Adonia

Occasion: Tea with Jess (who I had possibly not seen since we graduated from high school)
Location: Adonia Tea House on W 41st Ave in Vancouver (adoniatea.com)
Edibles: I had the lobster bisque and peach tea; Jess had the carrot soup and English breakfast tea; we split a BLT to fill in the gaps

Musings: Charming, fussy and cosy, like the living room of a storybook English grandmother. I do slightly prefer the yuppie farmhouse vibe of Secret Garden Tea, but when Secret Garden told us it'd be 45 min. for a seat, we scooted around the corner and down the block to Adonia, where we were seated immediately.

My peach tea was thick and pulpy, more like a fruit pureé than a tea, but its sweet summery brightness was more than welcome on that chilly, grey Vancouver afternoon. My mom, knowing about my trials and tribulations with lobster stock, mentioned that Adonia had a good bisque, and that she might be able to get me the recipe if I liked it. (The owner is one of my many unofficial "aunties.") I did like it. It was flavorful and savory but not too boozy, as bisques can often be. I'll have to get my mom on that recipe's trail, pronto.

It was wonderful to catch up, Jess - let's not wait 10 years for the next one, eh?