Steep Increase

Tea pairing menus at fine-dining restaurants are lending a new dimension to the appreciation of this age-old beverage.

- Koh Yuen Lin

Degustation dinners paired with libations are often decadent affairs that leave one heady from long flights of wine, and a little groggy-headed the day after. But not at Esora. The fine-dining Japanese restaurant that opened last August offers not just a wine pairing menu, but also one where every course is matched with tea.

Chef-owner Shigeru Koizumi goes to great lengths to deliver a tea programme with a difference. Only the best teas of the season are sourced – just as a chef sources prime seasonal ingredients for his menu. “The teas are sourced through my personal relationships with suppliers, who have direct connections with tea plantation owners and farmers. While most establishments either source their leaves from commercial suppliers or have external producers curate their tea list, I wanted to ensure the quality and consistency of the teas from farm to cup,” says Koizumi.