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Chado: The Way of Tea
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Restaurant
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Hobart
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Open:
Lunch Tue-Sat
Price:
Moderate
Score (/20):
15
Reviewed By
Sue Dyson and Roger McShane
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Phone Number:
+61 3 6231 6411
Address:
134 Elizabeth St
Hobart, Tasmania, 7000
Country:
Australia
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Chado: The Way of Tea is a welcome addition to the Hobart café and food store scene. They have a broad selection of teas which you can sample on the premises or buy to take away. We particularly like the teas from northern China in the Huangzhou area including the Dragonwell Premium from the Long Jin area.If you need assistance just ask for help from the incredibly knowledgeable owner, Varuni Kulasekera, or any of the staff who will guide you towards a tea that will appeal your taste.One of the reasons why we like it so much is that it is very fresh. Tea becomes stale very quickly if it is not kept in cool conditions away from the light. Delicate Chinese teas such as the Long Jin should be used within a year or so of harvest date.We also like the Imperial Huang Shan Mao Feng from the inland Anhui province, the Fu Shou Shan Oolong from high in the mountains of Taiwan and the very delicate Silver Needle Reserve from Fujian.Another tea that we loved from the first mouthful was the Wild Leaf Sheng Pu-erh. This is a raw or natural Pu-erh that derives its complexity through long aging rather than through being processed. It has a nutty, umami-like taste that is very appealing.As we have worked our way through the available teas we have come across a number of Varuni's recommendations such as the assertive Organic Turmeric tea and the medicinal Gotukola, both from her Sri Lankan homeland. The addictive Turmeric restores our overworked livers and the Gotukola is an herbaceous tea that is very pleasant to drink and seems to provide all sorts of medicinal benefits.But we have also been interested in the development of the food offerings here. When Chado first opened the food seemed to consist of snacks as an adjunct to the enjoyment of tea. Gradually, however the food has crept towards centre stage and now is a food destination in its own right serving some of Hobart's most delicious dishes.Varuni has become very adept at sourcing the finest produce such as the Hammond's Robbins Island wagyu beef, the beautiful St Helens sea urchin roe, fish from Mark Ether and beautiful fresh herbs from Provenance Growers to name but a few. These ingredients are then turned into delicious dishes such as her famous Sri Lankan wagyu curry which is made with stunning freshly-ground spices and served over red rice. You might also find sashimi of freshly-caught fish, roll-your-own sushi rolls or the amazing Vada made from fresh sprouts and lentils in the style of the Tamil dish from southern India and Sri Lanka.Chado is well worth a visit for lunch whenever you are in Hobart.
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