcurrant. I immediately fell in love with the pandan tea’s clean taste and its balance of flavors. It was not too sweet, unlike many iced teas in the market, and it tasted really authentic. On the other hand, the blackcurrant tea was also superb. A tad sweeter than its pandan counterpart, it was nonetheless refreshing and authentic as well. Being curious about their teas, I inquired about their process of making tea. True enough, I was struck at the way they made their tea from scratch and adding the desired flavors. Indeed, their signature teas exceeded our expectations, and were truly deserving of their place as the restaurant’s centerpiece.

Of course, having been teased by their cool teas, we were now more than ready to eat a hearty meal. We were treated to nice array of dishes, such as shrimp gambas (I was allergic though so I passed this up), calamares or fried squid rings (too bad, I was slightly allergic to this as well so I just ate a few), beef salpicado and pork knuckles. Having seen the pork, I have abandoned my diet, and proceeded to feast on it. The pork was done just right, with garlic liberally sprinkled on it. It was crunchy on the outside while tender on the inside. Best eaten with lots of rice, I had a very hearty meal just with the pork and a little of everything.

That said, we were full in no time. Satisfied with a great meal, happy with good company, going to Teazann was one of the most memorable meals I have had in a long time. The cool atmosphere was a contrast to the bustle of Metrowalk and the city outside. Teazann definitely evokes the unhurried aura of a family or friendly dinner, where one can indulge in good food and enjoy great company.

Teazann truly teases with its great food and tea selections. Nonetheless, it is a tease that satisfies. Indeed, for urbanites like us searching for new experiences and cool escapes from the summer heat (even for just a short while), Teazann surely fits the bill. Teazann really made our short summer such a worthwhile experience.

Got your own restaurant stories? I would appreciate your opinion. Reply at my guestbook, or email thepedestrianfoodista@gmail.com. Thanks!