Last weekend, we found ourselves in a Traditional Chinese Teahouse - Royal Eternity Tea House along Neil Road.
It was our first time going to a Traditional Chinese Teahouse in Singapore so we had no clue what to expect.
Upon our arrival, we were given a tour of the teahouse. Royal Eternity Tea House span across 2 levels, with 5 rooms in total. These rooms don't just operate as tea rooms, they can also be used to hold intimate gatherings or events such as solemnization, birthday party or even corporate events such as product launch, seminars and workshops. So, if you're looking for a suitable event space for rent in Singapore, look no further.
On the 2nd floor, there's 3 rooms.
Royal Grand Eternity Room, $250/hr (ideal for 1-25pax)
Meeting Room Centre, $150/hr (ideal for 1-60pax)
Meeting Room, $160/hr (ideal for 1-15pax)
This is the sight that greeted us when we entered Royal Eternity Tea House on the 1st floor - an array of Chinese tea leaves, including Chinese tea cakes and tea ware!
On the 1st floor, there's two rooms.
Royal Eternity Glassroom, $99/hr (ideal for 1-15pax)
I love how this room has a unobstructed skylight which allow ample sunlight to enter the space, simulating the feel of outdoors. I like how the design combines both traditional and modern elements - from the oriental porcelain stools to terrazzo tiles, resulting in a unique and multi-layered space.
Meeting room, $150/hr (ideal for 1-15pax)
Our tea tasting session was conducted by Tea Specialist, Xiao Yu. She recommended that we try Lapsang souchong, a black tea consisting of Camellia sinensis leaves that are smoke-dried over a pinewood fire. The reason being black tea is less stimulating compared to other teas, thus it doesn't irritate your stomach.
How to make Chinese tea
1) Pour boiled water over teapot, serving teacups and regular teacups to warm up the tea set.2) Use a tea-leaves holder to pour tea leaves into the serving cup
3) Pour the heated water into the serving cup. Discard the first brew of tea. This step is known as rinsing the tea leaves.
4) Pour heated water into the serving tea cup again.
5) Fill the tea cups with tea. The reason behind using a serving tea cup is so that the tea would taste the same for all guests whether they are served first or last.
6) Serve tea to your guests and make sure that the tea cup is on their right hand side.
7) Appreciate the color of the tea and its aroma before tasting it.
In terms of colour, Lapsang souchong tea is in a nice orangey-red.
And now, it's time to taste the tea! First, I did a taste test by swirling the tea in my mouth.
It smells very fragrant and has a light sweet taste to it with a hint of smokiness which in my opinion, would be easily accepted by most.
I also took the chance to ask Xiao Yu some burning questions I had about Chinese Tea making.Q: What is the best water temperature for Chinese tea brewing? Eg. Black tea A: Boil water to 100°C and let it cool to 85-95°C.Q: Which type of Chinese tea would you recommend to someone whom would like to try Chinese tea for the first time?
A: Black tea.Q: How do I choose a Chinese tea set?
A: According to your hand measurements. For beginners, glass tea set works too.Q: How do I store expensive tea leaves properly given that our weather here in Singapore is rather humid?
A: You can get a specially designed cabinet meant for storing tea leaves.Q: How do I get started learning more about Chinese tea appreciation?
A: We do have Tea workshops at $88/pax which should start sometime in April so do check back.
Q: What is the most wallet-friendly service that you offer here? A: We do have tea appreciation for 45 minutes for only $28 which is very wallet-friendly.If you looking for what to in Singapore, Royal Eternity Tea House is where you can escape the hustle and bustle of city life. We had an informative afternoon where we gained insights on Chinese tea making and we both agree that it is a great alternative date idea instead of the usual meal or movie. It helps to relax our mind and calm our thoughts as well as bring us closer to the lives of people in the olden days.
Royal Eternity Teahouse promo code:
Quote 'SWEETESTSINS12' for 12% off bookings.
Royal Eternity Tea House 洛吟茶事royal-teahouse.com
facebook.com/RoyalEternityTeaHouse
37, Neil Road Singapore 088822
Nearest MRT station: Outram Park, Exit G
Opening hours:
Mon-Thurs 11am - 9pm,
Fri & Sat 11am - 10.30pm,
Closed on Sundays
-------------------- CONNECT WITH --------------------SWEETESTSINS